A very unstable and moist airmass developed across the region during the afternoon and evening hours of May 26th. Weak northerly flow aloft allowed for a weak disturbance to move southward out of central Arkansas during the afternoon.
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 SHV wrote it up.
A very unstable and moist airmass developed across the region during the afternoon and evening hours of May 26th. Weak northerly flow aloft allowed for a weak disturbance to move southward out of central Arkansas during the afternoon. This in combination with a weak thermal boundary in the lower levels of the atmosphere proved to be the trigger for scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms across the region. Additional thunderstorm activity developed along remnant outflow boundaries and a few of these storms became severe. Damaging wind gusts were the main threat of the afternoon and evening along with a few large hail reports.
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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 26, 1:59 PM CST, 16 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 259 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010 .DISCUSSION... FORECAST AREA BECAME HIGHLY UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON...AND ONCE THE CONVECTIVE TEMP WAS REACHED...TSTMS DEVELOPED RAPIDLY. LOOK FOR 30 TO 40 PERCENT COVERAGE UNTIL SUNSET...THEN STORMS SHOULD DECREASE. ABOUT THE SAME EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY...AS UPPER RIDGE LINE HAS MOVED JUST WEST OF THE FOUR STATE REGION. RIDGE WILL SHIFT BACK EAST OVER THE WEEKEND AND FLATTEN SOMEWHAT...WHICH SHOULD DECREASE CONVECTION. SURFACE FEATURES REMAIN RATHER BENIGN...WITH ONLY A WEAK LOW ANALYZED NEAR SHV THIS AFTERNOON. PRECIP WATER VALUES HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM TUESDAY...AND HAS RESULTED IN SOME HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING CONVECTION. PW MAY DECREASE SOME BY THURSDAY... ALONG WITH THE SURFACE CONVERGENCE...BUT INSTABILITY WILL REMAIN HIGH...WHICH SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR SCATTERED CONVECTION AGAIN. VERY LITTLE CHANGE EXPECTED IN FORECAST TEMPS THROUGHOUT THE UPCOMING SEVEN DAY PERIOD. AREAS RECEIVING RAIN IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS MAY BE A LITTLE COOLER...BUT THIS WILL BE VERY LOCALIZED. LOWS SHOULD RANGE FROM THE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70 WITH HIGHS FROM THE UPPER 80S NORTH TO LOWER 90S SOUTH. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SHV 69 93 69 92 69 / 30 30 20 20 20 MLU 67 91 68 91 67 / 30 30 20 20 20 DEQ 65 90 66 89 65 / 30 30 20 10 10 TXK 67 91 68 90 66 / 30 30 20 10 10 ELD 67 90 66 90 66 / 30 30 20 20 20 TYR 69 92 70 92 69 / 30 30 20 10 10 GGG 68 92 69 92 68 / 30 30 20 10 10 LFK 69 93 70 94 69 / 30 30 20 20 20 && .SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. LA...NONE. OK...NONE. TX...NONE. && 14/08
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 1200 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010 ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077-TXZ096- 097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-271100- ANGELINA-BIENVILLE-BOSSIER-BOWIE-CADDO-CALDWELL-CAMP-CASS-CHEROKEE- CLAIBORNE-COLUMBIA-DE SOTO-FRANKLIN-GRANT-GREGG-HARRISON-HEMPSTEAD- HOWARD-JACKSON-LA SALLE-LAFAYETTE-LINCOLN-LITTLE RIVER-MARION- MCCURTAIN-MILLER-MORRIS-NACOGDOCHES-NATCHITOCHES-NEVADA-OUACHITA- PANOLA-RED RIVER LA-RED RIVER TX-RUSK-SABINE LA-SABINE TX- SAN AUGUSTINE-SEVIER-SHELBY-SMITH-TITUS-UNION AR-UNION LA-UPSHUR- WEBSTER-WINN-WOOD- 1200 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA... EAST AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS...AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. A FEW STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL... BUT SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. NO ORGANIZED HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLY THROUGH THE MEMORIAL HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND INTO THE EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK. NO ORGANIZED HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
157 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
OKZ077-261945-
MCCURTAIN-
157 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 245 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY...
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...
MCCURTAIN...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
BATTIEST...BEACHTON...BETHEL...MOUNT HERMAN...SHERWOOD...
SMITHVILLE AND WATSON...
AT 151 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS ARE DETECTING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF OCTAVIA...AND WAS MOVING
SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH. THIS STORM WILL LIKELY AFFECT BATTIEST...AND
BETHEL.
PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
VIISPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
218 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
TXZ149-150-152-262000-
CHEROKEE-NACOGDOCHES-RUSK-
218 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 300 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS...
RUSK AND CHEROKEE...
IN EASTERN TEXAS...
NACOGDOCHES...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
HENDERSON...JOINERVILLE...NEW SALEM...PONTA...SACUL AND
TURNERTOWN...
AT 214 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS ARE DETECTING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TURNERTOWN...OR 6 MILES WEST OF
HENDERSON...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
VIISPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
230 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
ARZ073-262015-
UNION-
230 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 315 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY...
IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...
UNION...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
CALION...EL DORADO...LAPILE...LAWSON...LISBON...NORPHLET...
SMACKOVER...STRONG AND URBANA...
AT 225 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS ARE DETECTING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CALION...OR 12 MILES EAST
OF NORPHLET...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 20 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
VIISPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
239 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
ARZ073-262030-
UNION-
239 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 330 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY...
IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...
UNION...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
CALION...EL DORADO...LAPILE...LAWSON...LISBON...NORPHLET...
SMACKOVER...STRONG AND URBANA...
AT 237 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS ARE DETECTING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES EAST OF COTTON VALLEY...OR 12 MILES
NORTH OF MINDEN...MOVING SOUTH AT 20 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
240 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
LAZ002-003-262030-
BOSSIER-WEBSTER-
240 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 330 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
PARISHES...
IN NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...
BOSSIER AND WEBSTER...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
DIXIE INN...DOYLINE...HAUGHTON AND MINDEN...
AT 237 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS ARE DETECTING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES EAST OF COTTON VALLEY...OR 12 MILES
NORTH OF MINDEN...MOVING SOUTH AT 20 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
VIISPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
300 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
TXZ136-262030-
SMITH-
300 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 330 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY...
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS...
SMITH...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
TYLER AND WHITEHOUSE...
AT 254 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS ARE DETECTING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF TYLER...MOVING SOUTHWEST
AT 15 MPH. THIS STORM WILL LIKELY AFFECT PORTIONS OF TYLER.
DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
VIIThe Shreveport radar (KSHV), 140 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:12 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Tree tops were downed in town along with some scattered power outages.
A tree was blown down onto a utility pole which caught on fire.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, May 2010
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: 222240, 222248.