The high pressure aloft that had been over Arkansas since June finally drifted to the west. This allowed some tropical moisture to return to the state.
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.
The high pressure aloft that had been over Arkansas since June finally drifted to the west. This allowed some tropical moisture to return to the state. Scattered thunderstorms developed on the 6th, 7th, and 8th, and some of these storms became severe.
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 Jul 6, 1:38 PM CST, 2 hours 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 238 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 .DISCUSSION... MAIN CONCERNS THIS FORECAST CYCLE HAVE CHANGED LITTLE. FIRE DANGER REMAINS HIGH UNTIL SIGNIFICANT RAIN AMOUNTS ARE SEEN. TODAY AND MUCH OF SATURDAY...HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS CONTINUE. THEN CHANCES OF RAIN INCREASE WITH UPPER SUPPORT AND POSSIBLE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. LATE MORNING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PUSHED WEST FROM MS BUT HAVE WEAKENED AS THEY MOVE WEST TOWARD AR. NORTHERN AR NOW SEEING ISOLATED CONVECTION FORMING...AND STILL POSSIBLE TO SEE ISOLATED CONVECTION OVER CENTRAL WHILE BEST CHANCE LOOKS TO BE OVER SOUTHERN AR WITH SOME WEAK UPPER SHORT WAVE ENERGY. WILL KEEP SOME CHANCE IN EVENING PERIOD. TEMPS HAVE WARMED TO 100 DEGREES TO AROUND 105 DEGREES IN SPOTS OVER AR AND WITH DEW POINTS IN THE 60S...AND UNSTABLE IN PLACE ATMOSPHERE...AN ISOLATED STRONG STORM TO NEAR SEVERE LEVELS MAY BE SEEN THIS AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING. AFTER SUNSET ANY STORMS WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN AND DISSIPATE. HEAT INDEX VALUES HAVE REACHED 100 DEGREES TO AROUND 105 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON IN SPOTS. ALOFT THE UPPER RIDGE WAS CENTERED OVER NORTHERN MO WITH SOME SHORT WAVE ENERGY MOVING AROUND THE RIDGE. && .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT WILL KEEP THE LATE AFTERNOON TO EVENING CONVECTION IN THE FIRST PERIOD. A LULL AFTER THE EVENING CONVECTION DISSIPATES...THEN HAVE KEPT A SLIGHT CHANCE OVERNIGHT...MAINLY OVER SOUTHERN TO EASTERN PARTS OF AR...WITH SOME SHORT WAVE ENERGY SHOWING IN THE MODELS. GFS DOES HAVE MORE CONVECTIVE FEEDBACK OVER THE LOWER MS VALLEY OVERNIGHT. ON SATURDAY...THE UPPER HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE IS FORECAST TO FLATTEN OVER NORTHERN MO...WHICH WILL SET UP A EAST UPPER WHICH WILL BRING SOME UPPER SHORT WAVE ENERGY OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND AR. HENCE CHANCE POPS ARE IN THE FORECAST. AS THE WEEKEND PROGRESSES THE UPPER RIDGE CONTINUES TO WEAKEN OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND REPOSITIONS OVER THE WESTERN U.S. THIS WILL ALLOW A COLD FRONT TO SAG SOUTH TO NEAR OR OVER AR. SOME UNCERTAINTY REMAINS AND HOW FAR SOUTH THE BOUNDARY WILL END UP...AND THIS WOULD BE THE DETERMINING FACTOR ON HOW MUCH CONVECTION AND RAIN OCCURS OVER AR. MODELS AT LEAST SAG THE BOUNDARY TO NORTHERN AR. GFS HAS THE BOUNDARY TO CENTRAL AR MONDAY AM...WHILE THE ECMWF HOLDS THE BOUNDARY NORTH OF KLIT ON MONDAY. AT ANY RATE...POPS HAVE BEEN RAISED SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY...WITH A STALLED OR QUASI STATIONARY BOUNDARY OVER AR. ALSO IN QUESTION IS THE AMOUNT OF RAIN WITH THIS SYSTEM. IF FACTORS COME TOGETHER...0.50 TO 1.0 INCHES OF NEARLY WIDE SPREAD RAIN...AND WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS TO 2 INCHES WOULD BE POSSIBLE. BUT DUE TO UNCERTAINTY HAVE HELD BACK OVERALL AMOUNTS. SEVERE STORM THREAT THROUGH THE PERIOD REMAINS ISOLATED AT THIS TIME. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE A FEW DEGREES LOWER SATURDAY...THEN LOWER MUCH CLOSER TO NORMAL HIGHS THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS WITH THE EXPECTED CLOUDS AND RAIN CHANCES. && .LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FRONT WILL BE DROPPING SOUTH INTO SRN SECTIONS OF THE STATE AT THE START OF THE LONG TERM...WITH BEST POPS GENERALLY ACROSS SRN SECTIONS OF THE STATE. THIS FRONT WILL THEN SLOW DOWN AS IT APPROACHES THE AR/LA STATE LINE. THERE ARE SOME SLIGHT DIFFERENCES IN THE MED RANGE MODEL GUIDANCE ON WHERE THIS FRONT WILL EVENTUALLY STALL...EITHER ACROSS SRN AR...OR FURTHER SOUTH JUST ACROSS THE AR STATE LINE. IF THE FRONT STALLS A BIT FURTHER NORTH AS THE ECMWF SHOWS...CHANCES FOR PRECIP WILL LINGER LONGER INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...THE GFS IS DROPPING THIS FRONT FURTHER SOUTH...WITH BEST PRECIP CHANCES DROPPING SOUTH OF AR BY WED AND THU. COOLEST TEMPS WILL BE EARLY IN THE WEEK...THEN GRADUALLY WARMING AS THE PRECIP MOVES FURTHER SOUTH. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 75 99 75 94 / 20 30 30 40 CAMDEN AR 73 98 73 95 / 20 40 40 50 HARRISON AR 72 98 72 93 / 10 20 20 40 HOT SPRINGS AR 74 98 74 94 / 20 30 30 50 LITTLE ROCK AR 75 99 75 94 / 20 30 30 50 MONTICELLO AR 74 97 74 95 / 30 40 40 50 MOUNT IDA AR 73 98 73 94 / 20 30 30 50 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 72 98 73 93 / 10 20 20 40 NEWPORT AR 76 99 75 94 / 20 30 30 40 PINE BLUFF AR 75 98 75 95 / 20 40 30 50 RUSSELLVILLE AR 73 98 73 93 / 10 30 30 40 SEARCY AR 75 99 75 94 / 20 30 30 40 STUTTGART AR 75 99 75 95 / 20 30 30 50 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM...59 / LONG TERM...62
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 500 AM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-071000- 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 JUL 6 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO WORSEN. VEGETATION HAS DRIED OUT IN MANY AREAS...AND WILDFIRES HAVE BECOME COMMON. THERE IS AN EXTREME WILDFIRE DANGER...AND MOST COUNTIES HAVE BURN BANS IN PLACE. ANY FIRE THAT STARTS COULD SPREAD RAPIDLY AND QUICKLY GET OUT OF CONTROL. A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY...MAINLY ACROSS SOUTH ARKANSAS. WHILE THE CHANCES OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE LIMITED...A FEW STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED GUSTY WINDS. THE ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY IN THE COMING DAYS...THE PERSISTENT RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL DRIFT WESTWARD TOWARDS THE ROCKIES. THIS WILL ALLOW A COLD FRONT TO DROP SOUTHWARD INTO ARKANSAS LATE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THE FRONT WILL INTERACT WITH INCREASING MOISTURE LEVELS TO PRODUCE GOOD CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO SHIFT SOUTH OF THE AREA...WITH TEMPERATURES RETURNING TO NEAR NORMAL LEVELS. WHATEVER RAIN MATERIALIZES...IT WILL LIKELY HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON THE ONGOING DROUGHT. OUTDOOR BURNING OF ANY KIND IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. && VISIT NWS LITTLE ROCK ON THE WEB. GO TO HTTP://WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON CENTRAL ARKANSAS. 44
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 328 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ARZ032-033-062115- FAULKNER AR-WHITE AR- 328 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN WHITE AND NORTHEASTERN FAULKNER COUNTIES UNTIL 415 PM CDT... AT 326 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR GRAVEL HILL...OR 14 MILES WEST OF SEARCY... MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... GRAVEL HILL... ROMANCE... JOY... FLOYD... GIN MTN... DES ARC MTN... THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS... FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. LAT...LON 3511 9207 3531 9215 3536 9196 3520 9186 TIME...MOT...LOC 2028Z 065DEG 8KT 3525 9198 227
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
358 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012
ARZ042-062130-
GARLAND AR-
358 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN GARLAND COUNTY UNTIL
430 PM CDT...
AT 355 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTH OF LAKE CATHERINE...OR 5 MILES EAST
OF HOT SPRINGS...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 5 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PINEY... LAKE HAMILTON... HOT SPRINGS...
ROCKWELL... LAKE CATHERINE...
HOT SPRINGS NATL PARK...
HOT SPRINGS MEM FLD... WILSON SPRINGS...
RED OAK... WEST MTN... SUGARLOAF MTN...
OAKLAWN RACETRACK... NORTH MTN... HOT SPRINGS MTN...
HILL WHEATLEY PARK... GARLAND CNTY FAIRGNDS...
EUCLID HEIGHTS... CARPENTER DAM...
&&
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.
LAT...LON 3453 9317 3456 9292 3451 9288 3450 9292
3447 9291 3439 9310
TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 065DEG 6KT 3450 9297
46SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 402 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ARZ067-062145- CALHOUN AR- 402 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL CALHOUN COUNTY UNTIL 445 PM CDT... AT 359 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES NORTHEAST OF HAMPTON...MOVING WEST AT 5 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... HAMPTON... HARRELL... HAMPTON MUNI ARPT... WOODBERRY... TINSMAN... SUMMERVILLE... HARRELL LAKE... CRAM... IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. LAT...LON 3362 9258 3364 9233 3352 9232 3348 9257 TIME...MOT...LOC 2102Z 083DEG 6KT 3356 9245 /64
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 413 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ARZ024-033-062200- CLEBURNE AR-WHITE AR- 413 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN WHITE AND EXTREME SOUTHERN CLEBURNE COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT... AT 412 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF GRAVEL HILL...OR 13 MILES WEST OF SEARCY...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... GRAVEL HILL... CROSBY... SIDON... ROMANCE... JOY... CENTER HILL... SMYRNA... MT PISGAH... DES ARC MTN... THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS... FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. LAT...LON 3520 9181 3520 9207 3538 9202 3539 9184 TIME...MOT...LOC 2113Z 359DEG 7KT 3531 9195 227
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 425 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ARZ044-062155- PULASKI AR- 425 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL PULASKI COUNTY UNTIL 500 PM CDT... AT 420 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTH OF N LITTLE ROCK ARPT...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 5 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... SHERWOOD... N LITTLE ROCK ARPT... NORTH LITTLE ROCK... DWNTWN LITTLE ROCK... LITTLE ROCK ARPT... SYLVAN HILLS... PROTHRO JUNCTION... MCALMONT... MARCHE... LEVY... LAKEWOOD... GRAVEL RIDGE... CAMP ROBINSON... BURNS PARK... ARGENTA... ROSE CITY... COLLEGE STATION... FERNDALE... THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 30 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 137 AND 142. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 145 AND 157. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 430 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 4 AND 12. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 440 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 5. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 630 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 7. && IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. LAT...LON 3469 9219 3472 9246 3492 9233 3492 9218 TIME...MOT...LOC 2125Z 030DEG 8KT 3487 9228 46
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 446 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ARZ039-043-044-062215- PERRY AR-PULASKI AR-SALINE AR- 446 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN SALINE...WESTERN PULASKI AND SOUTHERN PERRY COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM CDT... AT 441 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTH OF LAKE NORRELL...OR 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LAKE MAUMELLE...MOVING WEST AT 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... LAKE SYLVIA... REFORM... PARON... WILFORD PEAK... SCHOOLHOUSE MTN... RATTLESNAKE MTN... PIGEON ROOST MTN... KETCHEL MTN... JOLLY ROGER LNDG... JENNINGS MTN... HORSESHOE MTN... GRINDSTONE MTN... GOODSON MTN... COLE MTN... COLD SPRING MTN... BRUSHY MTN... IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. LAT...LON 3467 9280 3488 9286 3489 9257 3476 9254 TIME...MOT...LOC 2147Z 082DEG 7KT 3479 9264 /64
The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 5 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:50 UTC.
25 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
About 30 trees were blown down in North Little Rock's Burns Park. One of the trees landed on the shed covering the miniature train, which then crashed down on top of the train.
Two barns were blown down, some outbuildings were damaged, and trees were blown down onto roads.
Several outbuildings and a barn were damaged near the Tate community.
Tree limbs were thrown into the air, and some of the limbs landed on vehicles.
Large tree limbs were thrown by the wind. Some siding was removed from a garage.
Two barns were destroyed, there was damage to the roof of one occupied structure, and significant debris along fence lines.
Trees and power lines were blown down.
A few trees were blown down.
Some trees were blown down.
Roofs were damaged on several houses and trees were blown down onto power lines.
Hail fell in Fairfield Bay.
Many trees were blown down in the Lake Sylvia Recreation Area.
A few trees were blown down on U.S. 65.
Several trees were snapped off, there was minor roof damage to several houses, and lawn furniture was thrown around 300 feet.
Thunderstorm winds hit a truck broadside, pushing it off the road and into a ditch.
Trees were blown down and a number of barns were damaged.
Trees were blown down onto power lines.
Trees were blown down onto power lines.
Trees were blown down on Collietown Rd.
Lightning struck a business in Batesville. The air conditioning, phone circuits, and circuit breakers were destroyed. A fire started in the front of the building, badly damaging it. The company sold cylinders of industrial gases, but the fire did not reach any of the cylinders.
Trees and power lines were blown down.
Trees and power lines were blown down.
Hail fell on the northwest side of Glenwood.
Trees were blown down on Arkansas 155.
Power lines were blown down.
Trees and power lines were down across Hardy. Many people were without power.
A tree was blown down onto U.S. 65.
Trees and power lines were blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, July 2012
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: 382383, 382310, 382372, 382312, 382314, 382371, 382316, 382317, 382327, 382334, 382342, 382349, 382353, 382354, 382357, 382358, 382359, 382360, 382361, 382362, 383576, 382363, 382370, 382364, 382365, 382366, 382367, 382368, 382369.