Very hot weather continued on the 5th through the 8th, and a weak, nearly stationary front was located across northern Arkansas. A few severe thunderstorms resulted each afternoon and evening.
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.
Very hot weather continued on the 5th through the 8th, and a weak, nearly stationary front was located across northern Arkansas. A few severe thunderstorms resulted each afternoon and evening.
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 Aug 5, 3:00 AM CST, 1 hour 58 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 400 AM CDT FRI AUG 5 2011 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH MONDAY HOT CONDITIONS WILL AGAIN BE THE STORY FOR AT LEAST SOME PORTION OF THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE HOTTEST TEMPS EXPECTED ACROSS THE SRN AND SWRN COUNTIES. FURTHER NORTH AND NE...SLIGHTLY COOLER CONDITIONS EXPECTED...BUT HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL REMAIN HIGH. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL REMAIN DRAPED OVER THE STATE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...STRETCHING FROM ABOUT NWRN AR INTO EAST CENTRAL AR. SOUTH AND WEST OF THIS BOUNDARY...EXPECT DEWPTS TO DROP DOWN INTO THE 60S AT LEAST DURING THE AFTERNOON HRS...WHICH WILL ALLOW THOSE AREAS TO SEE TEMPS WARM OVER 100 DEGREES. NORTH AND NE OF THIS BOUNDARY...DEWPTS WILL REMAIN QUITE HIGH...WITH DEWPTS REMAINING IN THE 70S. MUCH OF THE CWA WILL SEE HEAT INDICES OVER 105 DEGREES...WITH A HEAT ADV REMAINING IN EFFECT. THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL ALSO KEEP INCREASED PRECIP CHANCES ACROSS THE CWA...WITH BEST CHANCES ALONG AND NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY. JUST AS IN PREVIOUS DAYS...SOME STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SVR...WITH DAMAGING WIND THE MAIN THREAT. SOME LARGE HAIL AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THIS FRONT WILL LIFT BACK TO THE NORTH TO NEAR THE MO/AR BORDER FOR SAT...WITH THE BEST PRECIP CHANCES CLOSER TO THE MO AR BORDER. HOWEVER...SOME ISOLATED STORMS COULD STILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE REST OF THE CWA. ANY STORM THAT DOES DEVELOP COULD BECOME SVR. TEMPS ACROSS THE SWRN HALF OF THE STATE ON SAT WILL BE SIMILAR TO THIS AFTERNOON...BUT NRN COUNTIES WILL BE A FEW DEGREES WARMER ON SAT WITH THE FRONT FURTHER NORTH. HEAT INDICES WILL ALSO REMAIN HIGH ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA...WITH A HEAT ADV REMAINING IN EFFECT THROUGH SUN AFTERNOON. THE UPPER HIGH THAT HAS KEPT THE STATE UNDER SUCH HOT CONDITIONS WILL SLIDE TO THE WEST LATE THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...ALLOWING TEMPS TO SLOWLY DROP. UPPER FLOW WILL BECOME MORE NWRLY...WITH BETTER PRECIP CHANCES EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST THE NRN SECTIONS OF THE STATE THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD AS SOME WEAK UPPER DISTURBANCES PASS OVER THE REGION. && .LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY MODELS ARE MORE IN AGREEMENT ON A SHIFT OF HIGH PRESSURE FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TO THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES. THIS WOULD RESULT IN A NORTHWEST WIND FLOW IN ARKANSAS...WITH A COLD FRONT DRIVEN INTO THE STATE FROM MISSOURI. FOR NOW...TRENDED TEMPERATURES TOWARD NORMAL...BUT MAY ACTUALLY HAVE SOME BELOW NORMAL READINGS IN NORTHERN/EASTERN ARKANSAS BEHIND THE FRONT. ALSO...BETTER CHANCES FOR RAIN ARE EXPECTED...WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 96 78 102 80 / 30 20 20 20 CAMDEN AR 106 80 105 79 / 20 10 10 10 HARRISON AR 97 75 100 77 / 30 20 20 20 HOT SPRINGS AR 103 79 103 79 / 20 10 10 10 LITTLE ROCK AR 104 80 104 80 / 30 20 10 10 MONTICELLO AR 105 80 103 79 / 20 20 10 10 MOUNT IDA AR 103 78 104 78 / 20 10 10 10 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 96 76 100 78 / 30 20 20 20 NEWPORT AR 95 77 101 80 / 30 20 20 20 PINE BLUFF AR 104 80 103 80 / 20 20 10 10 RUSSELLVILLE AR 104 79 104 80 / 20 20 20 20 SEARCY AR 100 78 102 80 / 30 20 20 20 STUTTGART AR 102 78 102 79 / 30 20 10 10 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR 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. && SHORT TERM...62 / LONG TERM...46
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 500 AM CDT FRI AUG 5 2011 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-061000- 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- 500 AM CDT FRI AUG 5 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL REMAIN DOMINANT IN ARKANSAS TODAY. THE HIGH WILL BRING VERY HOT CONDITIONS TO THE STATE. TEMPERATURES WILL MOSTLY RANGE FROM THE MID 90S IN THE NORTHEAST TO 105 TO 110 DEGREES IN THE SOUTHWEST. THESE READINGS COMBINED WITH HIGH HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS HEAT INDEX VALUES FROM 105 TO 115 DEGREES. A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT TODAY. PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE THE HEAT SERIOUSLY. HEAT IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER RELATED KILLER IN THE UNITED STATES. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY...MAINLY IN NORTHERN AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE STATE. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS THE MAIN CONCERN. GUSTS COULD EXCEED 70 MPH...WHICH IS STRONG ENOUGH TO DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY IT APPEARS HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE SLOWLY TOWARD THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES IN THE COMING DAYS. THIS WILL CREATE A NORTHWEST WIND FLOW ALOFT...WHICH WILL DRIVE A COLD FRONT INTO THE REGION BY MONDAY OR TUESDAY. THE FRONT WILL LIKELY STALL. PRECEDING THE FRONT...IT WILL REMAIN HOT THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES IN THE FORECAST AND HEAT INDEX VALUES OVER 105 DEGREES. A HEAT ADVISORY HAS BEEN POSTED FOR MUCH OF ARKANSAS THROUGH SUNDAY. ONCE THE FRONT ARRIVES EARLY NEXT WEEK...IT WILL NOT BE QUITE SO HOT. TEMPERATURES WILL BE CLOSER TO NORMAL...ESPECIALLY IN NORTHERN AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE STATE AWAY FROM HIGH PRESSURE. SURROUNDING THE FRONT...THERE WILL BE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. CHANCES FOR RAIN WILL BE HIGHEST IN THE NORTH AND EAST...OR IN AREAS NORTH OF THE FRONT. SOME STORMS COULD BE SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. && VISIT NWS LITTLE ROCK ON THE WEB. GO TO HTTP://WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON CENTRAL ARKANSAS. 46
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1253 AM CDT FRI AUG 5 2011
ARZ021-050625-
JOHNSON AR-
1253 AM CDT FRI AUG 5 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR JOHNSON COUNTY UNTIL 130 AM
CDT...
AT 1252 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WOODLAND...OR 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF
CLARKSVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CLARKSVILLE... WOODLAND... LUDWIG LAKE...
LAMAR... KNOXVILLE... HORSEHEAD LAKE...
HOLMAN... OZONE... LUTHERVILLE...
HILLCREST... HARMONY... CATALPA...
WOODS MTN... TURKEY MTN... RED LICK MTN...
MCCRAKEN HILLS... MAC WOOD MTN... KATIE KNOB...
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 57 AND 68.
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.
TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN!
LAT...LON 3569 9355 3560 9322 3547 9328 3547 9330
3544 9330 3536 9334 3555 9364
TIME...MOT...LOC 0553Z 298DEG 12KT 3555 9352
62The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 141 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:58 UTC.
22 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 4 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning struck a tree in Melbourne, causing it to catch fire. After the fire was extinguished, it was discovered that there was also a leak in a 1.5 inch natural gas line. The gas company responded to repair the leak.
A severe thunderstorm blew trees down.
A wind gust of 77 mph was measured by ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System) at Adams Field. This is the second-highest wind ever recorded on a weather observation at the airport. Low-level wind shear (LLWAS) equipment owned by the Federal Aviation Administration measured a wind gust of 92 mph. ASOS' anemometer is at a height of 33 feet, while the LLWAS' anemometer is at a height of approximately 100 feet. Two small planes parked at the airport were flipped upside-down by the wind. A third light plane was shoved into a fourth aircraft. Many power lines were blown down, especially in areas southwest and south of the airport. Approximately 8,000 electric customers lost power. In the Gillam Park and Granite Mountain neighborhoods just southwest of the airport, power poles and trees were blown down. Some of the trees landed on houses. During a heat wave, some houses were without power for two days.
A large tree limb fell on a car traveling on Arkansas 5 in Bryant, damaging the car.
A few large trees were blown down. Mailboxes were blown over.
Winds were estimated at 65 mph in Furlow.
Trees and power lines were blown down.
Golf ball size hail fell in the area around Russell.
A barn and a shop building were badly damaged.
Trees were blown down and trampolines were blown up into trees.
Two trees and a power line were blown down.
Much of the roofs were blown off two chicken houses. A number of trees were blown down, with one of the tree falling on the porch of a house. Outbuildings were blown over.
A house on Osage Dr. in the Indian Hills subdivision of North Little Rock was struck by lightning. The resulting fire caused considerable damage to the house.
A couple of power poles were snapped.
Large trees were blown down.
Large trees were blown down.
Large tree limbs were blown down.
Large limbs were blown down.
Quarter size hail was reported near Interstate 430 and Crystal Hill Rd.
Lightning struck a house on West Dr. in the Amboy neighborhood of North Little Rock, setting it on fire. The house was badly damaged and a car in the garage was destroyed.
An off-duty military forecaster estimated winds at 60 mph.
Lightning struck a house on East C Ave. in the Park Hill neighborhood of North Little Rock, setting it on fire. The house was badly damaged. A firefighter was injured battling the blaze.
Winds were estimated at 70 mph.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down.
Power lines were blown down in Clarendon.
Thunderstorm winds blew power lines down.
A tree was blown down.
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: 320041, 320032, 320033, 320035, 320395, 320039, 320040, 320036, 320037, 320396, 321458, 320400, 321508, 320397, 321460, 321464, 321465, 321466, 321467, 321470, 321471, 320391, 321475, 320392, 321476, 321482, 321484, 321487, 321488, 321491, 321493.