Flash Flooding and Flooding in Arkansas, September 15 to 18, 2009

Name: Flash Flooding and Flooding in Arkansas, September 15 to 18, 2009
Start: 2009-09-15T17:00
End: 2009-09-18T03:15
Location: Arkansas

September 15 to 18, 2009 · NWS LZK · 24 events in 13 counties and zones

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: 1
Property damage: $530,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 24

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 storm system wobbled from eastern Texas into southwest Arkansas in mid-September. Precipitation became widespread just to the north and east of the system late on the 15th in west central, central and northeast sections of the state. There was tropical moisture in place, making showers and thunderstorms more efficient rain-makers. Heavy rain continued swirling around the system across Arkansas on the 16th through the 18th.

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 Sep 15, 1:51 PM CST, 3 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 15, 1:51 PM CST, 3 hours 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
251 PM CDT TUE SEP 15 2009

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT
RAINFALL REMAINS OVER THE STATE...AS UPPER LEVEL LOW CONTINUES TO
SPIN OVER NORTHERN LOUISIANA TODAY. RAINFALL CONTINUES TO BE
SCATTERED...BUT IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE OVERNIGHT.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO THREE INCHES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH
THURSDAY MORNING OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST...CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
ARKANSAS. THIS COULD CAUSE FLASH FLOODING IN ALREADY SATURATED
AREAS. EXTENDED FLASH FLOOD WATCH TO INCLUDE PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL
AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS...AND KEPT IT IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING.

MODELS SEEM TO BE IN AGREEMENT THAT THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL NOT
MOVE MUCH THROUGH EARLY IN THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL ALLOW HEAVY
RAINFALL TO CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. RAINFALL LOOKS TO
BECOME MORE SCATTERED BY LATE IN THE WORK WEEK...BUT WILL REMAIN
OVER THE STATE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM.

CLOUD COVER WILL KEEP HIGH TEMPERATURES FROM CLIMBING TOO MUCH
OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...WHILE LOW TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOVE
NORMAL LEVELS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. HIGHS WILL REACH THE UPPER
70S TO LOWER 80S...AND LOWS WILL BE MAINLY IN THE 60S.
&&

.LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY
THE WEATHER WILL REMAIN UNSETTLED IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD. AS ONE
STORM SYSTEM ALOFT WEAKENS IN NORTHERN LOUISIANA...ANOTHER DEVELOPS
IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. HOWEVER...THIS NEW SYSTEM WILL LIKELY BE A
LITTLE MORE PROGRESSIVE AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE
NORTHWEST.

THE SYSTEM WILL WAIT FOR THE FRONT...AND WILL BRING PLENTY OF CLOUDS
AND AT LEAST SLIGHT CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY
AND SUNDAY. THE FRONT WILL ARRIVE ON MONDAY...WITH CLEARING BEHIND
THE FRONT/DRIER AIR ON TUESDAY.

GIVEN CLOUDS/SOME PRECIPITATION...DAYTIME TEMPERATURES THROUGH MUCH
OF THE PERIOD WILL BE BELOW NORMAL. TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL KEEP
READINGS UP AT NIGHT...WITH ABOVE NORMAL READINGS EXPECTED. ALL
READINGS SHOULD DROP BELOW NORMAL AFTER THE FRONT GOES THROUGH.
&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
BATESVILLE AR     66  79  65  81 /  70  70  60  60
CAMDEN AR         68  78  66  79 /  80  80  70  60
HARRISON AR       63  76  61  78 /  70  60  50  50
HOT SPRINGS AR    66  76  64  79 /  80  70  60  60
LITTLE ROCK   AR  68  78  67  80 /  80  80  60  60
MONTICELLO AR     69  81  67  82 /  80  80  70  70
MOUNT IDA AR      65  75  63  78 /  70  70  60  60
MOUNTAIN HOME AR  64  78  62  79 /  70  70  50  50
NEWPORT AR        67  79  66  81 /  80  70  60  60
PINE BLUFF AR     68  79  67  81 /  80  80  70  60
RUSSELLVILLE AR   66  76  64  79 /  70  70  60  50
SEARCY AR         67  79  66  80 /  80  70  60  60
STUTTGART AR      68  79  67  81 /  80  80  70  60
&&

.LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR ARKANSAS-BRADLEY-
CALHOUN-CLARK-CLEBURNE-CLEVELAND-CONWAY-DALLAS-DESHA-DREW-
FAULKNER-GARLAND-GRANT-HOT SPRING-INDEPENDENCE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-
LINCOLN-LONOKE-MONROE-MONTGOMERY-OUACHITA-PERRY-PIKE-POLK-
PRAIRIE-PULASKI-SALINE-SCOTT-WHITE-WOODRUFF-YELL.

&&

SHORT TERM...60 / LONG TERM...46

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 15, 12:50 PM CST, 4 hours 10 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
150 PM CDT TUE SEP 15 2009

ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-161000-
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-
150 PM CDT TUE SEP 15 2009

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

BANDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE MOVING NORTH AND
WEST THROUGH ARKANSAS FROM THE GULF COAST REGION. PRECIPITATION WILL
ROTATE AROUND A STORM SYSTEM IN NORTHERN LOUISIANA.

HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL BE HIT AND MISS THIS AFTERNOON...BUT MAY BECOME
MORE CONCENTRATED OVERNIGHT. IT APPEARS THAT WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN
MAY DEVELOP FROM MENA AND ARKADELPHIA NORTHEAST THROUGH HOT
SPRINGS...MORRILTON...LITTLE ROCK...HEBER SPRINGS...DES ARC AND
AUGUSTA. SHOULD THIS MATERIALIZE...RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO THREE
INCHES WOULD BE COMMON...WITH LOCALLY MORE.

GIVEN A NEARLY SATURATED GROUND IN SOME AREAS...ADDITIONAL WATER
WILL HAVE NOWHERE TO GO. THIS WILL INCREASE THE FLASH FLOOD
POTENTIAL OVERNIGHT.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
ARKANSAS THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THERE ARE SIGNS THE SYSTEM IN NORTHERN LOUISIANA WILL WEAKEN ON
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...AND PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME MORE SCATTERED
THIS WEEKEND.

BEFORE THIS HAPPENS...AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN WILL REMAIN LIKELY ON
WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. FLASH FLOODING WILL REMAIN A
CONCERN...ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF ARKANSAS.

ANY SEVERE STORMS WILL BE ISOLATED...AND CONFINED TO THE SOUTHERN
HALF OF THE STATE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TODAY.

&&

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

59/46

The radar

The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:00 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

19 flash flood, 3 heavy rain, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, White

When: September 15, 5:00 PM CST to September 16, 2:00 PM CST
Where: White County, Center Hill
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.270, -91.880

A resident of Center Hill measured 8.10 inches of rain in 21 hours.

Heavy Rain, Jefferson

When: September 15, 9:04 PM CST
Where: Jefferson County, 1.78 mi NNE of Hardin
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.295, -92.141

A tree fell on a car that was traveling on Arkansas Highway 104. The car overturned into a water-filled ditch, killing the driver and injuring a passenger. Winds at the time of the accident were light. However, in the 24 hours prior to the accident, approximately 3 inches of rain had fallen, and according to the State Police report, rain was still falling at the time of the accident. It is believed that the heavy rains weakened the tree's roots and added extra weight to the foliage on the tree, causing it to fall.

Flash Flood, Pulaski

When: September 15, 11:40 PM CST to September 16, 12:40 AM CST
Where: Pulaski County, 1.44 mi ENE of Pulaski to 0.76 mi NE of Pulaski
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.758, -92.297

The intersection of Rebsamen Park Road and Cedar Hill Road was flooded and impassable.

Heavy Rain, Faulkner

When: September 16, 6:00 AM CST to 1:10 PM CST
Where: Faulkner County, Damascus
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 35.360, -92.420

Rainfall totaled 4.90 inches in just over 7 hours.

Flash Flood, Woodruff

When: September 16, 6:30 AM CST to 9:30 AM CST
Where: Woodruff County, 3.01 mi NNW of Augusta to 2.7 mi S of Ruffwood
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.321, -91.388

Water was deep in places around Augusta and McCrory.

Flash Flood, Faulkner

When: September 16, 6:30 AM CST to 8:30 AM CST
Where: Faulkner County, 0.57 mi E of Cato to 3.25 mi E of Cato
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 34.930, -92.260

Water was a foot deep over Cato Road.

Flash Flood, Lonoke

When: September 16, 6:30 AM CST to 8:30 AM CST
Where: Lonoke County, 0.49 mi SSE of Cabot to 0.53 mi ESE of Cabot
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 34.963, -92.018

Flooding occurred on Oak Meadows Drive and Kerr Station Road.

Flash Flood, Jackson

When: September 16, 8:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, 3.16 mi NE of Centerville to 2.17 mi W of Ingleside
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.837, -91.186

Most county roads were under water, but none were closed.

Flash Flood, Perry

When: September 16, 8:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Perry County, 1.21 mi WNW of New Dixie to 1.19 mi NNE of Casa
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.034, -92.641

Numerous county roads were flooded.

Flash Flood, Van Buren

When: September 16, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, 0.31 mi N of Damascus to 1.38 mi WNW of Damascus
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 35.385, -92.420

Pine Mountain Creek was well over its banks, and flooded Bricky Road.

Flash Flood, Faulkner

When: September 16, 11:30 AM CST to 1:30 PM CST
Where: Faulkner County, 0.56 mi E of Enders to 1.87 mi SSE of Enders
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.320, -92.220

Flooding occurred at Arkansas Highways 107 and 225.

Flash Flood, Faulkner

When: September 16, 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Faulkner County, 2.49 mi W of Damascus to 3.02 mi ESE of Martinville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 35.366, -92.464

All low water crossings around Damascus were under water.

Flash Flood, Van Buren

When: September 16, 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, 1.46 mi W of Damascus to 0.18 mi SW of Damascus
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 35.384, -92.445

Jack Hall Road was impassable.

Flash Flood, Van Buren

When: September 16, 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, Southside to 0.94 mi E of Southside
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 35.420, -92.400

Water was across Old Gin Road in Southside.

Flash Flood, Van Buren

When: September 16, 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, Chimes to Liberty Spgs
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 35.700, -92.730

Many roads in the county were flooded.

Flash Flood, Van Buren

When: September 16, 1:10 PM CST to 1:45 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, 0.93 mi S of Southside to 1.31 mi NE of Damascus
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 35.407, -92.401

U.S. Highway 65 north of Damascus was flooded.

Flash Flood, Van Buren

When: September 16, 3:00 PM CST to 4:30 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, 0.31 mi N of Damascus to 1.38 mi WNW of Damascus
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 35.385, -92.420

A dam at a small pond was washed away and water emptied.

Flash Flood, White

When: September 16, 3:30 PM CST to 4:45 PM CST
Where: White County, Floyd to 1.21 mi SSE of Mc Rae
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.180, -91.970

Beebe-Capps Expressway was partially flooded on the outside lanes. Arkansas Highway 367 south of Searcy had waster over the road in several places. Arkansas Highway 36 west of Searcy had water over it in several places. Lake Barnett was flooded and several creeks in Searcy were out of their banks.

Flash Flood, Prairie

When: September 16, 3:45 PM CST to 4:15 PM CST
Where: Prairie County, 1.1 mi NNE of Des Arc to 1.14 mi E of Enarc
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 34.985, -91.493

Water was across Arkansas Highway 11 North.

Flash Flood, Conway

When: September 16, 5:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Conway County, 1.27 mi W of Morrilton to 0.34 mi E of Plumerville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.147, -92.772

Approximately 20 county roads were closed due to high water. Fryer Bridge Road and Shaw Bridge Road were closed due to flooding.

Flash Flood, Calhoun

When: September 17, 3:30 PM CST to September 18, 12:15 AM CST
Where: Calhoun County, 4.38 mi WSW of Delhi to 1.07 mi WSW of Locust Bayou
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 33.469, -92.697

U.S. Highway 278 between Locust Bayou and Hampton was closed due to flooding. Water was over several county roads south of Hampton. The sheriff's office evacuated an elderly couple from their home at Locust Bayou. The water was 4 feet deep in the house, causing a freezer to float from one room to another. Two other homes on U.S. Highway 278 west of Hampton had water in them.

Flash Flood, Ouachita

When: September 17, 3:35 PM CST to September 18, 12:15 AM CST
Where: Ouachita County, 0.64 mi NNW of Chidester to 1.44 mi NW of Stephens
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 33.708, -93.026

Arkansas Highway 57 west of Stephens was closed due to high water. Numerous county roads were closed across Ouachita County due to high water.

Flood, Calhoun

When: September 18, 12:15 AM CST to 3:15 AM CST
Where: Calhoun County, 4.38 mi WSW of Delhi to 1.07 mi WSW of Locust Bayou
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 33.476, -92.700

Flash flooding which developed on the 17th became widespread areal flooding during the early hours of the 18th.

Flood, Ouachita

When: September 18, 12:15 AM CST to 3:15 AM CST
Where: Ouachita County, 0.64 mi NNW of Chidester to 1.44 mi NW of Stephens
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 33.709, -93.024

Flash flooding which developed on the 17th became widespread areal flooding during the early hours of the 18th.

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
Heavy Rain, Jefferson	2009-09-15	40	Male	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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, September 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: 197180, 196963, 192382, 197163, 192383, 192384, 196236, 192381, 196235, 192767, 192387, 192385, 192394, 192395, 192766, 192392, 192768, 192398, 192397, 192406, 192402, 192403, 198000, 198001.