Flooding in Arkansas, April 1 to 30, 2008

Name: Flooding in Arkansas, April 1 to 30, 2008
Start: 2008-04-01T00:00
End: 2008-04-30T23:59
Location: Arkansas

April 1 to 30, 2008 · NWS LZK · 8 events in 6 counties and zones

River flooding, which began following very heavy rains on March 18th and 19th, continued into April on some of the rivers in Arkansas.

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: 0
Property damage: $1.6 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 happened

The episode as NWS LZK wrote it up.

River flooding, which began following very heavy rains on March 18th and 19th, continued into April on some of the rivers in Arkansas.

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 Little Rock, AR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 31, 11:50 PM CST, 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 11:50 PM CST, 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1250 AM CDT TUE APR 1 2008

.AVIATION...
A COLD FRONT CONTINUES ACROSS THE AREA WITH SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF IT. THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED SOUTH OF A
LINE FROM GLENWOOD TO BRINKLEY. LOW CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
THE NIGHT. MVFR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. CEILINGS
WILL RAISE TUESDAY MORNING BUT REMAIN OVERCAST. VFR CONDITIONS CAN
BE EXPECTED AFTER 15Z. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA TUESDAY
AFTERNOON.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 637 PM CDT MON MAR 31 2008/

AVIATION...
TSRA MOVING INTO THE STATE...WITH STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN.
CONDITIONS ARE MVFR...WITH OCCASIONAL IFR. CIGS AND VSBYS WILL
FALL AS THE LINE OF TSRA APPROACHES...AND REMAIN LOW MVFR/IFR AS
SHRA WILL CONTINUE BEHIND THE LINE. CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY
IMPROVE DURING THE OVERNIGHT/EARLY MORNING HOURS...WITH VFR
CONDITIONS BY MID DAY TUESDAY.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 220 PM CDT MON MAR 31 2008/

SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
FRONTAL BOUNDARY STALLED OUT IN OKLAHOMA HAS STARTED TO GAIN
MOMENTUM...AND WILL CONTINUE TO APPROACH THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY...
WITH SEVERE WEATHER LIKELY ACROSS WESTERN ARKANSAS THIS
AFTERNOON/EVENING.

STORMS WILL START OUT AS DISCRETE CELLS AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH A
SQUALL LINE EVOLVING AS THE FRONT ENTERS THE AREA TONIGHT. TORNADO
THREAT WILL BE THE GREATEST IN THE WEST DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON/
EARLY EVENING...WITH WIND/HAIL THREAT AS WELL. AS THE SQUALL LINE
EVOLVES...DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE MORE OF A THREAT...AND PRIMARILY
OVER CENTRAL/EASTERN ARKANSAS DURING THE LATE EVENING/OVERNIGHT
HOURS.

ONE TO THREE INCH RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE IN MUCH OF THE AREA...WITH
LOCALIZED HEAVIER AMOUNTS. IT/S NOT GOING TO TAKE MUCH RAIN TO
PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING...AND WITH THE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH AMOUNTS
WE/VE HAD OVER NORTHERN AND WESTERN ARKANSAS LATELY...WILL CONTINUE
THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY.

FRONT LOOKS TO BE NEAR OR A LITTLE THROUGH CENTRAL ARKANSAS AROUND
DAYBREAK...WITH IT PASSING THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST DURING THE MORNING
HOURS. ANY LINGERING PRECIP WILL COME TO AN END BY MID DAY...WITH
HIGH PRESSURE SCOOTING BY THE AREA TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT.

THE FRONT WILL STALL OUT TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA LATE TUESDAY...
THEN WILL START TO MOVE BACK TO THE NORTH ACROSS THE REGION ON
WEDNESDAY. ISENTROPIC UPLIFT WILL ALLOW FOR SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...AS SEVERAL
UPPER LEVEL SYSTEMS MOVE THROUGH AND INTERACT WITH THE FRONT AS IT
SLOWLY MOVES INTO THE REGION AND NEARLY STALLS. ADDITIONAL HEAVY
RAINFALL COULD OCCUR AS THE SYSTEMS REPEATEDLY MOVE OVER THE SAME
AREAS...WITH SOME TWO TO THREE INCH AMOUNTS POSSIBLE OVER NORTHERN
ARKANSAS. WILL HAVE TO MONITOR...AND WE MAY END UP ISSUING A FLASH
FLOOD WATCH YET AGAIN.

LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY
COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE STATE THURSDAY NIGHT...AND
HAVE INCREASED POPS THURSDAY NIGHT TO LIKELY IN THE NORTH...AND
CHANCE IN THE SOUTH. THE FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH MOST OF THE AREA ON
FRIDAY...BUT ANOTHER WEAK SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA FRIDAY
NIGHT/EARLY SATURDAY. HAVE ADDED SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR THIS TIME
FRAME. HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE IN FOR SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...WITH
DRY CONDITIONS RETURNING.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
BATESVILLE AR     42  56  49  68 /  10  40  60  60
CAMDEN AR         50  67  58  81 /  10  20  30  30
HARRISON AR       38  51  49  64 /  10  40  60  60
HOT SPRINGS AR    48  60  56  75 /  10  30  40  40
LITTLE ROCK   AR  47  60  54  75 /  10  30  40  40
MONTICELLO AR     51  65  58  80 /  10  20  30  30
MOUNT IDA AR      47  59  57  73 /  10  30  40  40
MOUNTAIN HOME AR  38  53  46  66 /  10  40  60  60
NEWPORT AR        42  56  51  71 /  10  40  60  60
PINE BLUFF AR     49  64  55  78 /  10  20  30  40
RUSSELLVILLE AR   43  58  52  72 /  10  40  60  60
SEARCY AR         47  60  52  74 /  10  30  60  60
STUTTGART AR      47  61  55  75 /  10  30  30  40
&&

.LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 AM CDT EARLY THIS MORNING FOR CONWAY-
FAULKNER-GARLAND-LONOKE-MONROE-PERRY-PRAIRIE-PULASKI-SALINE-
WHITE-WOODRUFF.

&&

AVIATION...51

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 31, 9:10 PM CST, 2 hours 50 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1010 PM CDT MON MAR 31 2008

ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-011000-
ARKANSAS-BAXTER-BOONE-BRADLEY-CALHOUN-CLARK-CLEBURNE-CLEVELAND-
CONWAY-DALLAS-DESHA-DREW-FAULKNER-FULTON-GARLAND-GRANT-HOT SPRING-
INDEPENDENCE-IZARD-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-LINCOLN-LOGAN-LONOKE-
MARION-MONROE-MONTGOMERY-NEWTON-OUACHITA-PERRY-PIKE-POLK-POPE-
PRAIRIE-PULASKI-SALINE-SCOTT-SEARCY-SHARP-STONE-VAN BUREN-WHITE-
WOODRUFF-YELL-
1010 PM CDT MON MAR 31 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN LAST WEEK WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE
FLOODING OF RIVERS...STREAMS AND LOW WATER CROSSINGS...MAINLY IN
EASTERN ARKANSAS. THIS INCLUDES THE BLACK RIVER...THE LOWER WHITE
RIVER AND THE CACHE RIVER.

A COLD FRONT...CURRENTLY OVER NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...WILL CONTINUE TO
MOVE SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE NIGHT. THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO
INTERACT WITH PLENTIFUL MOISTURE OVER THE STATE. THE POTENTIAL FOR
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL EXIST UNTIL THE COLD FRONT PASSES. WITH
THE GROUND STILL SATURATED FROM RECENT RAINS...IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH
RAIN FOR FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR. AS SUCH...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS
IN EFFECT FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE STATE. THE HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED
OVER THE NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PARTS OF THE STATE AT THIS TIME.

THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES TO DISSIPATE BUT STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH LATE EVENING. DAMAGING
WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY CONCERNS. HOWEVER...THERE IS SOME
TURNING OF WIND WITH HEIGHT...WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

FLOODING WILL CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MORE DAYS ALONG THE BLACK AND
CACHE RIVERS...AND THE LOWER REACHES OF THE WHITE RIVER.

ANOTHER COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO PASS THROUGH THE AREA THURSDAY AND
THURSDAY NIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER LOOKS POSSIBLE WITH THE PASSAGE OF
THIS COLD FRONT THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THE MAIN CONCERN AT THIS TIME IS
DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL AND FLASH FLOODING. THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE
WEATHER EVENT IS STILL SEVERAL DAYS OUT BUT WILL BE MONITORED
CLOSELY OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

&&

VISIT NWS LITTLE ROCK ON THE WEB. GO TO WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON
CENTRAL ARKANSAS.

56

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 31, 6:17 PM CST, 5 hours 43 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
717 PM CDT MON MAR 31 2008

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

0716 PM     FLASH FLOOD      SADDLE                  36.35N 91.63W
03/31/2008                   FULTON             AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ALL LOW WATER CROSSINGS WERE REPORTED TO BE FLOODED.

&&

57

Local storm report, Mar 31, 6:23 PM CST, 5 hours 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
723 PM CDT MON MAR 31 2008

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

0720 PM     FLASH FLOOD      GILBERT                 35.99N 92.72W
03/31/2008                   SEARCY             AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            THE HIGHWAY 333 BRIDGE AT GILBERT IS FLOODED.

&&

57

Local storm report, Mar 31, 6:54 PM CST, 5 hours 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
754 PM CDT MON MAR 31 2008

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

0750 PM     FLASH FLOOD      ALLISON                 35.93N 92.12W
03/31/2008                   STONE              AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            WATER WAS REPORTED TO BE OVERFLOWING DITCHES AND FLOODING
            ROADS.

&&

57

Local storm report, Mar 31, 10:12 PM CST, 1 hour 48 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1112 PM CDT MON MAR 31 2008

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

1055 PM     HAIL             2 SW PINE BLUFF         34.19N 92.04W
03/31/2008  E0.75 INCH       JEFFERSON          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

46

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Arkansas

When: April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Arkansas County, 2.31 mi NNW of Nady to 3.05 mi E of Medina
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 34.032, -91.261

Prolonged river flooding became worse on the lower White River as heavy rain on the tributaries, along with large releases from flood control reservoirs, caused successive flood waves to progress to the lower portions of the river. This was the highest stage at St. Charles since 1973. Also, high stages on the Mississippi River compounded the problems as backwater flooding developed. A few permanent homes and many recreational cabins and hunting camps were inundated. The flooding continued into May as high stages on the Mississippi River persisted which held back the recession of the White River.

Flood, Monroe

When: April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Monroe County, 4.13 mi NNE of Clarendon Muni Arpt to 1.39 mi WNW of Jeffries
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 34.705, -91.371

Flooding which began in March became worse in Monroe County as additional heavy rain fell in the White River watershed. The Clarendon gage crested at 33.78 feet, highest since April, 1973. Homes, cabins, and businesses were flooded in Clarendon and in communities along the river, such as Indian Bay, Lawrenceville, and Aberdeen. Arkansas Highway 302 north of Clarendon was closed by high water. Most of the damages were incurred in March, so the damage amounts for April were much less. High stages on the Mississippi River compounded the high water problems on the White River. The Clarendon gage remained above flood stage into May.

Flood, Prairie

When: April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Prairie County, 3.91 mi ENE of Jasmine to 1.8 mi N of Lost Hill
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.090, -91.515

Major flooding continued in April from the initial heavy rain event in the middle of March. Additional heavy rainfall in April both prolonged the event and raised crests to just over the levels attained in March. The river fell out about three feet in between crests of 33.74 feet on March 26th and 33.78 feet on April 17th. Both crests were the highest the White River at Des Arc had been since April, 1973. Damages were primarily to whatever recovery efforts had been made since the March flooding. Arkansas Highways 11, 33, and 38 were closed again by high water. The White River at Des Arc remained above flood stage into May.

Flood, White

When: April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: White County, 2.67 mi ENE of Bradford to 2.47 mi ENE of Bradford
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.432, -91.425

Major flooding levels were repeated in April at the Augusta gage on the White River. Some homes and cabins were again flooded along U.S. Highway 64. The river crested slightly lower at Augusta in April than the crest in March, so damages were limited to whatever repairs were made between crests. This was the third highest crest since the flood control reservoirs were completed in the mid-twentieth century.

Flood, Woodruff

When: April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Woodruff County, 67.06 mi N of Ona to 67.87 mi N of Ona
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.504, -91.334

Major flooding was repeated along the White River at the Augusta river gage. Homes along Taylor Bay and near the City of Augusta were flooded again by the second major rise in less than a month. After rising in March to the highest level since completion of the flood control reservoirs, the river crested a half foot below that level in April. The April crest was the third highest since the reservoirs were completed in the middle of the twentieth century. Dollar losses were limited to whatever repairs were made to the previous flood damages.

Flood, Woodruff

When: April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Woodruff County, 1.41 mi NE of Goodrich to 1.32 mi E of Overcup
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.347, -91.216

Minor to moderate flooding continued along the Cache River with little to any damages noted. Primary problems were agricultural, and at this time of year, the only crop was winter wheat. No crop damage was reported.

Flood, White

When: April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: White County, 2.81 mi ENE of Andrews to 3.93 mi NE of Watkins
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.194, -91.523

Major flooding levels were repeated in April at the Georgetown gage on the White River. The community of Georgetown continued to be cut off by high water over Arkansas Highway 36 until about April 24th. This is the only road into town. Some homes and cabins were again flooded along Arkansas Highway 36 and near the Little Red River at Nimmo Landing. The river crested only slightly higher in March, so damages were limited to whatever repairs were made between crests.

Flood, Jackson

When: April 1, 3:00 PM CST to April 22, 1:00 AM CST
Where: Jackson County, 0.89 mi NW of Jacksonport to 1.57 mi NW of Old Grand Glaise
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.638, -91.332

After only a day below flood stage, the White River at the Newport gage rose again to major flood level by the 12th of the month, and remained above the major flood level for more than three days. The river fell below flood stage on the 22nd of the month. The April crest of 33.16 feet was the third highest since the flood control reservoirs were completed in the middle of the twentieth century. Damages were limited to whatever repairs had been made since the March crest.

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arkansas in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Arkansas, April 2008

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: 97228, 97243, 97263, 97693, 97697, 97703, 97705, 97716.