Storms were building southward into Texas during the nighttime hours of the 21st and early on the 22nd. Precipitation surged into Arkansas during this time frame.
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.
Storms were building southward into Texas during the nighttime hours of the 21st and early on the 22nd. Precipitation surged into Arkansas during this time frame. Heavy rain and isolated severe weather occurred with this system.
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 21, 6:25 PM CST, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 725 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 .UPDATE... WENT AHEAD AND ISSUED A QUICK UPDATE TO FRESHEN UP GRIDS. BUMPED UP POPS ACROSS THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE STATE...AS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALREADY PROTRUDING THROUGH THE NORTHWEST CORNER. ALSO TRENDED THE QPF GRIDS TO MATCH LATEST RADAR TRENDS. INITIALIZED...WITH UPDATED PRODUCTS OUT. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 657 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009/ AVIATION... LINE OF TSTMS MOVING INTO NW AR LOOKS TO BE THE MAIN SHOW...THOUGH WE MAY CONTINUE TO SEE ISOLATED CELLS DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE LINE. IN GENERAL...TIMED TSTMS IN TAFS TO GO ALONG WITH THE NAM. DID SPEED THINGS UP A LITTLE OVER MODEL INDICATION FOR KHRO AND KBPK DUE TO PRESENT RADAR INDICATIONS. LOOKS LIKE TSTMS WILL WEAKEN BY THE TIME THEY REACH THE CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE. WAS MORE PESSIMISTIC THAN GUIDANCE ON THE CEILINGS LATER TONIGHT DUE TO THE LARGE AREA OF RAIN MOVING IN. ON TUE..EXPECT SCT SHWRS AND TSTMS. NOT BIG ENOUGH CHANCE FOR MENTION OF TEMPO AT KPBF AND KLLQ. NO AMDS INDICATED FOR KLLQ DUE TO CLOUD HEIGHT INDICATOR BEING OUT OF SERVICE. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 253 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009/ SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY CONVECTION CONTINUES TO STEADILY INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND OVERALL INTENSITY...PER DATA FROM KLZK...KSRX...AND KSGF RADARS. 19Z INSTABILITY ANALYSIS INDICATES SURFACE BASED CAPE VALUES HAVE REACHED OVER 3000 J/KG ALONG THE ARKANSAS...OKLAHOMA BORDER. BETTER OVERALL FORCING FOR CONVECTION SHOULD REMAIN TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE CWA THROUGH LATE EVENING...NEAR A SLOW MOVING SURFACE BOUNDARY...AND CLOSER TO MID LEVEL ENERGY DEVELOPING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS. HOWEVER...THUNDERSTORMS COULD STILL PRODUCE EXCESSIVE RAINFALL ACROSS WESTERN SECTIONS OVERNIGHT. ALSO...A LIMITED DAMAGING WIND THREAT EXISTS THROUGH MID EVENING...MAINLY ACROSS WESTERN SECTIONS. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THIS FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...AS IT MOVES SLOWLY EASTWARD. UPPER LEVEL ENERGY IS FORECAST TO CLOSE OVER THE CENTRAL ROCKIES...PROMOTING A FAVORABLE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN TO SUPPORT CONVECTION ACROSS MUCH OF THE MID SOUTH. ADDITIONAL EXCESSIVE RAINFALL IS A CONCERN...ESPECIALLY ACROSS EASTERN SECTIONS. LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT TO START THE LONG TERM...PLACING AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ACROSS THE ROCKIES. SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL BE IN PLACE OVER THE NATURAL STATE...WITH MOISTURE INTERACTING WITH A STALLED OUT FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THIS WILL ALLOW SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTINUE FOR THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. THE UPPER LEVEL LOW IS EXPECTED TO LIFT NORTHEAST BY THE WEEKEND...PUSHING THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY OUT OF THE STATE. THIS WILL ALLOW DRY WEATHER TO BUILD INTO THE REGION FOR THE WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE SEVERAL DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE EXTENDED. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 65 82 64 83 / 50 40 30 40 CAMDEN AR 68 84 66 84 / 40 50 40 50 HARRISON AR 63 76 59 77 / 60 50 30 30 HOT SPRINGS AR 67 81 63 82 / 50 60 40 40 LITTLE ROCK AR 67 83 65 84 / 50 50 30 40 MONTICELLO AR 69 86 67 85 / 40 40 40 50 MOUNT IDA AR 66 79 61 80 / 60 60 40 30 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 63 78 61 79 / 60 50 30 30 NEWPORT AR 66 84 66 84 / 40 40 30 40 PINE BLUFF AR 69 85 67 85 / 40 40 40 50 RUSSELLVILLE AR 65 79 62 79 / 60 60 30 30 SEARCY AR 67 83 65 84 / 50 40 30 40 STUTTGART AR 68 84 67 85 / 40 40 30 50 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && 61
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 900 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-221000- 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- 900 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH WERE IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS EARLY MONDAY EVENING...WILL PROGRESS SLOWLY TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST OVERNIGHT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE IN EFFECT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT FOR PARTS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN ARKANSAS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE OVER THE SAME AREAS MORE THAN ONCE...DROPPING HEAVY RAIN. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES SHOULD BE COMMON IN THE WATCH AREA...BUT SOME SPOTS WILL LIKELY PICK UP 3 OR 4 INCHES OF RAIN. SUCH TOTALS WILL LIKELY BE SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY WHERE THE HEAVY RAIN OCCURS IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT...MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN HALF OF ARKANSAS. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE SEVERE WEATHER THREATS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ONGOING TUESDAY MORNING ACROSS MUCH OF ARKANSAS. HEAVY RAINFALL AGAIN WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN. A COLD FRONT WILL BE WORKING SLOWLY EASTWARD AND IS FORECAST TO BE OVER CENTRAL ARKANSAS LATE IN THE DAY TUESDAY. THE FRONT WILL EVENTUALLY STALL OUT SOMEWHERE ACROSS EASTERN ARKANSAS BY WEDNESDAY AS A LARGE STORM SYSTEM MEANDERS OVER THE PLAINS STATES. THE FRONT WILL PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR CONTINUED CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK... ESPECIALLY OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL REMAIN THE PRIMARY CONCERN...ALONG WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF LOCALIZED FLOODING. THE STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO LIFT NORTHEASTWARD OUT OF THE PLAINS STATES BY THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL PUSH THE FRONT EAST OF ARKANSAS... ALLOWING FOR DECREASING RAIN CHANCES. THIS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED IN THE COMING DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED. && VISIT NWS LITTLE ROCK ON THE WEB. GO TO WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON CENTRAL ARKANSAS. 28
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 401 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ARZ012-021-022-212130- JOHNSON-NEWTON-POPE- 401 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR JOHNSON...NEWTON AND POPE COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM CDT... AT 401 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR OZONE RECREATION AREA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. 61
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 747 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ARZ003-220115- BOONE- 747 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR BOONE COUNTY UNTIL 815 PM CDT... AT 747 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES EAST OF GREEN FOREST...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. AREAS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE OMAHA...CREST...BURLINGTON AND CRICKET. REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN LITTLE ROCK 56
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 802 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ARZ003-004-220120- BOONE-MARION- 802 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR BOONE AND MARION COUNTIES UNTIL 820 PM CDT... AT 802 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES EAST OF LEAD HILL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORM WILL IMPACT MONARCH...PEEL AND HIGHWAY 125 PARK. REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN LITTLE ROCK 56
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 831 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ARZ003-004-012-220200- BOONE-MARION-NEWTON- 831 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR BOONE...MARION AND NEWTON COUNTIES UNTIL 900 PM CDT... AT 830 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HARRISON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO EXPECTED. AREAS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE VALLEY SPRINGS...BERGMAN.... HARRISON...BELLEFONTE...ZINC AND HARMON. REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN LITTLE ROCK 56
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 910 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ARZ003-012-013-220240- BOONE-NEWTON-SEARCY- 910 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR BOONE...NEWTON AND SEARCY COUNTIES UNTIL 940 PM CDT... AT 908 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LOST VALLEY STATE PARK... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. AREAS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE JASPER....VALLEY SPRINGS...FLATWOOD...PRUITT AND MURRAY. 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. 56
The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 132 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:01 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Minor flooding occurred on county roads.
Minor flooding occurred across low lying areas.
Several trees were down in Clarksville. Trees were down on Poplar Street and U.S. Highway 64 west of Clarksville.
Trees were down in the city limits. Power outages occurred across the county.
A gust was measured at 60 mph.
Arkansas Highway 123 was flooded and impassable.
Thunderstorm winds destroyed two poultry houses.
Trees and power lines were down in the Ada Valley area.
A tree was down on a house in town.
High winds were reported by a trained spotter in Diamondhead.
A few trees were down in and around the city.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, September 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: 192773, 192771, 192774, 192775, 192776, 192772, 196237, 192779, 192778, 192777, 192780.