Flash Flooding in Arkansas, August 12, 2008

Name: Flash Flooding in Arkansas, August 12, 2008
Start: 2008-08-12T07:15
End: 2008-08-12T10:00
Location: Arkansas

August 12, 2008 · NWS JAN · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

An abnormal mid August weather pattern brought a large area of rain and thunderstorms to a large portion of the region. This activity brought locally heavy rain and some flash flooding to some areas along with a few isolated severe thunderstorms during the afternoon hours.

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: $800,000
Crop damage: $1.7 million
Events: 2

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 JAN wrote it up.

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 Jackson, MS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 12, 3:20 AM CST, 3 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 12, 3:20 AM CST, 3 hours 55 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
420 AM CDT TUE AUG 12 2008

.DISCUSSION...

...FLOODING AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TODAY...

TODAY AND TONIGHT...SHORT WAVE CURRENTLY EXTENDS ACROSS ARKANSAS
INTO NORTHEAST TEXAS WITH A SURFACE LOW OVER NORTHEAST TEXAS. THE
WARM FRONT IS PUSHING NORTH ACROSS LOUISIANA AND SOUTHWEST
MISSISSIPPI AS THE LOW DEEPENS AND CONVECTION IS DEVELOPING ALONG
AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE MODELS INDICATE THAT THE SURFACE LOW
WILL CONTINUE TO DEEPEN AND PUSH EAST AND WILL BE CENTERED OVER WEST
CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI BY NOON TODAY. AS THE LOW DEEPENS CONVECTION WILL
CONTINUE TO INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF
THE WARM FRONT THAT WILL EXTEND ACROSS NORTHEAST LOUISIANA INTO
CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARE CURRENTLY 2.3
INCHES PLUS ACROSS THE ARKLAMISS AND THAT WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS
EVENING.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS ALREADY IN AFFECT FOR MOST OF THE AREA...BUT
THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING WILL BE ALONG AND NORTH OF
I-20 AND SOUTH OF HWY 82 CLOSER TO THE WARM FRONT TODAY WHERE
THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTINUE TO TRAIN OVER THE SAME AREA. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE A RISK THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON AS
MODELS INDICATE 40-50KTS OF 850MB FLOW OVER AREAS GENERALLY ALONG
AND SOUTH OF I-20. ALTHOUGH INSTABILITY WILL BE MARGINAL TODAY WITH
ML CAPES OF 400-1000 J/KG AND LAPSE RATES OF 5 TO 5.5 C/KM...STRONG
LOW LEVEL SHEAR AND LOW LCLS WILL BE ENOUGH FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A
FEW TORNADOES OVER THE ABOVE MENTIONED AREAS. SEVERE PARAMETERS ALSO
INDICATE THIS...SO WILL KEEP SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND THE POSSIBILITY
OF TORNADOES IN THE HWO.

THE GFS/EURO DIVERGE A BIT THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT ON THE TIMING OF
THE LOW AND CONVECTION MOVING OUT OF THE AREA WITH THE EURO BEING A
LITTLE SLOWER. THE GFS HAS SHORT WAVE THROUGH THE AREA AND THE
SURFACE LOW CENTERED OVER ALABAMA BY MIDNIGHT...BUT THE TRAILING
COLD FRONT MAY CONTINUE TO KICK OFF A FEW SHOWERS OVER THE SOUTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE AREA UNTIL EVERYTHING SHIFTS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE
AREA BY THE VERY EARLY MORNING HOURS.

STUCK CLOSE TO GUIDANCE THROUGH THE PERIOD...BUT DID BUMP POPS UP TO
100 ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA TODAY. STUCK WITH TEMP GUIDANCE THROUGH
THE PERIOD. /15/

WEDNESDAY AND BEYOND...A PERIOD OF DRIER WEATHER WILL COMMENCE
WEDNESDAY AND MAY LAST UNTIL THE WEEKEND AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS OVER THE AREA. WITH THE DRIER WEATHER WILL COME HOTTER
AFTERNOONS AND HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL GET BACK INTO THE LOW TO MID
90S. NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL SEND THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT SHORTWAVE
TROUGH OUR WAY THIS WEEKEND. MODELS DIFFER ON JUST HOW MUCH THIS
TROUGH WILL DIG WITH SOME SOLUTIONS INDICATING THE TROUGH WILL CUT
OFF BEFORE REACHING THE AREA THUS DELAYING EFFECTS ON OUR WEATHER.
RAIN CHANCES WILL INCREASE THIS WEEKEND IN ANY CASE...BUT THERE IS
POTENTIAL THAT MORE HEAVY RAIN COULD FALL OVER THE LOWER MS VALLEY
REGION IF THE TROUGH MANAGES TO DIG FAR ENOUGH SOUTH BEFORE SLOWING
DOWN. /EC/

&&

.AVIATION...MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL AT ALL SITES TODAY
AS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE AREA. CONDITIONS
WILL IMPROVE FROM WEST TO EAST THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS
AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM KICKING OFF THE CONVECTION PUSHES TO THE
EAST OF THE AREA. /15/

&&

.JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR MSZ018-019-025>060.

LA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR LAZ007>009-015-016-
     023>026.

AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR ARZ074-075.

&&

EC/15

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 12, 4:43 AM CST, 2 hours 32 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
543 AM CDT TUE AUG 12 2008

ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026-MSZ018-019-025>054-059-060-
131045-
ASHLEY-CHICOT-MOREHOUSE-WEST CARROLL-EAST CARROLL-RICHLAND-
MADISON LA-FRANKLIN LA-CATAHOULA-TENSAS-CONCORDIA-BOLIVAR-
SUNFLOWER-LEFLORE-GRENADA-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-WEBSTER-CLAY-LOWNDES-
CHOCTAW-OKTIBBEHA-WASHINGTON-HUMPHREYS-HOLMES-ATTALA-WINSTON-
NOXUBEE-ISSAQUENA-SHARKEY-YAZOO-MADISON MS-LEAKE-NESHOBA-KEMPER-
WARREN-HINDS-RANKIN-SCOTT-NEWTON-LAUDERDALE-CLAIBORNE-COPIAH-
JEFFERSON-ADAMS-
543 AM CDT TUE AUG 12 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS...NORTHEAST
LOUISIANA AND MUCH OF MISSISSIPPI.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR TODAY FOR AREAS ALONG AND
NORTH OF A LINE FROM ACME TO NATCHEZ TO QUITMAN. HEAVY RAINFALL IS
OCCURRING OVER THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA AND THIS WILL
CONTINUE TO SPREAD TO THE EAST TODAY AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
STRENGTHENS OVER LOUISIANA AND MOVES EAST ALONG A FRONTAL BOUNDARY
THAT WILL EXTEND GENERALLY ACROSS THE I-20 CORRIDOR.

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS
AND A FEW TORNADOES WILL ALSO DEVELOP TODAY. THE RISK FOR SEVERE
WEATHER SHOULD BE GREATEST FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH AFTERNOON...THEN
DECREASE THIS EVENING. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CROSSING THE AREA TODAY
WILL ENHANCE WIND SHEAR CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
WEATHER.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THE RISK FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER
OPERATIONS...MAY BE NEEDED TODAY.

MSZ055>058-061>066-072>074-131045-
SIMPSON-SMITH-JASPER-CLARKE-FRANKLIN MS-LINCOLN-LAWRENCE-
JEFFERSON DAVIS-COVINGTON-JONES-MARION-LAMAR-FORREST-
543 AM CDT TUE AUG 12 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH MISSISSIPPI.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS
AND A FEW TORNADOES WILL DEVELOP TODAY. THE RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER
SHOULD BE GREATEST FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH AFTERNOON...THEN
DECREASE THIS EVENING. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CROSSING THE AREA TODAY
WILL ENHANCE WIND SHEAR CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
WEATHER.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THE RISK FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER
OPERATIONS...MAY BE NEEDED TODAY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAN. THIS INCLUDES THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS
WEATHER OUTLOOK.

15

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 12, 2:47 AM CST, 4 hours 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
347 AM CDT TUE AUG 12 2008

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

0332 AM     HEAVY RAIN       YAZOO CITY              32.86N 90.41W
08/12/2008  E0.00 INCH       YAZOO              MS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            STREET FLOODING REPORTED BY YAZOO CITY PD

&&

EC

Local storm report, Aug 12, 5:47 AM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
647 AM CDT TUE AUG 12 2008

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

0640 AM     FLASH FLOOD      BASTROP                 32.77N 91.91W
08/12/2008                   MOREHOUSE          LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FLOODED ROADS...MOREHOUSE PARISH SO

&&

EC

Local storm report, Aug 12, 5:55 AM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
655 AM CDT TUE AUG 12 2008

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

0645 AM     FLASH FLOOD      MAYERSVILLE             32.90N 91.04W
08/12/2008                   ISSAQUENA          MS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WATER IN A HOUSE IN MAYERSVILLE...PUMPING UNDERWAY TO
            REMOVE WATER...REPORTED BY ISSAQUENA SO

&&

EC

Local storm report, Aug 12, 7:03 AM CST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
803 AM CDT TUE AUG 12 2008

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

0800 AM     FLASH FLOOD      YAZOO CITY              32.86N 90.41W
08/12/2008                   YAZOO              MS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            A PORTION OF GRADY AVE IS STARTING TO FLOOD AND A PARKING
            LOT IN TOWN IS UNDER WATER.

&&

CME

The radar

The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 179 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:16 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Ashley

When: August 12, 7:15 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where: Ashley County, 2.87 mi N of Hamburg to 2 mi N of Rawls
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $200,000
Crop damage: $500,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 33.271, -91.811

Heavy rain fell across nearly all of Ashley County and caused several roads around Hamburg to flood as well as several more across the central and southeast portion of the county. One home in Portland was flooded as 4 to 6 inches of rain fell across the area.

Flash Flood, Chicot

When: August 12, 7:20 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where: Chicot County, 1.2 mi SSE of Arkla to 2.62 mi S of Empire
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $600,000
Crop damage: $1.2 million
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 33.013, -91.214

Heavy rainfall, between 4 and 7 inches, caused many roads across the southern half of Chicot County to be inundated with water. A few homes were flooded in the west central portion of the county along with a few around Chicot Junction. Many crops were damaged by the wet conditions and standing water.

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.

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, August 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: 131038, 131039.