Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, April 9 to 11, 2008

Name: Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, April 9 to 11, 2008
Start: 2008-04-09T23:30
End: 2008-04-11T18:00
Location: Arkansas

April 9 to 11, 2008 · NWS LZK · 24 events in 18 counties and zones

Early on the 10th, there was widespread heavy rain in northern and western Arkansas. A weather system in Texas dragged a cold front toward the region, with a severe weather outbreak across 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: 2
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2.2 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 24

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.

Early on the 10th, there was widespread heavy rain in northern and western Arkansas. A weather system in Texas dragged a cold front toward the region, with a severe weather outbreak across 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 Apr 9, 8:33 PM CST, 2 hours 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 9, 8:33 PM CST, 2 hours 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
933 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008

.UPDATE...
INCREASED WINDS FOR THURSDAY AND ADDED A LAKE WIND ADVISORY. ALSO
INCREASED POPS WEST FOR TONIGHT AND HAVE ADDED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WORDING. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE
INTO WEST ARKANSAS.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 653 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008/

AVIATION...
WARM FRONT ACROSS THE AREA WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH. LOW
PRESSURE WILL TAKE SHAPE OVER EASTERN OKLAHOMA DURING THE NIGHT.
MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL INCREASE ON SOUTHEAST FLOW. GUSTY
WINDS WILL BE THE NORM DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS THURSDAY. STORMS
WILL BEGIN IN THE 40 TO 50 PERCENT RANGE AND INCREASE FROM THERE.
CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE AS SHOWERS AND STORMS DEVELOP SO THAT
MVFR TO IFR CONDITION CAN BE EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.
THERE EXISTS THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE THURSDAY.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 256 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008/

SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT
WARM FRONT CURRENTLY FROM MEMPHIS...INTO SOUTHERN ARKANSAS...AND
BACK INTO THE RED RIVER VALLEY OF NORTHEAST TEXAS. THIS FRONT WILL
MOVE NORTH DURING THE EVENING...WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPING ALONG AND NORTH OF THE FRONT. MAIN CONCERNS FOR TONIGHT
WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL. THIS WILL BE MORE
CONCENTRATED OVER THE WESTERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA.

MAIN SHOW WILL GET GOING OVERNIGHT AND DURING THE DAY THURSDAY AS
COLD FRONT MOVES EAST. THURSDAY MORNING WILL SEE AN MCS DEVELOP OVER
OKLAHOMA AND MOVE EAST ACROSS THE STATE. THIS IN FACT WILL BE THE
MAJOR QUESTION IN THE FORECAST...AS THIS MCS MAY TAKE THE AVAILABLE
MOISTURE AND ENERGY AWAY FROM THE STORMS THAT DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE
COLD FRONT. HOWEVER...WITH PLENTY OF WIND SHEAR AND DYNAMICS WITH
THE SYSTEM...THINK THAT ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP ALONG THE COLD FRONT
WILL BRING DAMAGING WINDS. IF ANY STORM DEVELOPS AHEAD OF THE COLD
FRONT AND REMAINS ISOLATED...INSTABILITY AND SHEAR PROFILES WILL
SUPPORT LONG LIVED SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS IMPROVING IN RELATION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER
EPISODE...HOWEVER...FLOODING CONCERNS ARE STILL IN QUESTION. DUE TO
THE PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE SYSTEM...RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE FAST
BUT WILL NOT LINGER. HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH DUE
TO SATURATED GROUND...BUT QPF AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN LOWERED SOME.

COLD FRONT WILL MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST THURSDAY AFTERNOON...WITH
PRECIPITATION DECREASING THURSDAY EVENING. HOWEVER...WITH PLENTY OF
MOISTURE LEFT AROUND...AND THE UPPER LOW IN CLOSE PROXIMITY...WILL
STILL HAVE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS FOR FRIDAY AND EARLY SATURDAY.
NORTHWEST FLOW WILL BRING HIGH PRESSURE IN FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON
AND EVENING...WITH DRY WEATHER CONTINUING INTO THE LONG TERM.

LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL DURING THIS PERIOD...AS A LOW LEVEL
RIDGE BUILDS FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS THROUGH THE TEXAS GULF COAST.
EARLY THIS PERIOD...AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL BE SEVERAL
CATEGORIES BELOW NORMAL VALUES.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
BATESVILLE AR     61  76  56  64 / 100 100  70  20
CAMDEN AR         69  80  59  71 /  80 100  70  30
HARRISON AR       57  73  50  60 / 100 100  40  10
HOT SPRINGS AR    65  78  57  70 /  90 100  50  20
LITTLE ROCK   AR  65  78  59  70 /  90 100  70  20
MONTICELLO AR     69  81  61  71 /  60  80  80  40
MOUNT IDA AR      65  76  55  70 / 100 100  40  10
MOUNTAIN HOME AR  58  74  52  61 / 100 100  40  20
NEWPORT AR        62  76  59  65 /  90 100  80  20
PINE BLUFF AR     68  79  60  71 /  80  90  90  30
RUSSELLVILLE AR   61  75  53  65 / 100 100  40  10
SEARCY AR         64  76  58  68 /  90 100  80  20
STUTTGART AR      66  78  61  70 /  80  90  90  20
&&

.LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 AM TO 10 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR 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.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR 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.

&&

51

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 9, 10:55 PM CST, 35 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1155 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008

ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-101000-
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-
1155 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008

...A DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE ACROSS ARKANSAS IS EXPECTED
FOR THURSDAY...

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINS OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS WILL
CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLOODING OF RIVERS...STREAMS AND LOW WATER
CROSSINGS ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL...EASTERN AND SOUTHERN ARKANSAS.
THIS INCLUDES THE BLACK RIVER...THE LOWER WHITE RIVER...THE CACHE
AND OUACHITA RIVERS.

ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE THROUGH THE NIGHT...AS STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. ANY LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL
WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE EXCESSIVE.

ALSO...SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE
HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT WILL OCCUR WEST OF A LINE FROM HARRISON...TO
HOT SPRINGS...TO CAMDEN.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS ARKANSAS ON
THURSDAY.

DANGEROUS SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...AND TORNADOES ARE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY.

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE STATE ON THURSDAY. ABUNDANT
MOISTURE WILL BE IN PLACE AHEAD OF THE FRONT...AS WELL AS
SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.  THESE
CONDITIONS...ALONG WITH A POWERFUL MID AND UPPER LEVEL WIND
FIELD...WILL PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF LONG-LIVED...SUPERCELL
THUNDERSTORMS.

IN ADDITION TO SEVERE WEATHER...HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE. WITH
THE GROUND NEARLY SATURATED IN MOST AREAS...IT WILL NOT TAKE A LOT
OF RAIN TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL FLASH FLOODING. ANY ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL WILL ALSO AFFECT RIVER FLOODING CONDITIONS.

RESIDENTS ACROSS ARKANSAS ARE ADVISED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER...AND
FLASH FLOOD SAFETY RULES.  ALSO...PLEASE MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER
WATCHES AND WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED ACROSS MOST AREAS ON THURSDAY.

&&

MORE INFORMATION ON THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR TONIGHT AND
THURSDAY CAN BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE...

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LZK/HTML/SVR0408.HTM

56

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 9, 8:29 PM CST, 3 hours 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
929 PM CDT WED APR 09 2008

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

0921 PM     HAIL             HATFIELD                34.49N 94.38W
04/09/2008  E1.00 INCH       POLK               AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            POLK COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE RECEIVED A REPORT OF QUARTER
            SIZE HAIL AT HATFIELD.

&&

108

Local storm report, Apr 9, 9:02 PM CST, 2 hours 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1002 PM CDT WED APR 09 2008

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

0946 PM     HAIL             ACORN                   34.63N 94.22W
04/09/2008  E0.88 INCH       POLK               AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED AT ACORN IN
            NORTHERN POLK COUNTY.

0950 PM     HAIL             MENA                    34.58N 94.24W
04/09/2008  E0.75 INCH       POLK               AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            PENNY SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN MENA.

&&

108

Local storm report, Apr 9, 9:31 PM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1031 PM CDT WED APR 09 2008

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

1020 PM     FLASH FLOOD      MENA                    34.58N 94.24W
04/09/2008                   POLK               AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            POLK COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTS SANDBAGGING AT THE
            EMERGENCY ROOM AT THE HOSPITAL IN MENA, AND UP TO ONE
            FOOT OF WATER IN PLACES ON HWY 71. HWY 375 HAS UP TO 6
            INCHES OF STANDING WATER. STANDING WATER IS ALSO REPORTED
            ON MANY STREETS AND ROADWAYS.

&&

108

The radar

The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 140 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 flash flood, 3 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Searcy

When: April 9, 11:30 PM CST
Where: Searcy County, 0.3 mi NE of Push to 0.83 mi N of St Joe
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.024, -92.777

Water was over U.S. Highway 65 in Saint Joe.

Flash Flood, Stone

When: April 10, 2:50 AM CST
Where: Stone County, Old Lexington to 4 mi N of Pleasant Hill
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.720, -92.400

Damages occurred across the county due to heavy rains.

Flash Flood, Fulton

When: April 10, 2:50 AM CST
Where: Fulton County, Camp to 0.45 mi SE of Camp
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 36.420, -91.730

A minivan was swept away while trying to cross a low water crossing on Pleasant Valley Road in Camp.

Flash Flood, Conway

When: April 10, 2:50 AM CST
Where: Conway County, 2.49 mi NNE of Morrilton to 2.7 mi N of Morrilton
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.185, -92.739

Water covered Arkansas Highway 95 north of Morrilton.

Flash Flood, Perry

When: April 10, 2:50 AM CST
Where: Perry County, 1.13 mi NNE of Perryville to 1.15 mi NNE of Perryville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.016, -92.794

Mobile homes on Reynolds Street in Perryville were flooded.

Flash Flood, Cleburne

When: April 10, 3:20 AM CST
Where: Cleburne County, Prim to 1.22 mi SSE of Prim
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.700, -92.120

Arkansas Highway 263 was impassible due to flash flooding.

Flash Flood, Searcy

When: April 10, 3:20 AM CST
Where: Searcy County, 0.45 mi SE of Baker to 0.55 mi NE of Noahs
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.915, -92.596

The city of Leslie was flooded. U.S. Highway 65 between Marshall and Leslie was also flooded.

Tornado, Sharp

When: April 10, 3:29 AM CST to 3:30 AM CST
Where: Sharp County, 1.89 mi NNE of Sitka to 2.85 mi NE of Sitka
Rating: EF1
Path length: 1.02 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 36.274, -91.335

A shed and a camping trailer were destroyed, and a number of trees were blown down.

Flash Flood, Izard

When: April 10, 3:30 AM CST
Where: Izard County, Sylamore to Dolph
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.930, -92.100

Arkansas Highway 9 between Newburg and Brockwell was flooded. Several county roads were flooded.

Flash Flood, Sharp

When: April 10, 5:20 AM CST
Where: Sharp County, 6 mi E of Nelsonville to 4 mi NE of Hardy Ozark Acres Ar
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.070, -91.293

Several roads were washed out in the southern portion of Sharp County. Flooding was reported along Arkansas Highway 58 east and south of Williford. The library in Williford flooded. U.S. Highway 63 in Hardy was flooded.

Thunderstorm Wind, Yell

When: April 10, 5:30 AM CST
Where: Yell County, 2.61 mi NW of Dardanelle
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.246, -93.184

A barn was destroyed on Salem Road and Forrest Lane. Poultry houses were destroyed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When: April 10, 6:30 AM CST
Where: Polk County, Shady to 2 mi S of Wickes
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 34.450, -94.120

Trees were down along Arkansas Highway 375 east of Shady. U.S. Highway 278 at Wickes and U.S. Highway 71 between Wickes and Grannis also had trees down.

Flash Flood, Johnson

When: April 10, 7:30 AM CST
Where: Johnson County, 10 mi N of Yale to Rosetta
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.815, -93.670

Street flooding occurred across the county.

Tornado, Grant

When: April 10, 9:56 AM CST to 10:13 AM CST
Where: Grant County, 3.1 mi NE of Prattsville to 3.12 mi N of Ico
Rating: EF1
Path length: 13.75 mi
Path width: 175 yd
Continued into: Saline, Ar (LZK)
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 34.346, -92.506

A tornado destroyed a barn, a shed, a cattle shed, and a covered pavilion at a cemetery. Four cows and a donkey were killed. Dozens of trees were snapped off or blown down. The tornado exited Grant County, north of Ico, and moved into Saline County, south of East End.

Flash Flood, Sharp

When: April 10, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Sharp County, Hardy to 8.89 mi ENE of Hardy
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 36.320, -91.480

U.S. Highway 63 was closed between Mammoth Spring and Hardy due to flooding.

Tornado, Saline

When: April 10, 10:13 AM CST to 10:15 AM CST
Where: Saline County, 3.81 mi S of East End to 3.22 mi SSE of East End
Rating: EF1
Path length: 1.31 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 34.495, -92.346

The tornado exited Grant County, north of Ico, and moved into Saline County, south of East End. Damage was limited to some trees being blown down on a timber company's land.

Flash Flood, Hot Spring

When: April 10, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Hot Spring County, 6.36 mi SSW of Point Cedar to 5.32 mi ESE of Point Cedar
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.244, -93.358

Parts of Lake DeGray State Park were under water.

Flash Flood, Pulaski

When: April 10, 11:05 AM CST
Where: Pulaski County, 1.03 mi ESE of Lynch to 2.4 mi WSW of Toneyville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.864, -92.153

Several roads in Jacksonville were flooded.

Flash Flood, Pulaski

When: April 10, 11:29 AM CST
Where: Pulaski County, Gravel Ridge to 0.73 mi ESE of Gravel Ridge
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 34.870, -92.200

Flash flooding occurred along Arkansas Highway 107.

Flash Flood, Pulaski

When: April 10, 11:37 AM CST
Where: Pulaski County, 0.74 mi NW of (Lrf)little Rock Afb to 2.3 mi NNW of Toneyville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 34.928, -92.158

Maddox Road in Jacksonville was impassible due to water over the road in several locations.

Flash Flood, Baxter

When: April 10, 1:00 PM CST to April 11, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Baxter County, 1.52 mi ENE of Ellis to 1.95 mi NW of Norfork
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1.5 million
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 36.257, -92.244

Excessive releases from Norfork Dam caused flash flooding along the two mile stretch of the Norfork River between the dam and the White River. About four homes were flooded, two resorts flooded, and two trout docks were swept away in the rushing water. Boats, motors, and supplies were carried away with the docks.

Flash Flood, Independence

When: April 10, 2:00 PM CST
Where: Independence County, 1.27 mi SE of Batesville to 1.54 mi ESE of Batesville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.759, -91.632

Several streets along Pioneer Drive in Batesville were flooded.

Flash Flood, Arkansas

When: April 10, 9:19 PM CST
Where: Arkansas County, 2.16 mi WNW of De Witt to 1.72 mi WNW of Indiana
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.308, -91.366

Street flooding occurred in De Witt.

Flood, Yell

When: April 11, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Yell County, 2 mi W of Plainview to 1.24 mi W of Plainview
Cause: Heavy Rain
Deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.980, -93.335

According to police reports, the driver of a small pick-up truck drove around barricades into a flooded portion of Arkansas Highway 28. The motorist continued through about 1/8 mile of flooded roadway until the water got so deep that the truck floated off the highway. The two occupants drowned. Water was reported to be so deep on the highway that only the tops of the guardrails were visible. The highway had been closed and barricaded for more than 24 hours when the fatalities occurred.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Flood, Yell	2008-04-11	59	Male	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct
Flood, Yell	2008-04-11	55	Female	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct

What these are

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.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
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.
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 The tornado archive for Arkansas, 2008 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: 91723, 91729, 92544, 92547, 92548, 91730, 91734, 96300, 91739, 91741, 92551, 91760, 91744, 96308, 91746, 96309, 91759, 91747, 91758, 91748, 97793, 91761, 91749, 91895.