Winter Weather, Van Buren
- When
- February 21, 2:00 AM CST to February 22, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Van Buren forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Freezing rain was accumulating in timber and other surfaces.
Hail and Winter Weather in Arkansas, February 21 to 22, 2008
A northwest wind flow aloft drove a cold front through Arkansas on the 20th. The front was followed by a shallow cold Arctic air mass.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 14
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.
A northwest wind flow aloft drove a cold front through Arkansas on the 20th. The front was followed by a shallow cold Arctic air mass. The front then stalled along the Gulf Coast, with a storm system forming along the front.
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 Feb 20, 11:31 PM CST, 2 hours 29 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 20, 11:31 PM CST, 2 hours 29 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 1131 PM CST WED FEB 20 2008 .AVIATION... CEILINGS WILL CONTINUE TO LOWER TO MVFR TO ISOLATED IFR IN SPOTS. PATCHY LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE TO LIGHT RAIN EXPECTED OVER NORTH ARKANSAS...WITH TEMPS DROPPING BELOW FREEZING SOON. PATCHY LIGHT RAIN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AREAS. AREAS OF VISIBILITIES 2-4 SM WITH FOG. (38) && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 911 PM CST WED FEB 20 2008/ UPDATE... MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO SEVERAL GRIDS TO REFLECT CURRENT TRENDS BETTER. VERY DRY AIR HAS BEEN MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN SECTIONS... AND TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN SLOW TO DROP. LEFT THE BASIC FORECAST UNCHANGED. RADAR ECHOES HAVE BEEN SLOW TO DEVELOP BUT THEY ARE INCREASING SLIGHTLY. UPDATES OUT ALREADY. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 535 PM CST WED FEW 20 2008/ AVIATION... MVFR CONDITIONS TO START WEDNESDAY EVENING. CEILINGS WILL GRADUALLY LOWER TO AREAS OF MVFR BY MIDNIGHT. LIGHT RAIN POSSIBLE MAINLY OVER SOUTHERN AR AT KPBF AND KLLQ THIS EVENING. NORTHEAST WINDS 5-15 MPH ACROSS THE AREA. AFTER MIDNIGHT...MORE CEILINGS WILL LOWER TO MVFR TO ISOLATED IFR IN SPOTS ALL TAFS. PATCHY LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE TO LIGHT RAIN POSSIBLE OVER NORTH ARKANSAS...WITH TEMPS BELOW FREEZING. PATCHY LIGHT RAIN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AREAS. AREAS OF VISIBILITIES 2-4 NM WITH FOG. (59) PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 325 PM CST WED FEB 20 2008/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT ARCTIC CDFNT HAS BEEN SLOW TO MAKE MUCH SWD MOVEMENT ACRS CNTRL AR THIS AFTN. BNDRY IS STARTING TO WORK FURTHER SWD OVR ERN AR ATTM. MEANWHILE...TEMPS HAVE MANAGED TO WARM INTO THE LOWER AND MID 60S OVR SRN AR. EXPECT COLDER AIR TO CONT WORKING SWD TNGT...WITH MAIN EFFECTS STAYING OVR NRN AR THRU THE PD. MEANWHILE...SEVERAL UPR LVL IMPULSES RMN PROGGED TO LIFT NEWD ACRS THE REGION THRU THE SHORT TERM. MOISTURE/LIFT ASSOCD WITH THESE FEATURES WL OVERRIDE THE SHALLOW COLD AIRMASS TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD RAIN...ALONG WITH WINTRY PRECIP OVR NRN AR. EXPECT PRECIP COVERAGE TO INCREASE LATER TNGT AND THU MRNG FM THE SW. WITH SFC TEMPS BLW FRZG ACRS NRN AR BY LATE TNGT...EXPECT A MIXTURE OF SLEET AND FRZG RAIN TO DVLP. TEMPS WL STRUGGLE TO REACH ABV 32F THU INTO FRI...WITH SEVERAL PDS OF PRECIP EXPECTED. THUS...HAVE ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR N-CNTRL AR STARTING AT MIDNIGHT TNGT THRU 12Z FRI. WE FEEL THAT WARNING CRITERIA WL BE MET AT THE END OF THE EVENT...WITH UP TO 1/4 INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE ROUGHLY N OF A JASPER...MTN VIEW TO CAVE CITY LINE. LIGHTER AMOUNTS WL BE POSSIBLE LATE TNGT AND THU MRNG JUST TO THE S OF THE WARNING AREA /FROM CLINTON TO NEWPORT/ WHERE A WINTER WX ADVY HAS BEEN ISSUED. SFC TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO RMN ABV THE FRZG MARK OVR CNTRL AND SRN AR. WITH INCRSG ISENTROPIC LIFT BY THU...WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE SOME ISOLD TSRA FORM AS WELL. UNDERCUT MOS TEMPS A CAT OR TWO ACRS NRN AR WHERE TEMPS WL HOVER AT OR BLW FRZG. STAYED CLOSE TO MODEL OUTPUT ELSEWHERE. LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE OFF TO THE NORTHEAST FRIDAY...WITH UPPER TROF FOLLOWING. DRIER AIR WILL MOVE IN FRIDAY AFTERNOON...WITH PRECIP ENDING. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE IN SATURDAY AFTERNOON...AND HAVE INCLUDED POPS IN THE NORTH...WITH AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS STATEWIDE. TEMPS WILL BE WARM ENOUGH FOR ALL LIQUID PRECIP. UPPER RIDGE MOVES IN FOR SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...BUT ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY. CONTINUED CHANCE POPS WITH THIS FRONT...WITH READINGS NEAR NORMAL. DRY WEATHER WILL RETURN FOR WEDNESDAY. COORDINATION... THANKS TO WFO/S SGF AND MEM FOR COORDINATION EFFORTS TODAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 29 34 30 38 / 70 90 80 40 CAMDEN AR 42 48 41 53 / 70 90 80 20 HARRISON AR 27 33 28 35 / 70 90 80 30 HOT SPRINGS AR 39 43 37 46 / 70 90 80 20 LITTLE ROCK AR 37 42 35 45 / 70 90 80 30 MONTICELLO AR 42 49 42 55 / 70 90 80 20 MOUNT IDA AR 39 45 36 45 / 70 90 80 20 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 26 33 27 34 / 70 90 80 40 NEWPORT AR 30 34 31 40 / 70 90 80 40 PINE BLUFF AR 39 45 40 51 / 70 90 80 20 RUSSELLVILLE AR 36 41 32 41 / 70 90 80 30 SEARCY AR 34 41 33 41 / 70 90 80 30 STUTTGART AR 37 42 38 46 / 70 90 80 30 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST FRIDAY FOR BAXTER-BOONE- FULTON-IZARD-MARION-NEWTON-SEARCY-SHARP-STONE. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 12 PM CST THURSDAY FOR CLEBURNE- INDEPENDENCE-JACKSON-VAN BUREN. && AVIATION...38
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 20, 2:55 PM CST, 11 hours 5 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 255 PM CST WED FEB 20 2008 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-211100- 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- 255 PM CST WED FEB 20 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN ARCTIC FRONT MOVED INTO ARKANSAS TODAY...BRINGING COLDER AIR TO NORTHERN AREAS OF THE STATE. GULF MOISTURE IS MOVING INTO THE STATE...AND AS THIS MOISTURE MOVES OVER THE COLD AIR...PRECIPITATION WILL FALL. IN AREAS NORTH OF FALLSVILLE...TO MOUNTAIN VIEW...TO CAVE CITY LINE...FREEZING RAIN...MIXED WITH SLEET...WILL BEGIN TO FALL AFTER MIDNIGHT. A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED DUE TO THE POTENTIAL OF UP TO 1/4 INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION WITH THIS STORM SYSTEM. JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THIS AREA...INCLUDING AREAS AROUND CLINTON... HEBER SPRINGS...BATESVILLE AND NEWPORT...ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LESS THAN ONE TENTH OF AN INCH. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS AREA FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MIDDAY ON THURSDAY. TRAVEL WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS OVERNIGHT AS FREEZING RAIN WILL MAKE ROADWAYS SLICK. THIS IS STILL A DEVELOPING SITUATION...AND MANY VARIABLES MAY CHANGE DURING THE NEXT 36 HOURS. STAY TUNED TO LATER FORECASTS FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FOR FURTHER UPDATES. SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CLARKSVILLE...TO GREENBRIER...TO SEARCY... TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING...WITH ONLY RAINFALL EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE STATE THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. IN NORTHERN ARKANSAS...FREEZING RAIN IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...THERE WILL BE BREAKS IN THE PRECIPITATION...BUT TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATION WILL BE UP TO 1/4 OF AN INCH BY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ARKANSAS AS WELL...UNTIL THE SYSTEM MOVES NORTHEAST OUT OF THE AREA ON FRIDAY. DRY WEATHER WILL RETURN STARTING FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY... BEFORE THE NEXT FRONT ARRIVES MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. && VISIT NWS LITTLE ROCK ON THE WEB. GO TO HTTP://WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON CENTRAL ARKANSAS. 58/44
The radar
The Springfield radar (KSGF), 125 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:08 UTC.
Event by event
10 winter weather, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Weather, Boone
- When
- February 21, 2:00 AM CST to February 22, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Boone forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
Ice patches were reported on roadways throughout the county.
Winter Weather, Marion
- When
- February 21, 2:00 AM CST to February 22, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Marion forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 36.268, -92.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice patches were reported on roadways throughout the county.
Winter Weather, Baxter
- When
- February 21, 2:00 AM CST to February 22, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Baxter forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 36.287, -92.337 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice patches were reported on roadways throughout the county.
Winter Weather, Fulton
- When
- February 21, 2:00 AM CST to February 22, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Fulton forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 36.382, -91.818 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice patches were reported on roadways throughout the county.
Winter Weather, Sharp
- When
- February 21, 2:00 AM CST to February 22, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Sharp forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 36.161, -91.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice patches were reported on roadways throughout the county.
Winter Weather, Newton
- When
- February 21, 2:00 AM CST to February 22, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Newton forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
Ice patches were reported on roadways throughout the county.
Winter Weather, Searcy
- When
- February 21, 2:00 AM CST to February 22, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Searcy forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
Ice patches were reported on roadways throughout the county.
Winter Weather, Stone
- When
- February 21, 2:00 AM CST to February 22, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Stone forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 35.860, -92.157 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice patches were reported on roadways throughout the county.
Winter Weather, Izard
- When
- February 21, 2:00 AM CST to February 22, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Izard forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 36.095, -91.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice patches were reported on roadways throughout the county.
Hail, Conway
- When
- February 21, 7:10 PM CST
- Where
- Conway County, Solgohachia
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 35.250, -92.680
The hail was mostly around 1/2 inch in diameter, with a few hailstones the size of nickels. The hail covered the ground.
Hail, Pulaski
- When
- February 21, 9:18 PM CST
- Where
- Pulaski County, 2 mi NE of Macon
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- NWS Employee
- Coordinates
- 34.941, -92.145
Hail ranged from 1/2 inch to nickel size.
Hail, Pulaski
- When
- February 21, 9:25 PM CST
- Where
- Pulaski County, 3 mi NE of Macon
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 34.951, -92.133
Hail ranged from 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter.
Hail, Lonoke
- When
- February 21, 9:33 PM CST
- Where
- Lonoke County, Ward
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
- Coordinates
- 35.030, -91.970
Nickel size hail was reported by an Air Force meteorologist.
What these are
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Sleet in Missouri, February 21 to 22, 2008
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Mississippi, February 21 to 22, 2008
- Flooding in Florida, February 21 to 22, 2008
- Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Kentucky, February 21 to 22, 2008
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 21 to 22, 2008
- Winter Storm in Illinois, February 21 to 22, 2008
- Tornadoes and Flood in Louisiana, February 21, 2008
- Ice Storm in Kentucky, February 21 to 22, 2008
- Ice Storm in Missouri, February 21, 2008
- Ice Storm in Missouri, February 21 to 22, 2008
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Ohio, February 21 to 22, 2008
- Winter Storm in Indiana, February 21 to 22, 2008
More
Every storm in Arkansas in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, February 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: 74760, 74761, 74762, 74763, 74764, 74765, 74766, 74767, 74768, 74769, 74756, 74757, 74758, 74759.