Severe thunderstorms occurred across Northwest Arkansas during the evening and early morning hours on the 9th and 10th.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS TSA wrote it up.
Severe thunderstorms occurred across Northwest Arkansas during the evening and early morning hours on the 9th and 10th.
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 Apr 9, 6:58 PM CST, 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
758 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008
.MESOSCALE UPDATE...
THE WARM FRONT HAS MADE LITTLE PROGRESS NORTH IN THE LAST TWO
HOURS AND NOW EXTENDS FROM NORTHWEST SCOTT COUNTY INTO
NORTHERN PITTSBURG COUNTY. THE SUPERCELL TRACKING ACROSS
NORTHERN HASKELL COUNTY IS LIKELY LOSING ITS ABILITY TO
INGEST BOUNDARY LAYER AIR AS IT PULLS AWAY FROM THE WARM FRONT
...WITH ITS TORNADO POTENTIAL GOING DOWN.
OVERALL THE ENVIRONMENT ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT
REMAINS VERY FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELLS AND TORNADOES...WITH
THE LOW-LEVEL JET EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN THIS AREA THIS
EVENING.
THE TORNADIC STORM IN SOUTHEAST PUSHMATAHA COUNTY WILL
REMAIN IN A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT INTO SOUTHERN LE FLORE
COUNTY. AFTER THAT ITS FUTURE IS DEPENDENT ON THE NORTHWARD
PUSH OF THE WARM FRONT.
THE CELL MOVING ACROSS MCALESTER WILL BE MOVING THROUGH
A VERY FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH HASKELL AND LATIMER
COUNTIES.
ALL OF THESE CELLS HAVE TORNADO POTENTIAL.
&&
.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM THURSDAY FOR OKZ049-OKZ053-OKZ054-
OKZ055-OKZ056-OKZ057-OKZ058-OKZ059-OKZ060-OKZ061-OKZ062-
OKZ063-OKZ064-OKZ065-OKZ066-OKZ067-OKZ068-OKZ069-OKZ070-
OKZ071-OKZ072-OKZ073-OKZ074-OKZ075-OKZ076.
AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM THURSDAY FOR ARZ001-ARZ002-ARZ010-
ARZ011-ARZ019-ARZ020-ARZ029.
&&
SHORT TERM...08
LONG TERM....99HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 445 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008 ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-101000- 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- 445 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER AND FLASH FLOODING LIKELY TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY... THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. TORNADO. RISK...ELEVATED. AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. AREA AT GREATEST RISK...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. RISK...SIGNIFICANT. AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. AREA AT GREATEST RISK...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS. FLASH FLOOD. RISK...SIGNIFICANT. AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. AREA AT GREATEST RISK...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. HEAVY RAIN. RISK...SIGNIFICANT. AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. AREA AT GREATEST RISK...EASTERN OKLAHOMA. DISCUSSION... SEVERAL ROUNDS OF SEVERE WEATHER ARE ANTICIPATED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THROUGH THURSDAY AS A POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW TAKES SHAPE ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES TONIGHT AND MOVES ACROSS THE PLAINS ON THURSDAY. THE AIRMASS ACROSS THE REGION WILL BECOME MORE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT AS A WARM FRONT THAT IS CURRENTLY ACROSS EXTREME SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA SURGES TO THE NORTH. THE WARM FRONT WILL BE ACROSS SOUTHERN KANSAS AND SOUTHERN MISSOURI BY SUNRISE THURSDAY. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT WHERE THE AIRMASS WILL BE MORE UNSTABLE. WITH ADEQUATE DEEP LAYER SHEAR IN PLACE...SUPERCELLS WILL BE POSSIBLE. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES WILL ALL BE POSSIBLE SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT. ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT. SOME OF THOSE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE AS WELL. LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY CONCERN WITH THESE STORMS. HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO BE A MAJOR CONCERN ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AS SEVERAL ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS ROLL ACROSS THE REGION. 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN WILL BE COMMON ACROSS THE AREA WITH A FEW LOCATIONS RECORDING UPWARDS OF 7 INCHES OF RAIN. THIS WILL LIKELY CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS. SEE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH/OKCFFATSA/ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THURSDAY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL...HIGH WIND POTENTIAL... HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL. FRIDAY...HIGH WIND POTENTIAL. SATURDAY...NO HAZARDS. SUNDAY...NO HAZARDS. MONDAY...NO HAZARDS. TUESDAY...NO HAZARDS. EXTENDED DISCUSSION... STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE ONGOING THURSDAY MORNING AS THE POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVES ACROSS KANSAS AND AN ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW PUSHES INTO SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE AHEAD OF THE A DRY LINE/COLD FRONT THAT WILL EXTEND SOUTH OF THE SURFACE LOW AS IT MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY. TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WILL ALL CONTINUE TO BE POSSIBLE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL COME TO AN END BY THURSDAY EVENING AS THE DRY LINE/COLD FRONT MOVES EAST OF THE AREA. DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE UPCOMING WEEK. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING STATEMENT... EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER AND FLASH FLOODING EVENT TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL TABULAR AND GRAPHICAL INFORMATION.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
802 PM CDT WED APR 09 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0802 PM HAIL KEOTA 35.26N 94.92W
04/09/2008 E1.00 INCH HASKELL OK AMATEUR RADIO
&&
SFPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
814 PM CDT WED APR 09 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0813 PM HAIL GANS 35.39N 94.69W
04/09/2008 E0.75 INCH SEQUOYAH OK FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
&&
JDSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
822 PM CDT WED APR 09 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0822 PM HAIL MULDROW 35.41N 94.60W
04/09/2008 E1.00 INCH SEQUOYAH OK TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JDSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
824 PM CDT WED APR 09 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0823 PM HAIL MULDROW 35.41N 94.60W
04/09/2008 E1.75 INCH SEQUOYAH OK TRAINED SPOTTER
GOLF BALL HAIL AND 55 PLUS MPH WINDS
&&
JDSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
826 PM CDT WED APR 09 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0826 PM HAIL ROLAND 35.42N 94.51W
04/09/2008 E1.00 INCH SEQUOYAH OK TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JDSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
832 PM CDT WED APR 09 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0832 PM HAIL FORT SMITH 35.39N 94.40W
04/09/2008 E1.75 INCH SEBASTIAN AR EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
SFPThe Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 11 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:31 UTC.
13 thunderstorm wind, 10 hail, 6 flash flood, 5 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind-driven golfball size hail caused extensive property damage to homes and businesses in Fort Smith.
Baseball size hail damaged homes, automobiles, and businesses.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down numerous trees.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down trees and damaged the facilities at a golf course.
Golfball size hail damaged automobiles and homes.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour destroyed a few barns.
Heavy rain caused some homes to be flooded.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down several large tree limbs.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down large tree limbs.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 80 miles an hour blew down trees and damaged barns and homes over a 3 to 4 mile long path.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down a few trees.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down numerous trees.
Heavy rain caused water to flow over numerous roads. Schools in Van Buren and Alma had to be closed because roads were impassable.
Heavy rain caused 32 roads to be closed across Benton County. Five bridges were under water.
Heavy rain caused 67 roads and bridges to be closed across the county. Water rescues from vehicles also had to be performed. About 20 people had to evacuate their homes at West Fork, Elkins and Goshen as they became flooded as well.
Heavy rain caused flooded roads. Three teens had to be rescued from a car that was swept away by rainwater near Green Forrest. Near Berryville, eight people had to be evacuated from their homes due to high water.
Heavy rain caused roads and streams to be flooded.
The strong tornado that began 5.5 miles east-southeast of Stillwell in Adair County Oklahoma moved into Washington County. The tornado destroyed a mobile home, destroyed a barn, rolled a vehicle, caused extensive tree damage, and snapped power poles.
An NWS storm survey determined that a strong tornado caused major damage to a permanent home, damaged several other homes, caused extensive tree damage, and snapped power poles.
An NWS storm survey determined that a tornado destroyed a barn and caused extensive tree damage.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down numerous large tree limbs.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour caused substantial damage to two barns and a shed.
An NWS storm survey determined that a tornado damaged a home, destroyed several barns and outbuildings, caused extensive tree damage, and blew down power poles and power lines. This tornado continued into Carroll County Arkansas before it dissipated.
The tornado that began about 1 mile west-southwest of Alabam in Madison County Arkansas continued into Carroll County about 9.4 miles south-southwest of Berryville. The tornado damaged a home, destroyed barns, and caused extensive tree damage before it dissipated south of Berryville.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down several trees. Some of the trees fell on State Highway 103 and also caused power outages.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down numerous large tree limbs.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Arkansas, 2008Warnings in Arkansas, April 2008
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: 92129, 92130, 92131, 92132, 92133, 92134, 92135, 92136, 92137, 92138, 92140, 92139, 98394, 92141, 92142, 92143, 92144, 92145, 92146, 94362, 94355, 94356, 94358, 98346, 95920, 92147, 95921, 95925, 92148, 92149, 95926, 95927, 92150, 92151.