Arkansas, 2011

Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 20, 2011

January 20, 2011 · NWS MEG · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

The combination of a strong arctic cold front and an upper level disturbance produced light snow across much of the Mid-South during the afternoon hours of January 20th, 2011. The snow began to taper off during the evening hours.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
12

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MEG wrote it up.

The combination of a strong arctic cold front and an upper level disturbance produced light snow across much of the Mid-South during the afternoon hours of January 20th, 2011. The snow began to taper off during the evening hours. Snow totals ranged from one to three inches across Eastern Arkansas. Some accidents occurred as a result of the hazardous road conditions. One accident included two tractor trailers that jack knifed into each other. At one point, Interstate 40 was shut down due to the snow in Crittenden County.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Clay

When
January 20, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
36.368, -90.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to two inches of snow fell across Clay County.

Winter Weather, Randolph

When
January 20, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where
Randolph forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
36.342, -91.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three inches of snow fell across Randolph County.

Winter Weather, Lawrence

When
January 20, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where
Lawrence forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
36.041, -91.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to three inches of snow fell across Lawrence County.

Winter Weather, Greene

When
January 20, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where
Greene forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
36.118, -90.559 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to two inches of snow fell across Greene County.

Winter Weather, Craighead

When
January 20, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where
Craighead forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.831, -90.633 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to two inches of snow fell across Craighead County.

Winter Weather, Poinsett

When
January 20, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where
Poinsett forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.574, -90.663 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two inches of snow fell across Poinsett County.

Winter Weather, Mississippi

When
January 20, 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Mississippi forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.764, -90.054 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two to three inches of snow fell across Mississippi County.

Winter Weather, Crittenden

When
January 20, 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Crittenden forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.208, -90.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to two inches of snow fell across Crittenden County.

Winter Weather, Cross

When
January 20, 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Cross forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.296, -90.771 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two to three inches of snow fell across Cross County.

Winter Weather, Lee

When
January 20, 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Lee forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
34.781, -90.782 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to two inches of snow fell across Lee County.

Winter Weather, St. Francis

When
January 20, 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
St. Francis forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.022, -90.748 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One inch of snow fell across St. Francis County.

Winter Weather, Phillips

When
January 20, 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Phillips forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
34.428, -90.848 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An inch or less of snow fell across Phillips County.

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arkansas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, January 2011

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 279196, 279197, 279198, 279199, 279200, 279202, 279203, 279204, 279206, 279207, 279208, 279211.