Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, June 9, 2008

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, June 9, 2008
Start: 2008-06-09T13:45
End: 2008-06-09T18:45
Location: Arkansas

June 9, 2008 · NWS LZK · 17 events in 11 counties and zones

A large cluster of thunderstorms, known as a mesoscale convective system (MCS), developed near a cold front and swept across much of Arkansas during the afternoon and evening of the 9th.

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: 1
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $600,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 17

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 large cluster of thunderstorms, known as a mesoscale convective system (MCS), developed near a cold front and swept across much of Arkansas during the afternoon and evening of the 9th.

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 Jun 9, 5:53 AM CST, 7 hours 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 9, 5:53 AM CST, 7 hours 52 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
653 AM CDT MON JUN 9 2008

.AVIATION...
A PREFRONTAL TROUGH IS MOVING THROUGH NORTH ARKANSAS THIS
MORNING WITH SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS. THE COLD FRONT WILL
MOVE INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS LATE THIS MORNING AND BRING MORE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG
WITH HEAVY RAIN. SOUTH WINDS WILL GUST TO 25 MPH IN CENTRAL AND
SOUTH SECTIONS. RAIN CHANCES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT BUT END
BY TUESDAY MORNING. MVFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED.
&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 339 AM CDT MON JUN 9 2008/

SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY
COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER KANSAS...MISSOURI AND OKLAHOMA
GENERATED A MESOSCALE BOUNDARY WHICH IS CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FEATURE WILL
CONTINUE TO DIMINISH THIS MORNING...BUT WITH OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES
GENERATED...AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT TO THE NORTHWEST AND AN UPPER
TROUGH SWINGING THROUGH THE REGION...REDEVELOPMENT WILL OCCUR...
MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON. FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION LATE TODAY.
SHOWERS/STORMS AHEAD OF THE FRONT COULD BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE. LOW
LEVEL SHEAR ISN/T THAT GREAT...BUT AMPLE INSTABILITY WILL BE PRESENT
TO CREATE A DAMAGING WIND THREAT FOR SURFACE BASED STORMS. WITH
NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...HAIL IS ALSO A CONCERN
WITH ANY STRONG STORMS. AND...HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER WILL ALLOW FOR
STRONGER STORMS TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL.

ONE...THREE AND SIX HOUR FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE IS PRETTY HIGH...AND
LITTLE RAIN HAS OCCURRED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS. SO...WHILE SOME
AREAS...PARTICULARLY OVER WESTERN ARKANSAS...COULD RECEIVE UP TO AN
INCH OF RAIN...ANY FLASH FLOOD THREAT WOULD BE LOCALIZED IN NATURE.
SO...NO HEADLINES NECESSARY.

FRONT LOOKS TO STALL OUT OVER THE REGION BY TUESDAY. WITH UPPER
TROUGH MOVING EASTWARD DURING THE MORNING...ANY LINGERING PRECIP
WILL COME TO AN END DURING THE DAY. UPPER RIDGE EXPANDING FROM THE
SOUTHWESTERN CONUS WILL PUSH THE STALLED FRONT BACK TO THE NORTH ON
WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE REGION BY THURSDAY...
BRINGING SMALL RAIN CHANCES BACK TO THE FORECAST.

LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY
HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS THE PERIOD OVER THE EASTERN U.S. WITH AN UPPER
TROUGH OVER THE PLAINS. THE HIGH WILL BE SUPPRESSED TO THE SOUTH AS
THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES THROUGH. THIS UPPER TROUGH WILL AFFECT
ARKANSAS MAINLY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

A COLD FRONT WILL BE IN THE PLAINS THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS FRONT WILL
BE SLOWED BY THE RIDGE TO THE EAST. MODELS INDICATE THE RIDGE
BREAKING DOWN AND ALLOWING THE FRONT TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. THERE
IS SOME QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THIS WILL HAPPEN OR NOT. REGARDLESS...
SEVERAL SHORT WAVES ARE INDICATED MOVING THROUGH THE AREA. THEREFORE
WILL CONTINUE THE SLIGHT CHANCE AND CHANCE POPS FOR SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. SATURDAY NIGHT
AND SUNDAY MORNING THE BEST PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL BE IN THE
CENTRAL AND SOUTH SECTIONS...AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE
MIDWEST ALLOWING DRIER AIR INTO THE NORTH PART OF THE STATE.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE
PERIOD.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
BATESVILLE AR     87  65  86  67 /  50  60  10  10
CAMDEN AR         91  71  89  68 /  30  60  20  10
HARRISON AR       80  60  84  65 /  70  70  10  10
HOT SPRINGS AR    89  70  89  70 /  40  60  20  10
LITTLE ROCK   AR  90  71  89  69 /  40  60  20  10
MONTICELLO AR     92  71  92  71 /  30  50  20  10
MOUNT IDA AR      86  67  87  66 /  50  60  10  10
MOUNTAIN HOME AR  85  62  84  66 /  70  70  10  10
NEWPORT AR        90  66  88  68 /  40  60  10  10
PINE BLUFF AR     91  71  88  71 /  30  60  20  10
RUSSELLVILLE AR   86  67  88  65 /  60  70  10  10
SEARCY AR         91  68  88  67 /  50  60  20  10
STUTTGART AR      92  71  89  71 /  40  60  20  10
&&

.LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.
&&

AVIATION...51

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 9, 12:20 PM CST, 1 hour 25 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
120 PM CDT MON JUN 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-
120 PM CDT MON JUN 9 2008

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A LARGE CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED OVER THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS OVERNIGHT. THE CLUSTER WAS TRIGGERED ALONG A COLD
FRONT...WHICH WAS DRAPED ACROSS SOUTHERN MISSOURI AND NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA LATE THIS MORNING. THE CLUSTER MOVED INTO NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS DURING THE MORNING HOURS...WITH NO SEVERE WEATHER.
HOWEVER...THERE WERE AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN WHICH CONTINUED INTO THE
AFTERNOON.

THE CLUSTER PRODUCED COOL OUTFLOW...WITH THE LEADING EDGE OR
BOUNDARY EXTENDING FROM AROUND POCAHONTAS TO HEBER SPRINGS...
DANVILLE AND MENA AS OF 1 PM CDT. ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS IS LIKELY...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE
OUTFLOW BOUNDARY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS
COULD BE SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN
CONCERNS.

MORE HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED. ONE QUARTER TO THREE QUARTER INCH
RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE COMMON...WITH LOCALLY OVER TWO INCHES.

THE FRONT TO THE NORTHWEST WILL PUSH INTO THE REGION BEFORE STALLING
TONIGHT IN SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE STATE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THE FRONT WILL REMAINED STALLED IN SOUTHERN ARKANSAS ON
TUESDAY...WITH SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.

HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD OVER THE REGION FROM THE
SOUTHEAST...WITH THE FRONT MOVING TO THE NORTH AND DRY AND HOT
WEATHER RETURNING.

ANOTHER FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA LATE IN THE WEEK...WITH
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY OR FRIDAY INTO THE
WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY THIS AFTERNOON AND
OVERNIGHT...WITH SOME SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED.

&&

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

46

The radar

The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:43 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 hail, 7 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Pope

When: June 9, 1:45 PM CST
Where: Pope County, Russellville
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 35.280, -93.130

Hail, Yell

When: June 9, 1:45 PM CST
Where: Yell County, Dardanelle
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 35.220, -93.150

KARK-TV relayed a viewer report of baseball sized hail. The viewer had a picture of the hail.

Hail, Pope

When: June 9, 1:51 PM CST
Where: Pope County, Russellville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 35.280, -93.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Conway

When: June 9, 2:53 PM CST
Where: Conway County, Wonderview
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.320, -92.730

Power lines were down.

Hail, Conway

When: June 9, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Conway County, 3 mi S of Cleveland
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.377, -92.720

Thunderstorm Wind, Conway

When: June 9, 3:10 PM CST
Where: Conway County, Center Ridge to 3 mi S of Center Ridge
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.370, -92.570

At least five houses had roof damage and at least fifteen homes had some form of minor damage. Much of a chicken house that was under construction was blown down. This particular chicken house was being rebuilt after having been blown down by a tornado on May 2nd. Two additional chicken houses were missing roofs. Trees and power lines were down, with one tree through a house. Arkansas Highway 9 was closed for a time due to a gas leak. The leak was caused when part of a pump house blew down onto a gas pipeline.

Thunderstorm Wind, Conway

When: June 9, 3:10 PM CST
Where: Conway County, 0.38 mi S of Catholic Point
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $60,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.344, -92.550

There was heavy damage to the roofs of the rectory and youth building at the Catholic church. There was minor damage to a pavilion, and trees were blown down in the church cemetery. The same church property had been damaged by a tornado on May 2nd.

Thunderstorm Wind, Faulkner

When: June 9, 3:20 PM CST
Where: Faulkner County, 3 mi SW of Damascus
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.329, -92.458

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Hail, Sharp

When: June 9, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Sharp County, Calamine
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.020, -91.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Cleburne

When: June 9, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Cleburne County, Prim
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.700, -92.120

Hail, Garland

When: June 9, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Garland County, Jessieville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.700, -93.070

Hail, Clark

When: June 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Clark County, Amity
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.270, -93.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Cleburne

When: June 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Cleburne County, Heber Spgs
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.500, -92.030

Large tree limbs were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Saline

When: June 9, 4:05 PM CST
Where: Saline County, Paron
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.770, -92.750

Large tree limbs were blown down.

Hail, Cleburne

When: June 9, 4:06 PM CST
Where: Cleburne County, Heber Spgs
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.500, -92.030

Lightning, Hot Spring

When: June 9, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Hot Spring County, 2.15 mi WNW of Glen Rose
Deaths: 0 direct, 1 indirect
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.468, -92.766

Lightning is believed to have set fire to a mobile home on Eiler Loop. A 48 year-old man in the home died in the fire. Just a few weeks previously, lightning had struck and burned out the water well on the same property, which is located on top of a hill.

Lightning, Jefferson

When: June 9, 6:45 PM CST
Where: Jefferson County, 1.29 mi SSE of Leitner
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: Utility Company
Coordinates: 34.233, -92.060

Lightning struck an electrical substation on the northwest side of Pine Bluff. More than 2000 electric customers were without power for more than five hours.

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
Lightning, Hot Spring	2008-06-09	48	Male	Mobile/Trailer Home	Indirect

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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, June 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: 119372, 119377, 119373, 119366, 119365, 119369, 121891, 119370, 119375, 119364, 119371, 119360, 119362, 119374, 119361, 95852, 121777.