Heavy rain caused the Poteau River near Panama to flood.
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.
Heavy rain caused the Poteau River near Panama to flood.
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 Mar 3, 3:45 AM CST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
345 AM CST MON MAR 3 2008
.DISCUSSION...
THIS MORNING...FRONT HAS PUSHED THROUGH MOST OF THE AREA WITH
WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING TO CAUSE
FLOODING PROBLEMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS. ADDITIONAL AREA OF PRECIP EXPANDING ACROSS NE TEXAS WILL
MOVE INTO SE OKLAHOMA SHORTLY AND BRING ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN.
AT LEAST PART OF FLOOD WATCH MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED...HAVE
DROPPED AREAS NORTH OF I-44 AS HEAVIEST RAIN HAS MOVED OUT AND
ADDITIONAL HEAVY PRECIP REMAINS SOUTH.
TEMPS DROPPING SUBSTANTIALLY BEHIND FRONT WITH SOME GUSTS NEAR 40-
MPH WEST OF TULSA. WIND ADVISORY WILL BE KEPT IN PLACE TIL 12Z BUT
SHOULD SEE A DECREASE IN SPEEDS AFTER THAT. CHANGE TO A MIX OF
PRECIP BY THIS AFTERNOON IN NORTHERN AREAS...FORECAST SOUNDINGS
SUPPORT MORE OF A SLEET SNOW MIX WITH SOME POSSIBILITY OF FZRA
ACROSS NW ARKANSAS. THIS NEEDS TO BE WATCHED THROUGH THE DAY BUT
AT THIS TIME...THE SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER STILL FIGURES TO BE
WITH THE MAIN UPPER LOW.
WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS POWERFUL UPPER LOW EAST OF THE FOUR
CORNERS AREA THIS MORNING. THE LOW ACTUALLY MADE A BRIEF
RETROGRESSION TO THE SOUTHWEST....BUT PROFILERS NOW SHOW STRONGER
WINDS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE LOW AND RECENT SAT TRENDS SHOW IT
HAS FINALLY BEGUN TO TURN TO THE EAST. THE TRACK OF THIS LOW
REMAINS THE BIG PROBLEM FOR TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY AS THERE
REMAINS A STRONG SIGNAL OF A SWATH OF HEAVY SNOWFALL JUST LEFT OF
THE TRACK OF MID LEVEL SYSTEM. RELATIVELY WARM GROUND TEMPS WILL
KEEP ACCUM DOWN SOMEWHAT EXPECT FOR THE ZONE OF HEAVIEST SNOWFALL
RATES...AND THIS REMAINS TOUGH TO PIN DOWN AT THIS TIME. IN ANY
CASE...ACCUMULATING SNOW SHOULD BEGIN TO IMPACT PORTIONS OF SE
OKLAHOMA SHORTLY AFTER 00Z AND INTO NW ARKANSAS BEFORE 06Z.
SO...HAVE UPGRADED TO A WINTER STORM WARNING FROM PITTSBURG AND
LATIMER NORTHEAST THROUGH CARROLL AND MADISON...WITH A WINTER WX
ADVISORY TO THE NORTH. THERE WILL LIKELY BE A VERY TIGHT GRADIENT
IN SNOWFALL ACCUM ALONG THE NORTHERN EDGE AS STRONG DEFORMATION
ZONE BECOMES ESTABLISHED. HAVE ALSO INCLUDED PUSH/CHOCTAW COUNTIES
IN A WATCH AS RECENT MODEL TRENDS INDICATE POTENTIAL FOR A MORE
SOUTHERLY TRACK. STILL VERY TOUGH TO SAY EXACTLY WHERE THE
HEAVIEST SNOW WILL FALL...BUT WITH STEEP LAPSE RATES WITHIN THE
COLD AIR LOCAL RATES OF 2-3 INCHES AN HOUR ARE NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
ONCE THE SYSTEM DEPARTS TUESDAY SKIES SHOULD CLEAR FAIRLY QUICKLY
BUT TEMPS WILL NOT WARM MUCH...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WITH SIG SNOW
COVER. ANOTHER FRONT WILL PUSH TROUGH WED AND KEEP COOL TEMPS
AROUND INTO LATE IN THE WEEK...WITH A GOOD WARM UP BY NEXT
WEEKEND. STAYED CLOSE TO GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT THE EXTENDED PERIOD.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TUL 36 23 44 30 / 100 70 0 0
FSM 43 25 41 26 / 100 90 30 0
MLC 40 26 42 33 / 100 90 0 0
BVO 34 22 45 25 / 90 50 0 0
FYV 39 21 35 20 / 100 90 40 0
BYV 39 21 33 24 / 100 90 40 0
MKO 39 25 41 27 / 100 90 10 0
MIO 35 22 39 25 / 100 70 10 0
F10 38 25 42 29 / 100 90 0 0
HHW 44 28 46 36 / 100 90 10 0
&&
.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL NOON MONDAY FOR OKZ049-OKZ053-OKZ062-OKZ063-
OKZ065-OKZ066-OKZ067-OKZ068-OKZ069-OKZ070-OKZ071-OKZ072-
OKZ073-OKZ074-OKZ075-OKZ076.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY FOR OKZ054-OKZ055-OKZ056-OKZ057-
OKZ058-OKZ059-OKZ060-OKZ061-OKZ062-OKZ063-OKZ064-OKZ065-
OKZ066-OKZ067-OKZ068-OKZ070-OKZ071.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 9 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM TUESDAY FOR OKZ063-
OKZ068-OKZ069-OKZ070-OKZ071-OKZ072-OKZ073-OKZ074-OKZ075.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 9 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM TUESDAY FOR
OKZ057-OKZ058-OKZ060-OKZ061-OKZ062-OKZ064-OKZ065-OKZ066-
OKZ067.
WINTER STORM WATCH FROM 9 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM TUESDAY FOR OKZ049-
OKZ053-OKZ076.
AR...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL NOON MONDAY FOR ARZ001-ARZ002-ARZ010-ARZ011-
ARZ019-ARZ020-ARZ029.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 9 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM TUESDAY FOR ARZ001-
ARZ002-ARZ010-ARZ011-ARZ019.
WINTER STORM WATCH FROM 9 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM TUESDAY FOR ARZ020-
ARZ029.
&&
SHORT TERM...18
LONG TERM....14HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 450 AM CST MON MAR 3 2008 ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-041100- 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- 450 AM CST MON MAR 3 2008 ...FLOODING RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS... ...SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL EXPECTED THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT FOR PARTS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS... THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. FLASH FLOOD. RISK...ELEVATED. AREA...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. HEAVY RAIN. RISK...SIGNIFICANT. AREA...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. RISK...ELEVATED. AREA...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. WINTER WEATHER. SNOW ACCUMULATION. RISK...ELEVATED. AREA...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...THIS EVENING. ICE ACCUMULATION. RISK...LIMITED. AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...LATE MORNING. SIGNIFICANT WINDS. RISK...LIMITED. AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. ONSET...ONGOING. DISCUSSION... AREAS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED EARLY THIS MORNING ALONG A COLD FRONT THAT STRETCHED FROM NORTHWEST ARKANSAS INTO FAR SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA. THE COLD FRONT HAS SLOWED SOME AS THE UPPER FLOW BECOMES PARALLEL TO THE BOUNDARY...WHICH HAS HELPED FOCUS WIDESPREAD HEAVY FLOODING RAINFALL ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL CURRENTLY OVER NORTHERN TEXAS WILL MOVE INTO THE FLOOD PRONE AREA THIS MORNING...WITH AN ADDITIONAL INCH OR TWO OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH...OKCFFATSA...REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON FOR ALL BUT NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. AS COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO FILTER SLOWLY SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION...PRECIPITATION MAY BEGIN TO MIX WITH LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET BY LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON...PARTICULARLY ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. WARM GROUND CONDITIONS SHOULD LIMIT ICE ACCUMULATIONS TO MAINLY ELEVATED SURFACES. THE MORE SIGNIFICANT WINTER THREAT WILL ARRIVE BY THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AS A POWERFUL UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM EJECTS ACROSS NORTH TEXAS INTO NORTHERN ARKANSAS. THIS TRACK FAVORS A BAND OF LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWFALL ACROSS PARTS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. AT THIS TIME...4 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW APPEAR POSSIBLE GENERALLY FROM A BAND FROM PITTSBURG AND MCINTOSH COUNTIES EXTENDING NORTHEAST THROUGH BENTON...CARROLL...MADISON AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FARTHER SOUTH...INCLUDING FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA INTO THE FORT SMITH REGION...ARE MORE QUESTIONABLE AT THIS TIME. DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY...THIS AREA HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN A WINTER STORM WATCH THROUGH TONIGHT. THE TRACK OF THE UPPER LOW REMAINS UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...AND SNOWFALL FORECASTS WILL BE FINE TUNED DURING THE DAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST SUITE OF WINTER WEATHER PRODUCTS...OKCWSWTSA...FOR FURTHER DETAILS. SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND STORMS SPOTTERS SHOULD STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST FORECASTS. PLEASES REPORT FLOODING AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. TUESDAY...WINTER WEATHER POTENTIAL. WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...NO HAZARDS. EXTENDED DISCUSSION... LINGERING LIGHT SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER FAR EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. ONLY MINOR ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL TABULAR AND GRAPHICAL INFORMATION.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
253 AM CST MON MAR 03 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0250 AM FLASH FLOOD FORT SMITH 35.39N 94.40W
03/03/2008 SEBASTIAN AR EMERGENCY MNGR
WATER IN SEVERAL BUILDINGS. TWO FEET OF WATER OVER THE
ROAD ALONG ZERO AVENUE. WATER RESCUES UNDERWAY IN PARTS
OF THE CITY.
&&
MATPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
335 AM CST MON MAR 03 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0330 AM FLASH FLOOD VAN BUREN 35.44N 94.35W
03/03/2008 CRAWFORD AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS COUNTY ROADS UNDER WATER.
0330 AM FLASH FLOOD OZARK 35.49N 93.83W
03/03/2008 FRANKLIN AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
STREETS IN OZARK AND NUMEROUS COUNTY ROADS UNDER WATER.
&&
MATThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Poteau River near Panama rose above its flood stage of 29 feet at 8:15 a.m. cst on March 3rd. The river crested at 37.93 feet at 11:00 a.m. cst on March 4th. A crest at this level is considered a moderate flood. The river fell below its flood stage at 8:00 a.m. cst on March 6th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, March 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: 88646.