Unusually dry weather occurred in Arkansas during May. The following stations set a record for the driest May on record: Clinton 6SE, Morrilton, Dardanelle, Arkadelphia 2N, Gilbert, Damascus 2NNE, Marshall, Hot Springs Airport, Perry, Hot Springs National Park, Danville, Nimrod Dam, Little Rock Air Force Base, Clarksville Water Plant, Sparkman, North Little Rock, Harrison, Blakely Mountain Dam,…
Every event with a place to put it; 33 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Unusually dry weather occurred in Arkansas during May. The following stations set a record for the driest May on record: Clinton 6SE, Morrilton, Dardanelle, Arkadelphia 2N, Gilbert, Damascus 2NNE, Marshall, Hot Springs Airport, Perry, Hot Springs National Park, Danville, Nimrod Dam, Little Rock Air Force Base, Clarksville Water Plant, Sparkman, North Little Rock, Harrison, Blakely Mountain Dam, Jasper, Mountain View, Murfreesboro 1W, Rohwer 2NNE, Blue Mountain Dam, Alum Fork, Clarksville 6NE, Batesville Airport, Subiaco, Sheridan, Arkansas Post, Amity 1N, and Ozone. Although some rain occurred during the first half of June, rainfall was extremely sparse during the latter half of the month. The general lack of rainfall led to drought conditions and steadily rising temperatures. Severe drought developed over most of Arkansas soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, extreme drought covered parts of northern Arkansas, the Arkansas River Valley, and parts of southwest and south central Arkansas. The following stations set a record for the driest June on record: Salem, Damascus 2NNE, Blakely Mountain Dam, Beedeville 4NE, Clarksville 6NE, and the Clarksville Water Plant. During the last week in June, almost all observing sites rose to at least 100 degrees. The hottest temperature was 111 degrees at the forestry reporting station in Evening Shade. Batesville Lock and Dam reached 110. Readings of 109 were recorded at Mountain Home, Blanchard Springs, Guy, Russellville, and Searcy. Stations that set records for the hottest day ever recorded in the month of June included: Dardanelle, Gilbert, Marshall, Star City/Cane Creek State Park, Batesville Airport, Hot Springs Airport, Harrison, Little Rock, Monticello, Little Rock Air Force Base, North Little Rock, Russellville, Batesville Lock and Dam, Greers Ferry Dam, Blue Mountain Dam, Cabot 4SW, Evening Shade 1NNE, Mammoth Spring, Mountain View, Sparkman, Alum Fork, and the Clarksville Water Plant. As a result of the hot, dry weather, almost every county in Arkansas was placed under a burn ban. Fireworks sales leading up to Independence Day were very poor, as many cities and counties prohibited the use of fireworks. The Arkansas Forestry Commission raised the state's fire danger to Extreme, a category which is used very rarely. Hundreds of wildfires occurred, but the vast majority of these burned less than 100 acres. Pastures dried up, causing many cattle growers to send their livestock to market. Some stock ponds dried up, as well. Several counties declared emergencies so that volunteer fire departments could haul water to stock ponds on private property. Some water utilities instituted mandatory water restrictions.
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 19, 5:32 AM CST, 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 632 AM CDT TUE JUN 19 2012 .AVIATION...DISCUSSION FOR 12Z TAFS HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE DOMINATE WEATHER FEATURE THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH WIDESPREAD VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE AROUND SUNRISE WHERE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE OVER THE NORTH AND WEST WILL ALLOW SOME BRIEF MVFR CONDITIONS. WINDS WILL BECOME BREEZY ONCE AGAIN DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS AND DISSIPATE AFTER SUNSET. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 227 AM CDT TUE JUN 19 2012/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT MAINLY DRY SUMMERTIME CONDS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE PD. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SFC AND ALOFT WILL BE THE DOMINANT FEATURES THOUGH A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL TRY TO SKIRT NRN AR ON THU NIGHT/FRI. TODAY... A FEW ISOLATED STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE WRN HALF OF THE CWA TODAY...MAINLY SOUTH OF I-40. A STRONG EML WILL LIKELY KEEP CONVECTION PRETTY SPARSE...BUT WHERE STORMS DO BREAK THROUGH...MODEL FCST MLCAPE VALUES OF AROUND 2000 J/KG COULD PROMOTE A STRONG TO MAYBE MARGINALLY SVR STORM. DAMAGING WINDS WOULD BE THE MAIN THREAT IN ANY STRONGER STORMS. BREEZY SOUTH WINDS WILL BE NOTED AGAIN TODAY...BUT WINDS SHOULD AGAIN FALL JUST SHORT OF LAKE WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA. WEDNESDAY... WEDNESDAY SHOULD BE MAINLY DRY AS DRIER LOW LVL AIR WILL COMBINE WITH A STRONGER EML TO KEEP INSTABILITY VALUES DOWN. THURSDAY... A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH NW AR...POSSIBLY PROMOTING A FEW SHOWERS/STORMS LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND HAVE INCLUDED A 20 POP IN THE NORTH TO ACCOUNT. THE FRONT COULD KEEP A FEW SHOWERS GOING OVERNIGHT THU NIGHT. FRIDAY... AN ISO STORM COULD FORM IN NRN AR AS THE FRONT MAY LINGER A BIT AS IT WASHES OUT. TEMPERATURES... TEMPS AND HUMIDITY WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE WEEK...WITH HEAT INDEX VALUES APPROACHING OR EXCEEDING 100 BY THU AND FRI. LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY ANOTHER MIDNIGHT SHIFT...BUT THE MEDIUM RANGE FORECAST REMAINS LARGELY UNCHANGED WITH A CONTINUATION OF HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS COURTESY OF HIGH PRESSURE WHICH LOOKS TO SET UP HOUSE OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. ONLY ISOLATED...DIURNALLY DRIVEN CONVECTION WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH THE CHANCES TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE GRIDS/ZONES AT THIS TIME. MODELS DO ATTEMPT TO MOVE A FRONTAL BOUNDARY INTO THE STATE DURING THE SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY TIME FRAME BUT EVEN IF THIS COMES TO FRUITION...THE ONLY CONSEQUENCE WOULD BE A WIND SHIFT AND MAYBE A DEGREE OR TWO OF COOLING. TEMPERATURES WILL AVERAGE A FEW DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL WITH DEW POINTS/HUMIDITY ALSO ELEVATED BUT FALLING SHORT OF THE OPPRESSIVE RANGE. STILL...HEAT INDICES DO CROSS THE 100 DEGREE THRESHOLD ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTH AND EAST AND SOME HEAT RELATED HEADLINES MAY BE NEEDED AS TIME GOES ON. MAV/MEX/ECMWF NUMBERS ALL IN THE SAME TOASTY BALL PARK AND WILL BE GENERALLY ACCEPTED. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 90 71 92 69 / 10 10 10 10 CAMDEN AR 91 71 92 68 / 20 20 10 10 HARRISON AR 90 70 91 68 / 10 0 10 10 HOT SPRINGS AR 90 73 92 70 / 20 20 10 10 LITTLE ROCK AR 91 72 93 71 / 10 10 10 10 MONTICELLO AR 91 71 92 70 / 20 20 10 10 MOUNT IDA AR 88 70 90 67 / 20 20 10 10 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 93 69 93 68 / 0 0 10 10 NEWPORT AR 91 72 93 71 / 10 10 10 10 PINE BLUFF AR 89 71 93 70 / 10 10 10 10 RUSSELLVILLE AR 93 71 95 68 / 10 10 10 10 SEARCY AR 91 71 93 69 / 10 10 10 10 STUTTGART AR 90 72 92 71 / 10 10 10 10 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && AVIATION...56
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 500 AM CDT TUE JUN 19 2012 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-201000- 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 TUE JUN 19 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON WITH ANY ACTIVITY DISSIPATING AFTER SUNSET. WHILE A STRONG STORM OR TWO WITH GUSTY WINDS CAN NOT BE RULED OUT...WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH MONDAY AN ISOLATED AFTERNOON TO EVENING THUNDERSTORM WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER ARKANSAS THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. HOWEVER...THE OVERALL THREAT FOR ANY STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS IS VERY LOW. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO SLOWLY INCREASE AS THE PERIOD PROGRESSES WITH HUMIDITY ALSO CREEPING UPWARD. THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDICES NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE ONE HUNDRED DEGREES LATE IN THE WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND. .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. 56
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
44 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought developed over Boone County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme.
Severe drought developed over Marion County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over almost all of the county.
Severe drought developed over Baxter County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over all but the northeast corner and southern section of the county.
Severe drought developed over most of Fulton County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over all but the northern edge of the county.
Severe drought developed over Sharp County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over all but the southern part of the county.
Severe drought developed over Newton County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, extreme drought was occurring in the northern part of the county.
Severe drought developed over Searcy County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over the northwest corner of the county.
Severe drought developed over Stone County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over the northern tip of the county.
Severe drought developed over Izard County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over all but the southern tip of the county.
Severe drought developed over Johnson County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over all but the northern edge of the county.
Severe drought developed over Pope County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over all but the northern edge of the county.
Severe drought developed over Van Buren County soon after the middle of June. Before the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over all but the northern and western edges of the county.
Severe drought developed over Cleburne County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Independence County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over the eastern part of the county.
Severe drought developed over Yell County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over all the county except for portions of the west and south.
Severe drought developed over Logan County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over all but the southern part of the county.
Severe drought developed over Conway County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to the extreme category.
Severe drought developed over Faulkner County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over the northwest part of the county.
Severe drought developed over White County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over the extreme northeast part of the county.
Severe drought developed over Woodruff County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over the northern tip of the county.
Severe drought developed over Scott County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Perry County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over the northwest half of the county.
Severe drought developed over Polk County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Montgomery County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over a portion of southern Montgomery County.
Severe drought developed over Garland County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Saline County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Pulaski County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Lonoke County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Prairie County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Pike County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, conditions worsened to extreme over all but the western tip of the county.
Severe drought developed over Clark County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, conditions worsened to extreme.
Severe drought developed over Hot Spring County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over the western part of the county.
Severe drought developed over Grant County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Jefferson County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Dallas County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Lincoln County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over Calhoun County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, conditions worsened to extreme over all but small parts of northern and western Calhoun County.
Severe drought developed over Bradley County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, conditions worsened to extreme over the western part of the county.
Severe drought developed over Jackson County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, the drought worsened to extreme over but small portions of western and southern Jackson County.
Severe drought developed over the northern half of Monroe County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over the western and northern parts of Lincoln County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over the southwestern corner of Drew County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over portions of northern and eastern Ouachita County soon after the middle of June. By the end of the month, conditions worsened to extreme over a small part of eastern Ouachita County. The remainder of the county was under severe drought, except for the southwestern corner.
Severe drought developed over the western half of Arkansas County soon after the middle of June and then continued through the end of the month.
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: 380633, 380634, 380635, 380636, 380637, 380638, 380639, 380640, 380641, 380642, 380643, 380644, 380645, 380646, 380647, 380648, 380649, 380650, 380651, 380652, 380653, 380654, 380655, 380656, 380657, 380658, 380659, 380660, 380661, 380662, 380663, 380688, 380689, 380690, 380691, 380692, 380693, 380695, 380697, 380699, and more.