Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, January 12, 2005

Name: Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, January 12, 2005
Start: 2005-01-12T18:00
End: 2005-01-12T23:00
Location: Arkansas

January 12, 2005 · NWS TSA · 7 events in 5 counties and zones

4 flash flood, 3 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $250,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 12, 5:22 PM CST, 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 12, 5:22 PM CST, 38 minutes before

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
522 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

...MESOSCALE UPDATE...

BACKED DEEP-LAYER SHEAR IS PROMOTING CELL-TO-CELL INTERACTIONS AND
RESULTING IN DECREASED POTENTIAL FOR DESCRETE SUPERCELLS.  AS THE
STONGER FORCING APPROACHES FROM THE WEST A COMPLETE EVOLUTION TO A
SCQUALL LINE WILL OCCUR.  WITH LIMITED INSTABILITY...THE SEVERE
THREAT IS QUICKLY EVOLVING TOWARD SPORADIC DAMAGING WIND REPORTS.
HOWEVER...0 TO 1 KM SHEAR REMAINS VERY HIGH IN WESTERN ARKANSAS AND
THE EASTERN TIER OF OKLAHOMA COUNTIES...SO AN ISOLATED TORNADO FROM
A BOWING LINE SEGMENT / EMBEDDED SUPERCELL REMAINS POSSIBLE.

WHILE LINE SEGMENTS ARE MOVING QUICKLY...THE OVERALL EASTWARD
PROGRESS OF THE LINE WILL BE LESS...SO THAT A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY
BE NEEDED SOON FOR AREAS NEAR AND AHEAD OF THE LINE.

FORECAST ID= 08

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 12, 1:00 PM CST, 5 hours before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-131100-
ADAIR OK-BENTON AR-CARROLL AR-CHEROKEE OK-CHOCTAW OK-CRAIG OK-
CRAWFORD AR-CREEK OK-DELAWARE OK-FRANKLIN AR-HASKELL OK-LATIMER OK-
LE FLORE OK-MADISON AR-MAYES OK-MCINTOSH OK-MUSKOGEE OK-NOWATA OK-
OKFUSKEE OK-OKMULGEE OK-OSAGE OK-OTTAWA OK-PAWNEE OK-PITTSBURG OK-
PUSHMATAHA OK-ROGERS OK-SEBASTIAN AR-SEQUOYAH OK-TULSA OK-WAGONER OK-
WASHINGTON OK-WASHINGTON AR-
100 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS
MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
TORNADO.
	RISK...LIMITED.
        AREA...FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS.
        ONSET...AFTER 3PM.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
	RISK...ELEVATED.
        AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA...NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
        ONSET...AFTER 3PM.

FLASH FLOOD.
	RISK...LIMITED.
        AREA...FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
        ONSET...AFTER 3PM.

HEAVY RAIN.
	RISK...ELEVATED.
        AREA...FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
        ONSET...AFTER 3PM.

DISCUSSION...
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WAS DEEPENING FROM
SOUTHEAST COLORADO INTO NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA.  A WARM FRONT EXTENDED
EAST FROM THE LOW INTO SOUTHEAST KANSAS...WHILE A DRYLINE EXTENDED
SOUTHWARD THROUGH WESTERN OKLAHOMA.  MEANWHILE...A STRONG UPPER
LEVEL SYSTEM WAS APPROACHING FROM THE WEST.

ELEVATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE ONGOING EARLY THIS AFTERNOON
MOVING ACROSS THE AREA TO THE NORTHEAST.  THIS ACTIVITY HAS REMAINED
BELOW SEVERE LIMITS...HOWEVER ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATER TODAY OFF TO THE WEST.  THIS ACTIVITY
WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER LATER THIS
AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT AS THE ATMOSPHERE BECOMES MORE UNSTABLE...AND
WIND FIELDS STRENGTHEN WITH THE APPROACH OF THE UPPER SYSTEM.

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON
AND QUICKLY EVOLVE INTO ONE OR MORE SQUALL LINES THAT WILL MOVE
ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. ANY TORNADO THREAT WILL MAINLY BE
NEAR THE ONSET OF THE EVENT...AND EVOLVE INTO MORE OF A STRAIGHT
LINE WIND AND HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT AS TIME PASSES.

SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...SPOTTER
ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT ACROSS
PORTIONS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.
THURSDAY...NO HAZARDS.
FRIDAY...NO HAZARDS.
SATURDAY...NO HAZARDS.
SUNDAY...NO HAZARDS.
MONDAY...NO HAZARDS.
TUESDAY...NO HAZARDS.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
LATEST COMPUTER MODELS INDICATE THAT THE ARCTIC AIR THAT HAD BEEN
FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION WILL BE LESS INTENSE AND JUST
GLANCE THE AREA...THEREFORE THE THREAT OF DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS HAS
BEEN REMOVED FROM THE EXTENDED FORECAST.

WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL TABULAR AND GRAPHICAL INFORMATION

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 12, 4:54 PM CST, 1 hour 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
454 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0448 PM     HAIL             5 NW COOKSON            35.76N 94.98W
01/12/2005  0.88 INCH        CHEROKEE           OK   PUBLIC

&&

SP

Special weather statement, Jan 12, 5:23 PM CST, 37 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
523 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

OKZ057-130000-
CRAIG OK-
523 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 600 PM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY:

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     CRAIG

AT 523 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES
WEST OF VINITA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL
BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...VINITA...WHITE OAK...PYRAMID
CORNERS AND BLUEJACKET.

THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO
50 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

Local storm report, Jan 12, 5:27 PM CST, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
527 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0521 PM     HAIL             4 SW WATTS              36.07N 94.62W
01/12/2005  0.88 INCH        ADAIR              OK   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

SP

Local storm report, Jan 12, 5:34 PM CST, 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
534 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0531 PM     TSTM WND GST     SALLISAW                35.46N 94.79W
01/12/2005  60 MPH           SEQUOYAH           OK   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

SP

Local storm report, Jan 12, 5:38 PM CST, 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
538 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0536 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 S SALLISAW            35.42N 94.79W
01/12/2005  70 MPH           SEQUOYAH           OK   AMATEUR RADIO

0537 PM     HAIL             3 S SALLISAW            35.42N 94.79W
01/12/2005  0.75 INCH        SEQUOYAH           OK   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

SP

Special weather statement, Jan 12, 5:57 PM CST, 3 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
557 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

OKZ049-076-130045-
LE FLORE OK-PUSHMATAHA OK-
557 PM CST WED JAN 12 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 645 PM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:

IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     LE FLORE AND PUSHMATAHA

AT 557 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 2 MILES NORTH OF KIAMICHI TO 3 MILES NORTH OF
OLETA...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED
BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...MUSE...WHITESBORO...TALIHINA...HODGEN...
CORINNE...RATTAN...CLOUDY...NASHOBA...HONOBIA...TUSKAHOMA...
KIAMICHI...ALBION AND OLETA.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH.
RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 116 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:00 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: January 12, 6:00 PM CST to 6:05 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Centerton
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 36.350, -94.283

A microburst with winds estimated at 80 miles an hour struck the ground north of highway 102 near Centerton then spread quickly through the Turnbridge subdivision. This storm damaged two dozen homes with three sustaining major damage. A home located on the southwest corner of the subdivision lost a large part of its roof. Flying debris injured one person in that home. The debris from this home was blown northeast and east through the subdivision resulting in damage to a number of other homes. In addition to the damage in the subdivision, a number of trees were snapped or uprooted from Centerton to Bentonville.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: January 12, 6:39 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Goshen
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.100, -94.000

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew a tree down across Highway 45.

Thunderstorm Wind, Franklin

When: January 12, 6:45 PM CST
Where: Franklin County, 1 mi E of Ozark
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.500, -93.817

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew a tree down onto Highway 64 just east of Ozark.

Flash Flood, Benton

When: January 12, 8:00 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Countywide
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.350, -94.217

Heavy rains caused numerous county roads to be impassable throughout Benton County. Highway 264 near Highfill was also under water for a period of time.

Flash Flood, Franklin

When: January 12, 8:00 PM CST to 10:30 PM CST
Where: Franklin County, Countywide
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.583, -93.850

Heavy rains caused flooding of numerous county roads across Franklin County. Street flooding was also reported in Ozark.

Flash Flood, Madison

When: January 12, 8:10 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Madison County, Countywide
Reported by: DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates: 36.033, -94.700

Heavy rains caused numerous county roads to be flooded across Madison County.

Flash Flood, Carroll

When: January 12, 8:15 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Carroll County, Countywide
Reported by: DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates: 36.300, -93.550

Heavy rains caused numerous county roads to be flooded across Carroll County. In particular, county roads 705 and 710 were closed north of Metalton.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arkansas in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Arkansas, January 2005

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5438427, 5438426, 5438428, 5438429, 5438430, 5438431, 5438488.