A shortwave trough dove southeast and interacted with a very unstable |airmass to result in strong to severe thunderstorms, mainly across |southern Arkansas and northeastern Louisiana. The most extensive |damage occurred around the city of Ruston, Louisiana, where numerous trees and powerlines were blown down.
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 SHV wrote it up.
A shortwave trough dove southeast and interacted with a very unstable |airmass to result in strong to severe thunderstorms, mainly across |southern Arkansas and northeastern Louisiana. The most extensive |damage occurred around the city of Ruston, Louisiana, where numerous trees and powerlines were blown down. Several reports of nickel- to |golfball-sized hail were received in and around Ruston.
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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 2, 2:25 PM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
325 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 2008
.DISCUSSION...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL KEEP THE REGION TOASTY THROUGH SUNDAY. HEAT
ADVISORY REMAINS POSTED THROUGH SUNDAY. MODELS HINT THAT TEMPS MAY
BE A COUPLE DEGREES LOWER ON MONDAY PROBABLY DUE TO WEAK INVERTED
TROUGH AT BASE OF UPPER RIDGE. I WOULD EXPECT THE HEAT ADVISORY
MAY NEED EXTENSION INTO MONDAY...BUT IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY HAVE
TO COVER THE WHOLE CWA. WILL LET LATER SHIFT HAVE ANOTHER SET OF
MODEL DATA TO DOUBLE CHECK THIS.
MEANTIME...HEAT AND HUMIDITY HAS FIRED OFF ISOLATED TSTMS AND THIS
SHOULD CONTINUE INTO EARLY EVENING. ADDITIONAL ROUND OF ISOLD T
SUNDAY AFTERNOON MAINLY E AND S. WHEN IT IS THIS HOT...TSTMS TEND
TO BE GUSTY.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL SHOVE THE INVERTED TROUGH INTO TX BY TUESDAY
AND WILL NOT SEE MUCH OF ANY CONVECTION AGAIN UNTIL WE PSBLY GET
VERY LATE WEEK WEAK NW FLOW ALOFT AS RIDGE RETROGRADES W A LITTLE.
/17/
&&
.AVIATION...
PERSISTENT VFR RULES. GFS HAS INITIALIZED BEST ON PBL MOISTURE...
AND 12Z KSHV RAOB AND LATEST FCST SOUNDINGS INDICATE A WIDESPREAD
HIGH-BASED CU FIELD DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON AND SUNDAY MORNING.
INSTABILITY PARAMETERS INDICATE A FEW CB/S NR KMLU LATE THIS
AFTERNOON/EVENING. OTHERWISE...NO AVIATION CONCERNS. /44/
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SHV 77 103 78 101 76 / 10 20 10 10 0
MLU 75 101 76 99 75 / 20 20 10 10 0
DEQ 73 104 74 102 74 / 10 10 10 10 0
TXK 77 104 78 102 77 / 10 10 10 10 0
ELD 75 103 75 102 75 / 20 10 10 10 0
TYR 77 103 77 100 77 / 10 0 10 10 0
GGG 76 102 76 100 76 / 10 10 10 10 0
LFK 75 102 74 99 74 / 10 20 10 10 10
&&
.SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073.
LA...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022.
OK...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
OKZ077.
TX...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
TXZ096-097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167.
&&
17/44HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 1200 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077- TXZ096-097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-031100- SEVIER-HOWARD-LITTLE RIVER-HEMPSTEAD-NEVADA-MILLER-LAFAYETTE- COLUMBIA-UNION AR-CADDO-BOSSIER-WEBSTER-CLAIBORNE-LINCOLN- UNION LA-DE SOTO-RED RIVER-BIENVILLE-JACKSON-OUACHITA-SABINE LA- NATCHITOCHES-WINN-GRANT-CALDWELL-LA SALLE-MCCURTAIN-BOWIE- FRANKLIN-TITUS-CAMP-MORRIS-CASS-WOOD-UPSHUR-MARION-SMITH-GREGG- HARRISON-CHEROKEE-RUSK-PANOLA-NACOGDOCHES-SHELBY-ANGELINA- SAN AUGUSTINE-SABINE TX- 1200 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA... NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...EAST TEXAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT EXPECT TO SEE TEMPERATURES CLIMB TO 100 TO 105 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. THESE TEMPERATURES WHEN COMBINED WITH THE HUMIDITY WILL PROVIDE HEAT INDEX VALUES FROM NEAR 105 TO 109 DEGREES. THIS WILL STRESS ANYONE INVOLVED IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES...AND THOSE CONFINED TO THE INSIDE WITHOUT THE COOLING FROM FANS OR AIR CONDITIONERS. THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY MAY PRODUCE VERY ISOLATED LATE AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY...EAST OF A TEXARKANA TO LUFKIN LINE. IF ANY THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP...THEY MAY PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE HEAT WILL STAY WITH THE REGION...AT LEAST THROUGH MONDAY INTO TUESDAY WITH TRIPLE DIGIT AFTERNOON MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES ONCE AGAIN. HEAT INDEX VALUES SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WILL AGAIN APPROACH 105 TO 109 DEGREES ACROSS THE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTER...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTIVATION SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT. 17
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
443 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 2008
ARZ061-022245-
NEVADA-
443 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 2008
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ALERT...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...
NEVADA.
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
BLUFF CITY AND ROSSTON.
AT 440 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WHELEN SPRINGS...OR 9 MILES SOUTH OF
GURDON...MOVING SOUTH AT 8 MPH.
HAIL SMALLER THAN THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH...AND WINDS AROUND 50
MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
SHREVEPORT.
LAT...LON 3382 9318 3382 9313 3378 9309 3372 9309
3371 9310 3353 9310 3352 9311 3360 9336
3384 9321 3384 9319
TIME...MOT...LOC 2143Z 021DEG 7KT 3379 9310
BUTTSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
518 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 2008
ARZ073-LAZ006-022315-
UNION-
518 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 2008
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ALERT...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 615 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES AND PARISHES...
IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...
CENTRAL AND EASTERN UNION.
IN NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
UNION.
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
CALION...HUTTIG...STRONG...AND FARMERVILLE.
AT 514 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A COUPLE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. ONE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS
LOCATED 11 MILES NORTHWEST OF WEST CROSSETT...WHILE THE OTHER WAS
LOCATED JUST SOUTHWEST OF STRONG. THE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTH
AROUND 10 MPH.
HAIL SMALLER THAN THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH...AND WINDS BETWEEN 50
AND 55 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
SHREVEPORT.
LAT...LON 3268 9251 3337 9263 3336 9252 3333 9251
3333 9245 3328 9242 3330 9233 3327 9230
3327 9222 3321 9220 3322 9217 3317 9215
3316 9209 3310 9212 3302 9206 3296 9207
3294 9205 3286 9207 3275 9204
TIME...MOT...LOC 2218Z 000DEG 6KT 3325 9216
BUTTSThe Shreveport radar (KSHV), 145 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:44 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down eleven miles southwest of Strong, Louisiana.
Trees were blown down seven miles east of Spearsville, Louisiana.
Trees and powerlines were blown down near the Cedarton community.
Hail was reported in the WallMart parking lot.
Eight inch diameter tree limbs were blown down.
Numerous tree limbs and power lines were blown down in town.
A tree was blown down across U.S. Hwy. 167 at East Carolina Avenue in Ruston, Louisiana.
Nickel sized hail fell along U.S. Hwy. 167 just north of Ruston, Louisiana.
Powerlines were blown down near the Barnet Springs Community.
Powerlines were blown down across the northwest portions of the parish.
A tree was blown down on a home on East Mississippi Street in Ruston, Louisiana. There were no injuries reported.
Trees were blown down along Clarence Ivory Road.
Powerlines were blown down in the Norton Corner Community.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Louisiana in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, August 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: 131873, 131875, 131878, 131879, 131883, 131884, 131885, 131886, 131887, 131888, 131889, 131890, 131891, 131892, 131893, 131894.