Thunderstorms developed to the north of Arkansas early on the 11th. The storms moved into northern Arkansas around midday and crossed much of the northern part of the state early in the afternoon.
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.
Thunderstorms developed to the north of Arkansas early on the 11th. The storms moved into northern Arkansas around midday and crossed much of the northern part of the state early in the afternoon. Later in the afternoon, the storms crossed through central Arkansas, and by early evening, the storms had moved through the southeast part of the state. Many of the storms produced wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph. This resulted in areas of blowing dust in central and eastern Arkansas. Some of the storms became severe, producing damaging winds and hail. At mid to late evening, scattered storms redeveloped over central Arkansas and a large area of showers and thunderstorms moved into western Arkansas from Oklahoma. Through the overnight hours and into the morning of the 12th, numerous showers and thunderstorms affected the southern half of Arkansas. A few storms produced damaging winds and very heavy rain.
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 Jun 11, 9:12 AM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 1012 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2012 .UPDATE... NEAR TERM FORECASTS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED TO ACCOUNT FOR MESOSCALE CONSIDERATIONS...MAINLY DUE TO THE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM MOVING SOUTH FROM SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. EXPECT A WIND THREAT EARLY...WITH INCREASING CHANCES FOR LARGE HAIL AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. 55 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 645 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2012 / AVIATION... OVERALL VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED MUCH OF TODAY...WITH PATCHY MVFR CEILINGS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY OVER EASTERN AR...AS WITH SHOWERS. ISOLATED SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE MAINLY OVER NORTHERN TAF SITES THIS MORNING...THEN BECOMING SCATTERED SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MID MORNING OVER THE NORTHERN TAFS. IN THE AFTERNOON SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE CENTRAL TO SOUTH AS AN UPPER SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE STATE...AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT LATER TONIGHT. MVFR CEILINGS POSSIBLE WITH CONVECTION. E TO SE WINDS 4 TO 8 KNOTS THIS MORNING BECOMING SE TO SW 7 TO 14 KNOTS BY LATE MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON. A COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO APPROACH THE STATE FROM THE NORTHWEST LATER THIS MORNING AND DEVELOP OUT AHEAD OF IT... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. THE BEST CHANCE OF CONVECTION WILL START IN THE NORTHWEST AND SPREAD SOUTHEAST. USED VCSH THEN VCTS IN TAFS...THEN TEMPO GROUPS AS THE CONVECTION MOVES THROUGH THE STATE.(59) PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 318 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2012/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE...AT LEAST EARLY IN THE PERIOD...WILL BE THE EVOLUTION OF CONVECTIVE COMPLEX CURRENTLY OVER NWRN MO...AND THE INFLUENCE THIS COMPLEX WILL HAVE ON AR THIS AFTERNOON... ALL OF AR REMAINS DRY EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE WEAK UPPER WAVE THAT BROUGHT PRECIP TO PORTIONS OF THE REGION HAS MOVED TO THE EAST. SFC OBS SHOWING MILD AND MUGGY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE CWA...WITH TEMPS GENERALLY IN THE LOW TO MID 70S...AND DEWPTS IN THE MID 60S TO LOW 70S. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS LOOSELY ORGANIZED COMPLEX OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER NERN KS AND NWRN MO...WHICH HAVE RECENTLY BEGUN TO TURN GRADUALLY TOWARDS THE SE OVER THE PAST HOUR OR TWO. AFTERNOON FORECAST WILL BE HIGHLY INFLUENCED BY THE EVOLUTION OF THE WEAK CONVECTIVE COMPLEX OVER NWRN MO. LATEST HIGH RES NEAR TERM MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A MESOSCALE BOUNDARY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COMPLEX DROPPING SOUTH ACROSS MO INTO AR BY THIS AFTERNOON. WHETHER OR NOT THIS BOUNDARY WILL HAVE THAT MUCH SWD MOMENTUM REMAINS THE QUESTION WITH THE SFC FRONT REMAINING TO FURTHER TO THE NORTH...AND WITH THE COMPLEX CURRENTLY LOOSELY ORGANIZED. ALTHOUGH CAPPED...MILD TEMPS AND HIGH MOISTURE LEVELS DO EXIST TO THE SOUTH OF THE COMPLEX...WHICH COULD KEEP ENOUGH ELEVATED ACTIVITY DEVELOPING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THE MESOSCALE BOUNDARY FURTHER SOUTH INTO AR BY MIDDAY. TEMPS ACROSS AR WILL WARM WELL INTO THE 90S...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SRN THIRD OF THE CWA WHERE CLOUD COVER WILL BE AT A MINIMUM. FURTHER NORTH...EXPECT COOLER TEMPS...BUT WILL ALSO BE GOVERNED ON HOW SOON CONVECTION INITIATIONS. IF THE LATEST HIGH RES MODELS ARE MORE ACCURATE...EXPECT MUCH COOLER TEMPS ACROSS NRN...AND ESPECIALLY CENTRAL SECTIONS. ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON WILL LIKELY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SVR...WITH HIGH LEVELS ON INSTABILITY EXPECTED. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS. BETTER CONFIDENCE WILL BE SEEN AS THE MAIN COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTH ACROSS MO INTO AR THIS EVENING...WITH A MORE SIGNIFICANT SFC FORCING MECHANISM EXPECTED DURING THIS TIME. THE ONE CAVEAT WILL BE HOW EXPANSIVE THIS AFOREMENTIONED AFTERNOON COMPLEX WILL GET...WHICH COULD DECREASE SOME OF THE ENERGY AVAILABLE JUST AHEAD OF THE MAIN FRONT TONIGHT. BY TUE...THE SFC FRONT WILL HAVE PUSHED SOUTH OVER THE AR OZARKS...WITH BEST POPS EXPECTED AHEAD OF THE FRONT ACROSS THE SRN TWO THIRDS OF THE CWA. HAVE POPS DECREASING GRADUALLY FROM NE TO SW AS THIS FRONT SAGS TO THE SW. BY THE END OF THE FORECAST...THE FRONT LOOKS TO HAVE PUSHED JUST SW OF THE STATE...WITH GENERALLY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THE CWA BY THU. LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY MODELS HAVE NOW SLOWED THE NORTHERN LIFT OF THE WEAKENING FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER SOUTHERN AR TO NORTHERN LA...AND NOW KEEP A WEAKENING BOUNDARY FROM LA TO WESTERN AR...DUE TO A STRONGER SURFACE AND UPPER HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEMS. ECMWF AND GFS EVEN SHOW SOME WEAK SHORT WAVE ENERGY WITH THE BOUNDARY...AND THEREFORE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF CONVECTION IS IN THE FORECAST FOR FRIDAY. SATURDAY WILL MAINLY BE A DIURNALLY DRIVEN AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING CONVECTION POTENTIAL AND CURRENT FORECAST HAS THIS. ON SUNDAY MODELS ARE SHOWING THE UPPER RIDGE TO BUILD BACK INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WHICH SHOULD LOWER THE OVERALL CHANCE OF ANY CONVECTION. CURRENTLY A SLIGHT CHANCE IS IN THE FORECAST AND DUE TO OVERALL UNCERTAINTY...WILL KEEP THIS AT THIS TIME. TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD WILL BE AT NORMAL TO ABOVE NORMAL DUE TO THE UPPER RIDGE INFLUENCE OVER THE AREA. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 88 70 88 63 / 50 50 10 10 CAMDEN AR 95 74 89 69 / 40 50 40 30 HARRISON AR 86 66 85 61 / 70 40 10 10 HOT SPRINGS AR 92 73 88 68 / 50 50 40 20 LITTLE ROCK AR 91 73 88 67 / 50 50 30 10 MONTICELLO AR 95 74 88 69 / 40 50 40 30 MOUNT IDA AR 91 72 86 67 / 50 50 40 30 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 87 67 86 61 / 70 40 10 10 NEWPORT AR 88 71 88 64 / 50 50 10 10 PINE BLUFF AR 94 74 88 68 / 50 50 40 20 RUSSELLVILLE AR 90 71 88 66 / 50 50 20 10 SEARCY AR 89 71 88 65 / 50 50 20 10 STUTTGART AR 91 73 88 66 / 50 50 30 10 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && AVIATION...99
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 945 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2012 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-121000- 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- 945 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE OUT OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI...AND INTO NORTHERN SECTIONS OF ARKANSAS BY LATE MORNING. SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON...AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM CLARKSVILLE...TO BATESVILLE ARE EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE THESE STORMS. FROM MID AFTERNOON...THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL FORM...AND MOVE SOUTH THROUGH THE STATE. VERY LARGE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY ON TUESDAY THE FRONT WILL SLOWLY SAG SOUTHEAST AND REACH THE ARKANSAS AND LOUISIANA STATE LINE LATER IN THE DAY. AHEAD OF THE FRONT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP. AGAIN A SLIGHT RISK OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS. INDICATIONS ARE THE FRONT MAY STALL OVER THE FAR SOUTHERN PART OF ARKANSAS ON WEDNESDAY...THEN DRIFT A BIT NORTH ON THURSDAY BEFORE LIFTING WELL NORTH ON FRIDAY AS A WARM FRONT. THIS SCENARIO WOULD KEEP SOME CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST MUCH OF THE WEEK. THE STRONG TO SEVERE STORM THREAT WILL BE LOW AND ONLY ISOLATED THROUGH THIS PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS EXPECTED THROUGH AT LEAST EARLY EVENING. && VISIT NWS LITTLE ROCK ON THE WEB. GO TO HTTP://WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON CENTRAL ARKANSAS. 55
The Springfield radar (KSGF), 90 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:45 UTC.
32 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Power lines were blown down on Old Highway 65.
A large limb fell onto Arkansas 281.
Trees were blown down.
Power lines were blown down.
Trees were blown down in the Heber Springs area.
A tree was blown down on Arkansas 31.
The fire department estimated winds at 60 mph.
Winds were estimated at 60 mph and power lines were blown down around Butlerville.
A tree was snapped off.
Trees were blown down.
A large oak tree with a diameter of 2 feet was broken off at the base.
Trees were blown down.
Trees were blown down and a large limb fell and landed on a house.
A carport was blown out into a field.
A tree was blown down on U.S. 79.
Trees were blown down, damaging some buildings.
Large tree limbs were blown down. One of the limbs went through the roof of a house.
A shop building was destroyed and debris from the shop punctured a grain bin. Pieces of metal from the shop flew into a corn crop, shearing off plants. Two barns were damaged by flying debris. A fuel tank and spray rig were overturned. A tractor was damaged. Much of the metal roof was torn off a shed. Trees were blown down.
Trees were blown down, one of which fell on a mobile home.
A power pole was blown down onto a car and several tree limbs were knocked down.
Shingles were blown off a house.
A tree fell on a pickup truck.
Trees were blown down, blocking Arkansas 1.
Trees were blown down onto U.S. 278.
Tree limbs were blown down.
Trees were blown down in the Dollar Hill area.
A tree was blown down, blocking Spillway Rd. near Lake Wallace.
Trees were blown down, blocking Col. Glenn Rd.
A tree was blown down.
Limbs were blown down onto W. Sardis Rd.
Trees were blown down at Stephens.
Large limbs were blown down.
Low water crossings were flooded around the Gap Creek and Hickory Nut Mountain Recreation Areas. The sheriff's office indicated rainfall in the area totaled around 4.5 inches.
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, June 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: 375933, 375934, 375935, 375936, 375937, 375938, 375939, 375940, 375941, 375943, 375946, 375947, 375948, 376502, 375973, 375974, 375949, 376098, 375951, 375952, 375953, 375954, 375956, 375957, 375975, 375958, 375976, 375977, 375978, 375979, 375980, 375981, 375982, 375984, 375986, 375987, 375994.