A warm, moist, unstable air mass was over Arkansas at the beginning of May. Areas of low pressure aloft moving across the state triggered scattered thunderstorms.
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 LZK wrote it up.
A warm, moist, unstable air mass was over Arkansas at the beginning of May. Areas of low pressure aloft moving across the state triggered scattered thunderstorms.
At North Little Rock and Morrilton, the rain contributed to making it the wettest May ever recorded in those cities.
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 May 1, 5:48 PM CST, 1 hour 39 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 648 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009 .AVIATION... MVFR AND TEMPORARY IFR CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE NORTH OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...AS SOME RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS SCALE ACROSS THE BOUNDARY. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY RE DEVELOP AS THIS BOUNDARY MOVES SOUTH AND STALLS OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE NORTH HALF OF THE STATE WITH LESSER CHANCES SOUTH. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 401 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009/ SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT COLD FRONT SLIDING INTO ARKANSAS FROM THE NORTH THIS EVENING. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT...AND A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF ARKANSAS. THE FRONT WILL PUSH TOWARD CENTRAL SECTIONS OF THE STATE LATER TONIGHT/SATURDAY AND WILL STALL. THE FRONT WILL SEPARATE WARM/HUMID AIR TO ITS SOUTH FROM MUCH COOLER CONDITIONS FARTHER NORTH. ISENTROPIC LIFT WILL BECOME IMPRESSIVE ALONG AND NORTH OF THE FRONT...WITH HEAVY TO EXCESSIVE PRECIPITATION OVER THE NORTHERN COUNTIES. A STORM SYSTEM WILL TRACK ALONG THE FRONT FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY...AND WILL DRAG THE FRONT TO THE SOUTH. THE PRECIPITATION SHIELD WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT INTO CENTRAL AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. AGAIN...AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED. POSTED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ABOUT THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF ARKANSAS THROUGH SUNDAY. THREE TO SIX INCH RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WATCH AREA...WITH LOCALLY MORE. IN ADDITION TO THE FLOODING CONCERN THIS WEEKEND...ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE. HOWEVER...HIGH WATER WILL BE THE MAIN STORY IN THE DAYS AHEAD. PRECIPITATION WILL FINALLY END EARLY MONDAY AS THE FRONT EXITS TO THE SOUTHEAST. THE SHORT TERM WILL END ON A DRY NOTE. LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ZONAL FLOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA ON TUESDAY...AND A CHANGE WILL TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY AS A SHORTWAVE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. AT THE SURFACE A WEAK COOL FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST AND PUSH ACROSS THE STATE. THE COMBINATION OF THE SHORTWAVE AND FRONTAL BOUNDARY SHOULD SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONVECTION. BY LATE THURSDAY A SOUTHERLY SURFACE FLOW SHOULD RETURN AT THE SURFACE WITH NWLY FLOW ALOFT. WEAK SHORTWAVES SHOULD RIPPLE THROUGH THE NWLY FLOW DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD...SO I WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION THE POSSIBILITY OF LOW POPS IN THIS TIME FRAME. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 61 68 57 64 / 60 60 90 80 CAMDEN AR 66 81 66 75 / 30 30 50 70 HARRISON AR 57 65 54 62 / 70 90 90 70 HOT SPRINGS AR 65 77 64 70 / 40 50 70 80 LITTLE ROCK AR 65 75 63 70 / 40 50 70 80 MONTICELLO AR 67 80 67 76 / 30 30 50 70 MOUNT IDA AR 65 77 63 69 / 40 50 80 80 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 56 64 54 61 / 70 90 90 70 NEWPORT AR 62 69 58 65 / 50 60 80 80 PINE BLUFF AR 66 78 65 73 / 30 40 50 70 RUSSELLVILLE AR 63 73 59 65 / 50 60 90 80 SEARCY AR 64 73 60 67 / 40 50 80 80 STUTTGART AR 65 76 64 71 / 40 50 60 80 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING FOR ARKANSAS-BAXTER- BOONE-CLARK-CLEBURNE-CONWAY-FAULKNER-FULTON-GARLAND-GRANT-HOT SPRING-INDEPENDENCE-IZARD-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-LOGAN-LONOKE- MARION-MONROE-MONTGOMERY-NEWTON-PERRY-PIKE-POLK-POPE-PRAIRIE- PULASKI-SALINE-SCOTT-SEARCY-SHARP-STONE-VAN BUREN-WHITE-WOODRUFF- YELL. && AVIATION...61
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 430 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-021000- 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- 430 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL BE SLIDING INTO ARKANSAS FROM THE NORTH THIS EVENING...BRING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ONCE AGAIN TO THE AREA. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...MAINLY IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE STATE. THE BIGGEST THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH HALF OF THE STATE UNTIL LATE THIS EVENING. ALSO HEAVY TO EXCESSIVE RAIN WILL DEVELOP LATER TONIGHT AND SATURDAY ACROSS NORTHERN ARKANSAS. WITH ALREADY SATURATED GROUND DUE TO RECENT RAIN...IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION TO RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH INTO CENTRAL ARKANSAS ON SATURDAY...WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING. AGAIN...ANY STORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL HAVE TO POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THIS FRONT WILL NOT MOVE OUT OF THE STATE UNTIL LATE ON MONDAY. WITH THE PROLONGED PERIOD OF RAINFALL...FLASH FLOODING WILL BE A CONCERN...AS AVERAGE RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE BETWEEN 2 AND 5 INCHES...WITH SOME LOCATIONS POSSIBLY RECEIVING UP TO SIX INCHES. .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. 58/61
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
401 PM CDT FRI MAY 01 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0515 PM HAIL 3 NW CABOT 35.00N 92.06W
04/30/2009 E0.88 INCH LONOKE AR PUBLIC
&&
56SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 727 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009 ARZ065-069-020055- DESHA-DREW- 727 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR DESHA AND DREW COUNTIES UNTIL 755 PM CDT... AT 726 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR SELMA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. FREQUENT...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. 61
The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:28 UTC.
16 flash flood, 6 hail, 2 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were knocked down and a small shed was destroyed.
A tornado knocked down some trees in the Ozark National Forest.
Flooding occurred on Arkansas Highway 95 south of Cleveland.
Flooding occurred on Arkansas Highway 124 in Jerusalem. A family was trapped inside a mobile home due to high water. Several streets in Morrilton were closed due to flooding. A fishing pier on Lake Overcup was partially submerged.
Arkansas Highway 124 was covered in water. Vehicles were unable to drive through.
Vinity Road was impassible due to high water.
Minor street flooding occurred on Camp Robinson Road.
Approximately 20 homes had water in their garages in Cabot. A number of county roads were damaged.
Minor flooding occurred on Remount Road.
Flooding occurred in the Grayson area. Jack Creek Road and Golden City Road were flooded. Two houses were evacuated.
Trees blocked roadways and knocked down power lines in the area. An oak tree fell across Arkansas Highway 35 South at Rison blocking both lanes of traffic. A large pine tree fell in a resident's yard on Arkansas Highway 133 north of Rison, breaking an underground water line.
Minor flooding occurred on several county roads.
A tree fell on Arkansas Highway 35 North.
Flooding occurred on County Road 95 and Woodberry Road.
Finch Road and Broken Bow Road were closed due to flooding.
Several unpaved roads were washed out across the county. Road washouts occurred north of Kingsland and in Rison.
Flooding occurred on Bettis Mountain Road and Cadron Creek Road. The Cadron Creek Bridge was under water.
Arkansas Highway 128 was closed due to water covering the road. Also, Arkansas Highway 7 and Arkansas Highway 51 south of Arkadelphia were closed due to high water. Numerous county roads were flooded as well.
Portions of Arkansas Highway 7 north of Camden were barricaded for a period of time due to high water. Also, county roads 88, 223, 234, 96, and 11 were flooded.
Several county roads outside of Monticello were closed due to high water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Arkansas, 2009Warnings in Arkansas, May 2009
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: 157859, 159502, 159504, 157860, 159505, 159513, 165037, 159495, 159506, 175983, 159496, 165034, 159497, 159528, 165031, 159507, 159498, 159508, 159539, 159538, 159545, 165022, 159525, 159499, 159500, 159501.