Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, August 20, 2009

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, August 20, 2009
Start: 2009-08-20T02:45
End: 2009-08-20T05:50
Location: Arkansas

August 20, 2009 · NWS TSA · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms affected portions of northwestern Arkansas during the early morning hours of the 20th.

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: $20,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 TSA wrote it up.

Severe thunderstorms affected portions of northwestern Arkansas during the early morning hours of the 20th.

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 Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 19, 10:50 PM CST, 3 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 19, 10:50 PM CST, 3 hours 55 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1150 PM CDT WED AUG 19 2009

.AVIATION...
CONCERNING TAF SITES KTUL/KRVS/KMLC/KXNA/KFYV/KFSM.

STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY REMAIN NORTH OF
THE TAF SITES...ALTHOUGH A BATCH OF STORMS ACROSS
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA COULD BEGIN TO IMPACT THE KTUL/KRVS
TAF SITES AROUND 07Z. THERE STILL REMAINS THE POSSIBILITY
OF A LARGER COMPLEX OF STORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA INTO NORTHWEST ARKANASAS INTO THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS...WITH THE ACTIVITY PUSHING TO THE SOUTHEAST.
MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS LIKELY IN AND NEAR STORMS.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 916 PM CDT WED AUG 19 2009/

..UPDATE...

DISCUSSION...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN KANSAS AND HAVE HUGGED THE
OKLAHOMA BORDER OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS. HAVE ADJUSTED POPS
AND WEATHER IN THE FORECAST AND SENT OUT UPDATED PRODUCTS
INCORPORATING THE LATEST FORECAST INFORMATION AND CURRENT WATCHES.

&&

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...NONE.
AR...NONE.
&&

AVIATION...18

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 19, 11:17 PM CST, 3 hours 28 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1217 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-201000-
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-
1217 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS
MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA.

.DAY ONE...REST OF TONIGHT.

TORNADO.
RISK...LIMITED.
AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
ONSET...ONGOING.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
RISK...SIGNIFICANT.
AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.

FLASH FLOOD.
RISK...LIMITED.
AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.

HEAVY RAIN.
RISK...LIMITED.
AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.

DISCUSSION...
ELEVATED SEVERE STORMS HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS MORNING.  THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO
INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AND
WILL LIKELY EVOLVE INTO ONE OR MORE LARGE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEXES AS
THE EVENT PROGRESSES...SWEEPING EAST ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS WILL BE LIKELY IN THE
STRONGER STORMS...INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF TORRENTIAL RAINFALL
AND FLASH FLOODING. MANY AREAS HAVE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL RAINFALL
OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. THESE AREAS WILL BE THE MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING AS THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED.

SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
ACTIVATION OF THE REGIONAL SPOTTER NETWORK EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.
THURSDAY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL.
FRIDAY...NO HAZARDS.
SATURDAY...NO HAZARDS.
SUNDAY...NO HAZARDS.
MONDAY...NO HAZARDS.
TUESDAY...NO HAZARDS.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
SEVERE WEATHER IS LIKELY TO BE ONGOING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA
THURSDAY MORNING AS THE COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO SWEEP ACROSS THE
REGION. AS THE FRONT SLOWS DURING THE DAY... ANOTHER ROUND OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON IN THE VICINITY
OF THE FRONT...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO STILL BE LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN ARKANSAS.

AFTER THE FRONT FINALLY EXITS THE REGION LATE THURSDAY... A MUCH
COOLER AND DRIER AIR MASS WILL BE PRESENT. TRANQUIL WEATHER WILL
THEN PREVAIL THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD.

WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 19, 11:53 PM CST, 2 hours 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1253 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

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

1248 AM     HAIL             5 NW OWASSO             36.32N 95.92W
08/20/2009  E1.75 INCH       TULSA              OK   BROADCAST MEDIA

&&

JDS

Special weather statement, Aug 19, 11:54 PM CST, 2 hours 51 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1254 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

OKZ064>066-200645-
CREEK OK-OKFUSKEE OK-OKMULGEE OK-
1254 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 145 AM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     NORTHWESTERN OKMULGEE AND SOUTHERN CREEK

IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
     NORTHWESTERN OKFUSKEE

AT 1255 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
MILFAY...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED
BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...WELTY...BEGGS...BRISTOW...MILFAY...SLICK...
DEPEW...MOUNDS AND SHAMROCK.

THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO
50 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

LAT...LON 3594 9604 3562 9603 3562 9662 3591 9662
TIME...MOT...LOC 0555Z 269DEG 36KT 3575 9657

Special weather statement, Aug 20, 12:52 AM CST, 1 hour 53 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
152 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

OKZ056>058-063-200715-
CRAIG OK-DELAWARE OK-NOWATA OK-OTTAWA OK-
152 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 215 AM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     NORTHWESTERN DELAWARE...CRAIG...NORTHERN OTTAWA AND SOUTHERN
     NOWATA

AT 152 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 13 MILES NORTHEAST OF QUAPAW TO 7 MILES EAST OF
DELAWARE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...DELAWARE...MIAMI...COMMERCE...
QUAPAW...CARDIN...PICHER...VINITA...WHITE OAK...CENTRALIA...HOLLOW...
PYRAMID CORNERS...BLUEJACKET...CENTRAILIA AND WELCH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...WIND GUSTS TO
50 MPH AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT IN CASE THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

LAT...LON 3700 9463 3693 9462 3682 9506 3659 9496
      3653 9515 3678 9573 3700 9510
TIME...MOT...LOC 0652Z 280DEG 35KT 3710 9465 3680 9551

Special weather statement, Aug 20, 1:24 AM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
224 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

OKZ060-066-067-070-200800-
MUSKOGEE OK-OKMULGEE OK-TULSA OK-WAGONER OK-
224 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 300 AM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     NORTHEASTERN OKMULGEE...SOUTHERN WAGONER AND SOUTHEASTERN TULSA

IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
     NORTHWESTERN MUSKOGEE

AT 221 AM CDT...WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WERE OCCURRING ALONG THE
NORTH FLANK OF THE WEAKENING THUNDERSTORMS IN WESTERN MUSKOGEE
COUNTY.  RADAR AND OKLAHOMA MESONET DATA INDICATES THESE WINDS
HAVE SPREAD AS FAR NORTHN AS SOUTHEAST TULSA COUNTY.  THE
WINDS WILL SUBSIDE OVER THE NEXT HOUR.

LAT...LON 3600 9531 3571 9531 3559 9590 3599 9592
TIME...MOT...LOC 0721Z 269DEG 36KT 3585 9565

Special weather statement, Aug 20, 1:56 AM CST, 49 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
256 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

OKZ054-060-200830-
OSAGE OK-TULSA OK-
256 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 330 AM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     SOUTHEASTERN OSAGE AND TULSA

AT 255 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES
WEST OF SPERRY...MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 45 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS
THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...TULSA...OWASSO...
SPERRY AND SKIATOOK.

DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH COULD OCCUR WITH THIS
STORM.

LAT...LON 3634 9581 3601 9582 3616 9623 3642 9606
TIME...MOT...LOC 0755Z 288DEG 39KT 3626 9605

Special weather statement, Aug 20, 2:25 AM CST, 20 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
325 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

ARZ001-002-011-200930-
BENTON AR-CARROLL AR-MADISON AR-
325 AM CDT THU AUG 20 2009

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 430 AM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
     CARROLL...EASTERN BENTON AND NORTHERN MADISON

AT 325 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF OAK GROVE TO 2 MILES
NORTHWEST OF CLIFTY...MOVING SOUTH AT 45 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT
WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...ALPENA...OAK GROVE...
HARMONY...OAK HILL...GEORGETOWN...PLEASANT RIDGE...DENVER...
BERRYVILLE...EUREKA SPRINGS...OSAGE...GREEN FOREST...DRYFORK...
DELMAR...METALTON...RUDD...CONNOR...CARROLLTON...CABANAL...RULE...
COIN...BEAVER LAKE...URBANETTE...GRANDVIEW...HUNTSVILLE...AURORA...
FORUM...JAPTON...MARBLE...ALABAM...CLIFTY AND ROCKHOUSE.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS
TO 40 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

LAT...LON 3612 9338 3613 9346 3609 9346 3594 9383
      3640 9389 3650 9371 3650 9330 3649 9329
      3616 9328
TIME...MOT...LOC 0825Z 344DEG 37KT 3642 9348 3624 9382

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:46 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Benton

When: August 20, 2:45 AM CST
Where: Benton County, Bentonville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.370, -94.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When: August 20, 5:30 AM CST
Where: Crawford County, Van Buren
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.430, -94.350

Strong thunderstorm wind blew a tree onto a car.

Thunderstorm Wind, Franklin

When: August 20, 5:48 AM CST
Where: Franklin County, Cecil
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Post Office
Coordinates: 35.430, -93.950

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down a tree.

Thunderstorm Wind, Franklin

When: August 20, 5:50 AM CST
Where: Franklin County, Ozark
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.500, -93.830

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines.

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.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arkansas in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Arkansas, August 2009

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: 194878, 194880, 194881, 194882.