Low pressure aloft, approaching from the west, caused a line of thunderstorms to develop during the afternoon. The line moved very quickly, exiting the area during the early 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.
Low pressure aloft, approaching from the west, caused a line of thunderstorms to develop during the afternoon. The line moved very quickly, exiting the area during the early evening. The fast movement of the line, occasional bowing sections within the line, and winds aloft were favorable for severe thunderstorms producing wind damage. Isolated tornadoes developed near the line.
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 Feb 24, 2:51 PM CST, 54 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 251 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS A POSSIBILITY THROUGH THIS EVENING AS STRONG SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. NAM/GFS/ECMWF ALL IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE EVOLUTION/TIMING OF THIS SYSTEM AND A BLEND OF FORECAST SOLUTIONS WILL BE USED THIS AFTERNOON. LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS PLACES WARM FRONT OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE. BOUNDARY STILL EXPECTED TO SLOWLY PROGRESS TO THE NORTH THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. IN ADDITION TO THE FRONT... WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS STRONG SHORT WAVE TROUGH OVER THE SOUTH CENTRAL PLAINS. SURFACE CYCLOGENESIS ALREADY UNDERWAY OVER EASTERN OKLAHOMA WITH CIRCULATION EXPECTED TO DEEPEN AS AFOREMENTIONED UPPER TROUGH KICKS OUT. SURFACE LOW EXPECTED TO RACE OFF TO THE NORTHEAST AND CROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY MID EVENING. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UNTIL ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES THROUGH. SPECIAL 18Z RAOB REVEALED 50 KTS OF WIND JUST OFF THE SURFACE AND DECENT MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES OF 8C/KM AND THIS WAS EVEN BEFORE THE FRONT HAD MADE IT COMPLETELY THROUGH THE UPPER AIR SITE. AS UPPER IMPULSE MOVES EAST...SEVERE WEATHER WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE SEVERAL AREAS REMAIN A CONCERN FOR SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH THIS EVENING. FIRST OFF...TORNADO THREATS APPEAR TO BE GREATEST ALONG THE ADVANCING WARM FRONT WHERE BEST HELICITY WILL BE LOCATED ALONG WITH THE DEEPENING SURFACE LOW AND OVER THE SOUTHEAST WHERE SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY HAS BEEN STEADILY INCREASING FOR THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS. EVEN WHERE THE TORNADO THREAT IS NOT AS HIGH... EXPECTING A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS TO SWEEP THROUGH DURING THE EVENING HOURS AS THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONT MOVES EAST. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN REMAINS A CONCERN AS PWATS INCREASE TO IN EXCESS OF 1.5 INCHES. WIDESPREAD RAIN OF ONE TO TWO INCHES WAS RECEIVED ACROSS PARTS OF THE NORTH LAST NIGHT AND THIS AREA WILL BE WATCHED CLOSELY FOR FLOODING CONCERNS. PRECIPITATION ENDS FAIRLY QUICKLY BEHIND THE BOUNDARY BUT WILL HOLD ON TO SCATTERED PRECIPITATION FOR SEVERAL HOURS WITH ALL POPS GONE BY FRIDAY MORNING. BREEZY...COOLER BUY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR FRIDAY AS ZONAL FLOW PREDOMINATES. WEAK RIDGING AND SOUTHERLY WINDS RETURN FOR SATURDAY WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING TO ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS ONCE AGAIN AS NEXT SYSTEM DIGS INTO THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES. SOUTHWEST SYSTEM LIFTS OUT SUNDAY WITH BEST DYNAMICS PASSING TO THE NORTH OF THE STATE. STILL EXPECTING A FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO PASS ACROSS THE STATE SUNDAY NIGHT BUT MODELS NOT AS IMPRESSIVE WITH THIS SYSTEM VERSUS THE PREVIOUS FEW RUNS. MAIN DIFFERENCE FROM PREVIOUS RUNS IS TIMING AS MODELS BRING THE BOUNDARY THROUGH AT NIGHT AND MOVE IT TO THE EAST OF THE AREA BY MONDAY MORNING. WILL READJUST POPS FOR SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. AS FAR AS TEMPS ARE CONCERNED...WILL LEAN TOWARDS THE COOLER MAV GUIDANCE. && .LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... BY MONDAY MORNING...THE UPPER LOW WILL BE IN ILLINOIS AND HEADED NORTHEAST. THIS WILL RESULT IN WESTERLY FLOW OVER ARKANSAS AND ZONAL FLOW OVER MUCH OF THE WESTERN U.S. ZONAL FLOW WILL BE OVER MUCH OF THE COUNTRY MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. A RIDGE DEVELOPS SOME BUCKLING IN THE WEST WEDNESDAY WITH A TROUGH OVER THE NORTHEAST. AT THE END OF THE PERIOD SOME RIDGING BEGINS IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THE COLD FRONT WILL BE EXITING EAST ARKANSAS MONDAY MORNING. THE SURFACE LOW WILL BE MOVING THROUGH MISSOURI...AND COULD PROVIDE SOME WRAP AROUND SHOWERS TO NORTHEAST ARKANSAS. DECREASED THESE RAIN CHANCES BUT LEFT THEM ACROSS THE NORTH AND EAST. HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN OVER THE AREA TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WITH DRY WEATHER EXPECTED. NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 38 47 34 62 / 90 0 0 10 CAMDEN AR 44 56 37 69 / 80 0 0 10 HARRISON AR 33 47 33 62 / 60 0 0 10 HOT SPRINGS AR 40 53 36 67 / 70 0 0 10 LITTLE ROCK AR 41 51 35 66 / 80 0 0 10 MONTICELLO AR 46 55 37 69 / 90 0 0 10 MOUNT IDA AR 39 54 36 67 / 60 0 0 10 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 34 47 33 62 / 70 0 0 10 NEWPORT AR 39 47 34 63 / 90 0 0 10 PINE BLUFF AR 44 53 36 68 / 90 0 0 10 RUSSELLVILLE AR 37 50 34 65 / 60 0 0 10 SEARCY AR 39 48 34 64 / 90 0 0 10 STUTTGART AR 42 50 35 66 / 90 0 0 10 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM...56 / LONG TERM...51
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 345 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-251045- 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- 345 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT TORNADO WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE STATE THROUGH THIS EVENING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY ACROSS MUCH OF ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. A STRONG STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO MOVE THROUGH ARKANSAS AT THIS TIME. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE STATE. STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS HAVE PULLED COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF GULF MOISTURE INTO THE ADVANCING SYSTEM WITH WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION OCCURRING AT THIS TIME. STRONG WINDS EXTEND JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE THROUGH THE MID LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THERE IS ENOUGH CHANGE IN BOTH WIND SPEED...AND WIND DIRECTION WITH HEIGHT TO SUPPORT TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS. A TORNADO WATCH IN IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS UNTIL 6 PM WITH A SEPARATE TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN ARKANSAS UNTIL 10 PM. IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE STORMS...HEAVY RAINS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. AREAS IN NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS RECEIVED UPWARDS OF TWO INCHES OF RAIN OVERNIGHT. MORE HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY AS STORMS MOVE THROUGH THE AREA...WITH AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO THREE INCHES POSSIBLE ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. WITH REGARD TO TIMING...STRONG STORMS SHOULD BE TO CENTRAL ARKANSAS THROUGH 6 PM...MAKING IT INTO THE EAST BETWEEN 6 PM AND 10 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING WILL BE CALM AS HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATES THE WEATHER IN ARKANSAS. LATE SUNDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE STATE. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS SYSTEM BUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS QUESTIONABLE AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. && VISIT NWS LITTLE ROCK ON THE WEB. GO TO HTTP://WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON CENTRAL ARKANSAS. 56
The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:43 UTC.
26 thunderstorm wind, 5 tornado, 4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A roof was blown off a mobile home near Bismarck.
Trees and power lines were blown down in the Hot Springs area.
A tornado began in the Ouachita National Forest south of Lake Winona. The tornado traveled through the forest, knocking down trees, and moved into Perry County south-southwest of Williams Junction.
Trees were blown down on the south side of Lake Winona.
A couple of very large trees were blown down. One of the trees sliced through a house on Elmwood Dr., injuring a woman inside. Nearby, part of a metal roof was peeled off a building at a lumber mill.
A tree was blown down, partially blocking Lake Winona Rd.
Trees were blown down, blocking a Forest Service Road.
This tornado exited Saline County north-northeast of Reform. Its path in Perry County was in the Ouachita National Forest, where it knocked down trees. The tornado exited Perry County and entered Pulaski County west-southwest of Wye.
This tornado exited Perry County southeast of Williams Junction. In Pulaski County, a barn was flattened and another barn lost much of its roof. Trees were blown down. The tornado ended in western Pulaski County just off Arkansas Highway 10 close to where the eastern end of Higginbotham Rd. intersects the highway.
Trees were blown down near Arkansas Highway 5 and Owensville Cutoff.
Trees and power lines were blown down near Lonsdale.
Numerous trees were blown down in the Bauxite area.
A tree was blown down on Interstate 530 at U.S. Highway 167.
Shingles were blown off several houses.
Numerous trees were blown down.
A tornado developed near the northwest side of Bearskin Lake. A large metal building had its doors blown in and one side of the structure was blown out. Shingles were blown off several houses. One shed was destroyed and the roof was blown off another. A number of trees were blown down.
A utility pole was snapped on Arkansas Highway 13 near McRae.
Trees were blown down along U.S. Highway 70.
A large tree was blown down. It fell on the end of a mobile home, damaging the roof.
A storage shed at a residence was destroyed, with pieces of the shed blowing across the road.
Several power poles were blown down at a fish farm.
A tornado began on the south side of Lonoke and tracked through the southeastern part of the city, then ended near U.S. Highway 70 just east of the city. Many houses suffered roof damage, windows were blown out of a house, and the porch was blown off a church. Numerous trees were blown down. One of the trees crushed a wood-frame house that was vacant. Power lines were blown down. Much of the roof of the National Guard Armory was blown off.
Power lines were blown down.
Power poles were blown down at Interstate 40 and Arkansas Highway 13.
Streets were flooded in Batesville and streams were on the rise.
Winds were estimated at 65 mph.
Flooding occurred on Webber Chapel Rd.
Roads were under water from Batesville to Cave City. Some culverts were washed out.
Hars Creek Rd. was blocked south of Arkansas Highway 56.
A severe thunderstorm struck the Cloverdale section of Brinkley. Trees, power lines, and power poles were blown down. A few of the trees landed on houses and carports. A number of houses suffered roof or siding damage. Fences were blown down. Ten garage doors at a vacant car dealership were blown in.
Two tractor-trailers were blown over on Interstate 40 just northeast of Brinkley. One of the drivers was injured.
Trees and power lines were blown down in the Pine Bluff vicinity, especially in areas around Old Warren Rd. and Middle Warren Rd. Downed power lines sparked a grass fire at E. 8th Ave. and S. Ohio St.
Trees and signs were blown down in Star City.
Trees were blown down in and around Monticello.
Road signs were 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 historyThe tornado archive for Arkansas, 2011Warnings in Arkansas, February 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: 275399, 275400, 275388, 275546, 275398, 275548, 275549, 275389, 275392, 275401, 275402, 275403, 275404, 275405, 275406, 275383, 275407, 275556, 275557, 275560, 275558, 275386, 275408, 275409, 275410, 275411, 275412, 275413, 275414, 275394, 275395, 279885, 275415, 275416, 275417.