Thunderstorms developed over portions of western Arkansas in response to a warm front lifting through the area. A few of these storms became severe and produced damaging wind over parts of west-central Arkansas.
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 TSA wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed over portions of western Arkansas in response to a warm front lifting through the area. A few of these storms became severe and produced damaging wind over parts of west-central Arkansas.
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 12, 3:05 PM CST, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
405 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
.DISCUSSION...
A COUPLE OF OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES ARE PROVIDING THE FOCUS FOR
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. IN
ADDITION...SCATTERED STORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL
OKLAHOMA TO THE NORTHEAST OF A WEAK UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER WEST
TEXAS.
THE MOST WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER THIS EVENING IS EXPECTED TO
EVOLVE FROM THE JUST DEVELOPING STORMS BETWEEN GREAT BEND AND
DODGE CITY KANSAS. THESE STORMS ARE LIKELY TO ORGANIZE INTO A
COMPLEX AS THEY MOVE SOUTHEAST INTO A VERY HOT UNSTABLE AIRMASS
THAT RESIDES ACROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS AND WESTERN...CENTRAL AND
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA. DAMAGING WIND POTENTIAL WILL BE HIGH WITH THIS
COMPLEX AND LARGE HAIL WILL ALSO BE A POSSIBILITY. IT WILL LIKELY BE
MID TO LATE EVENING THOUGH BEFORE THESE STORMS AFFECT SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA.
A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT ALSO EXISTS WITH THE STORMS FURTHER NORTH
THAT WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS THROUGH THIS EVENING BUT MORE MARGINAL SEVERE WEATHER
EVENTS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS AS SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY
IS MORE LIMITED NORTH OF THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES.
THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT WILL NOT MOVE ACROSS THE AREA UNTIL SATURDAY
SO WILL LEAVE LOW POPS IN THE FORECAST. THE FRONT MAY NEVER CLEAR
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA SO ISOLATED STORMS CANNOT BE RULED OUT THERE
EVEN SUNDAY BUT COVERAGE LOOKS TO BE TOO LOW TO MENTION AT THIS
POINT IN TIME. THIS AREA WILL ALSO NEED TO BE MONITORED FOR
POTENTIAL HEAT HEADLINES OVER THE WEEKEND DEPENDING ON HOW FAR THE
COLD FRONT/OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES ADVANCE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY.
WILL KEEP THE FORECAST DRY NEXT WEEK ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED STORM OR
TWO CANNOT BE RULED OUT MOST ANY DAY. THE UPPER RIDGE WILL BE
BUILDING BACK OVER THE AREA SO THE HEAT WILL BE RETURNING...BUT IT
WILL BE TEMPERED SOME BY CURRENT AND RECENT RAINFALL. THE ECMWF
DOES BRING A FRONTAL BOUNDARY THROUGH THE AREA AROUND MIDWEEK BUT
WILL NOT BITE ON THIS JUST YET AND WAIT TO SEE IF FUTURE RUNS SHOW
MORE CONSISTENCY IN THIS REGARD.
STAYED CLOSE TO GUIDANCE TEMPERATURES THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS EXCEPT
WENT COOLER FOR LOW TONIGHT DUE TO CONVECTIVE INFLUENCES.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TUL 70 93 70 93 / 60 20 10 10
FSM 71 95 72 95 / 50 20 10 10
MLC 71 95 72 95 / 40 20 10 10
BVO 68 92 66 92 / 60 20 10 10
FYV 67 88 65 88 / 60 20 10 10
BYV 67 87 65 87 / 60 20 10 10
MKO 71 94 70 94 / 40 20 10 10
MIO 67 90 65 90 / 60 20 10 10
F10 70 94 71 94 / 50 20 10 10
HHW 72 97 74 97 / 40 20 10 10
&&
.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM FRIDAY FOR OKZ049-OKZ053-OKZ073-OKZ074-
OKZ075-OKZ076.
AR...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM FRIDAY FOR ARZ029.
&&
SHORT TERM...21
LONG TERM....05
PLATEHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 459 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011 ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-131000- 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- 459 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011 ...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. TORNADO. RISK...LIMITED. AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND FAR NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. RISK...ELEVATED. AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. FLASH FLOOD. RISK...ELEVATED. AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. HEAVY RAIN. RISK...ELEVATED. AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. DANGEROUS HEAT. RISK...ELEVATED. AREA...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA. ONSET...ONGOING. SIGNIFICANT WINDS. RISK...LIMITED. AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. FIRE WEATHER DANGER. RISK...LIMITED. AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. DISCUSSION... SHOWERS WITH STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO PUSH ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PRODUCED LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH A POTENTIAL FLASH FLOOD THREAT AND ALSO GUSTY WINDS UP AROUND 50 MPH. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG WITH A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL REMAIN WITH THIS ACTIVITY AS ALL MODES OF SEVERE WEATHER COULD BE POSSIBLE. THESE CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN FAVORABLE THROUGH THE EVENING AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AS ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX DEVELOPS TO THE NORTHWEST AND PUSHES TOWARD THE REGION. ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...SOUTH OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CLIMB UP TO AROUND 100 DEGREES WITH HEAT INDICES AROUND 106 DEGREES. THESE HOT CONDITIONS HAVE ALLOWED FOR A LIMITED FIRE WEATHER DANGER TO DEVELOP...MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A BURBANK TO FORT SMITH LINE. THE HOT TEMPERATURES AND FIRE DANGERS SHOULD DECREASE THIS EVENING AS RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES INCREASE AND CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SPREAD OVER REGION. SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF THE REGIONAL SPOTTER NETWORK LIKELY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. SATURDAY...THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL...DANGEROUS HEAT POTENTIAL. SUNDAY...NO HAZARDS. MONDAY...VERY HIGH FIRE WEATHER POTENTIAL. TUESDAY...VERY HIGH FIRE WEATHER POTENTIAL...DANGEROUS HEAT POTENTIAL. WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...DANGEROUS HEAT POTENTIAL. EXTENDED DISCUSSION... THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE INTO SATURDAY AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTH. AHEAD OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY...DANGEROUS HEAT POTENTIAL WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN SATURDAY ACROSS FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA. DANGEROUS HEAT CONDITIONS WITH ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER DANGERS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN TO THE REGION NEXT WEEK AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY RETREATS NORTHWARD AND A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT DEVELOPS OVER THE REGION. WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1256 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
OKZ061-062-121900-
MAYES OK-ROGERS OK-
1256 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 200 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
MAYES AND CENTRAL ROGERS
AT 1256 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF CLAREMORE TO 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
SALINA...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED
BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...CLAREMORE...TIAWAH...FOYIL...OOLOGAH...
BUSHYHEAD...PRYOR...LOCUST GROVE...ROSE...SALINA...SPAVINAW...
STRANG...ADAIR...SNOWDALE STATE PARK AND SPAVINAW STATE PARK.
THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL AND WIND
GUSTS TO 40 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE
THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.
LAT...LON 3643 9500 3616 9501 3627 9579 3653 9569
TIME...MOT...LOC 1756Z 262DEG 15KT 3636 9564 3628 9509SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
140 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
OKZ061>063-121945-
DELAWARE OK-MAYES OK-ROGERS OK-
140 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 245 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
SOUTHWESTERN DELAWARE...CENTRAL MAYES AND EASTERN ROGERS
AT 140 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM 12 MILES WEST OF PRYOR TO 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF
CHOUTEAU...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...PRYOR...CHOUTEAU...LOCUST GROVE...
ROSE...SALINA AND SNOWDALE STATE PARK.
THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND
GUSTS TO 50 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE
THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.
LAT...LON 3639 9500 3616 9497 3616 9538 3639 9567
TIME...MOT...LOC 1840Z 288DEG 17KT 3634 9552 3622 9529PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
228 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0150 PM FLASH FLOOD PRYOR 36.31N 95.32W
08/12/2011 MAYES OK LAW ENFORCEMENT
SOUTH ELLIOT ROAD FLOODED AND BLOCKED OFF. FLOODED ROADS
NEAR HIGHWAY 69 AND 20 INTERSECTION.
0215 PM FLASH FLOOD PRYOR 36.31N 95.32W
08/12/2011 MAYES OK EMERGENCY MNGR
WIDESPREAD STREET AND CREEK FLOODING IN AND AROUND PRYOR.
SEVERAL ROADS CLOSED.
&&
SAASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
323 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
OKZ066-070-071-122115-
MCINTOSH OK-MUSKOGEE OK-OKMULGEE OK-
323 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 415 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
NORTHERN MCINTOSH
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
WESTERN MUSKOGEE
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
EASTERN OKMULGEE
AT 323 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 2 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF ERAM...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED
BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...MORRIS...ERAM...HITCHITA...COUNCIL HILL...
OKTAHA...WAINWRIGHT...BOYNTON AND TAFT.
THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND
GUSTS TO 50 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE
THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.
LAT...LON 3579 9549 3558 9540 3548 9584 3565 9591
TIME...MOT...LOC 2023Z 252DEG 20KT 3560 9577SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
434 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
OKZ054-060>062-064-067-068-122215-
CHEROKEE OK-CREEK OK-MAYES OK-OSAGE OK-ROGERS OK-TULSA OK-WAGONER OK-
434 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 515 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
CHEROKEE
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
EASTERN CREEK...SOUTHWESTERN MAYES...SOUTHEASTERN OSAGE...
SOUTHERN ROGERS...TULSA AND WAGONER
AT 430 PM CDT...THE LEADING EDGE OF THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW WIND WAS
LOCATED ALONG A LINE FROM OAKS TO INOLA TO HOMINY...MOVING SOUTH AT
ABOUT 30 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED BEHIND THE
BOUNDARY AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTH ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA.
THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH.
LAT...LON 3631 9628 3617 9558 3616 9480 3580 9481
3586 9566 3586 9620 3622 9625
TIME...MOT...LOC 2130Z 352DEG 29KT 3626 9604 3619 9553
3618 9493
69PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
607 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0510 PM TSTM WND GST TAHLEQUAH 35.92N 94.97W
08/12/2011 E60.00 MPH CHEROKEE OK EMERGENCY MNGR
GUSTS TO 60 AND HIGHER ALONG OUTFLOW GUST FRONT AHEAD OF
THUNDERSTORMS.
0530 PM TSTM WND DMG TAHLEQUAH 35.92N 94.97W
08/12/2011 CHEROKEE OK EMERGENCY MNGR
TREE BLOWN OVER ONTO MOBILE HOME ON WEST SIDE OF CITY.
POWER LINE REPORTED DOWNED ON EAST SIDE. TIME
APPROXIMATE.
0545 PM HAIL 2 W TAHLEQUAH 35.92N 95.01W
08/12/2011 E1.00 INCH CHEROKEE OK EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
SAAThe Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 13 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:39 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong thunderstorm wind blew down a large tree onto a home, resulting in significant structural damage.
Strong thunderstorm wind blew down a large tree and numerous large tree limbs.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, August 2011
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: 335131, 335134.