Early on the 7th, thunderstorms formed in a warm, humid air mass in advance of a cold front. Isolated severe weather and locally heavy rain occurred.
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.
Early on the 7th, thunderstorms formed in a warm, humid air mass in advance of a cold front. Isolated severe weather and locally heavy rain occurred. The storms diminished quickly by midday. However, by late afternoon, isolated severe storms redeveloped in western Arkansas. These storms moved off to the southeast and continued into the evening.
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 May 7, 2:44 AM CST, 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 344 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT CONVECTION HAS INCREASED ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS IN THE LAST HOUR...AS WEAK DISTURBANCE MOVES ACROSS SOUTHERN MISSOURI AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS AHEAD OF SURFACE COLD FRONT. SOME SMALL HAIL IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS ACTIVITY...BUT NOT EXPECTING SEVERE CRITERIA TO BE MET EARLY THIS MORNING. ATTENTION WILL TURN TO THE COLD FRONT CURRENTLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 44 IN OKLAHOMA AND MISSOURI. AS SURFACE LOW MOVES INTO THE GREAT LAKE REGION TODAY...THE PROGRESSION OF THE FRONT WILL SLOW DOWN...AND KEEP RAIN CHANCES OVER MUCH OF THE STATE TODAY. THE HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES WILL BE ACROSS THE NORTH AND EAST...AS UPPER ENERGY WILL ALLOW THE BEST LIFT ACROSS THESE AREAS. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA TODAY. WHILE WEAK WIND SHEAR WILL PRECLUDE A TORNADO RISK...DOWNBURST WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE DUE TO INSTABILITY LEVELS AND HIGH DEWPOINTS/MOISTURE AMOUNTS ACROSS THE AREA. EVEN WITH THE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS...RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN UNDER AN INCH...WITH THE HIGHEST TOTALS ACROSS THE EAST. AS THE SURFACE LOW CONTINUES TO MOVE OFF TO THE NORTHEAST...THE FRONT WILL STALL ACROSS SOUTHERN ARKANSAS TONIGHT...WITH RAIN CHANCES CONTINUING INTO TUESDAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE. COOLER AIR COURTESY OF CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT...WITH TEMPERATURES RETURNING TO NEAR NORMAL READINGS FOR TUESDAY AND BEYOND. HIGHS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE 70S...WITH LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S AND 50S. && .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE OVER THE STATE ON FRIDAY AND BRING DRY WEATHER AND CLOSER TO NORMAL TEMPERATURES TO THE STATE. LATE ON SATURDAY A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO SAG INTO THE STATE AND BRING A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. ON SUNDAY THE FRONT SHOULD SLIP A BIT MORE SOUTH WHERE ANY CONVECTION WOULD BE FOCUSED. UNCERTAINTY REMAINS IN THE MODELS AND THIS FORECAST MAY BE ADJUSTED. TEMPERATURES WILL BE MUCH CLOSER TO NORMAL IN THE EXTENDED FORECAST. && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM...58 / LONG TERM...59
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 940 PM CDT SUN MAY 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- 940 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...REST OF TONIGHT LATER TONIGHT...A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH NORTHERN ARKANSAS...WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING AHEAD OF FRONT...AND EVENTUALLY MOVING INTO PARTS OF NORTHERN ARKANSAS DURING THE LATE NIGHT HOURS. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS ACROSS THE NORTH AND WEST... OR IN AREAS NORTH OF A LINE FROM MENA TO MAMMOTH SPRING. THE MAIN CONCERNS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE STATE MONDAY...WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS REMAINING IN THE FORECAST. A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER IS POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE STATE MONDAY...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE. THE FRONT WILL STALL OVER SOUTHERN ARKANSAS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY...WITH SMALL RAIN CHANCES CONTINUING. CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL FINALLY PUSH THE FRONT OUT OF THE STATE WEDNESDAY...WITH TEMPERATURES RETURNING TO NEAR NORMAL FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED ON MONDAY. && VISIT NWS LITTLE ROCK ON THE WEB. GO TO HTTP://WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON CENTRAL ARKANSAS. 58/44
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 319 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012 ARZ014-016-024-070850- CLEBURNE AR-INDEPENDENCE AR-STONE AR- 319 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN STONE...EXTREME WESTERN INDEPENDENCE AND NORTHERN CLEBURNE COUNTIES UNTIL 345 AM CDT... AT 316 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES SOUTH OF LUBER...OR 11 MILES SOUTH OF MOUNTAIN VIEW...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. SMALL HAIL FROM PEA TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... MELROSE... LUBER... CONCORD... WOODROW... SAINT JAMES... PRIM... PARMA... MARCELLA... HANOVER... BREWER... BEN... WOLF BAYOU... SUNNY SLOPE... FIVEMILE... BULLARD LAKE... IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. LAT...LON 3587 9187 3566 9181 3562 9219 3579 9220 TIME...MOT...LOC 0818Z 260DEG 20KT 3571 9204 /59
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
330 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012
ARZ006-007-015-070930-
FULTON AR-IZARD AR-SHARP AR-
330 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN SHARP...NORTHEASTERN
IZARD AND FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 430 AM CDT...
AT 324 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...5 MILES WEST OF MORRISTON...OR 6
MILES SOUTHWEST OF SALEM...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
SMALL HAIL FROM PEA UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS
UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
SALEM... ASH FLAT... STURKIE...
SALEM ARPT... SADDLER FALLS... OXFORD...
MYRON... MORRISTON... MAMMOTH SPRING SP...
MAMMOTH SPRING... LAKE THUNDERBIRD... LAKE OMAHA...
HORSESHOE BEND... HARDY... FRENCH...
FRANKLIN... FLINT SPRINGS... CHEROKEE VILLAGE...
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.
LAT...LON 3650 9142 3616 9136 3608 9202 3644 9198
3651 9170
TIME...MOT...LOC 0829Z 257DEG 18KT 3629 9183
/59SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 340 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012 ARZ016-025-033-070940- INDEPENDENCE AR-JACKSON AR-WHITE AR- 340 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EXTREME NORTHERN WHITE...CENTRAL JACKSON AND INDEPENDENCE COUNTIES UNTIL 445 AM CDT... AT 337 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...NEAR WRENTON...OR 11 MILES SOUTH OF BATESVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. SMALL HAIL FROM PEA UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... NEWPORT... DIAZ... BATESVILLE... SALADO... PLEASANT PLAINS... OIL TROUGH... NEWARK... MOOREFIELD... MAGNESS... JACKSONPORT... THIDA... SULPHUR ROCK... ROSIE... ROOSEVELT... OLYPHANT... MACKS... HUTCHINSON... HUFF... IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. LAT...LON 3589 9128 3552 9120 3550 9174 3576 9173 TIME...MOT...LOC 0840Z 250DEG 12KT 3562 9167 /59
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 348 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012 ARZ014>016-024-070935- CLEBURNE AR-INDEPENDENCE AR-IZARD AR-STONE AR- 348 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN STONE...SOUTHERN IZARD...WESTERN INDEPENDENCE AND NORTHERN CLEBURNE COUNTIES UNTIL 430 AM CDT... AT 346 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...4 MILES SOUTH OF LUBER...OR 11 MILES SOUTH OF MOUNTAIN VIEW...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. SMALL HAIL FROM PEA UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO BE SEEN. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... MOUNTAIN VIEW... MELROSE... LUBER... HERPEL... GREERS FERRY... GID... CUSHMAN... CROKER... CONCORD... WOODROW... TWIN CREEK... SAINT JAMES... PRIM... PARMA... MARCELLA... LAFFERTY... IDA... HIGDEN... IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. LAT...LON 3600 9173 3558 9174 3554 9225 3596 9208 TIME...MOT...LOC 0848Z 249DEG 13KT 3571 9209 /59
The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:11 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 2 flash flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A large part of a tree was knocked down near Dam Site Marina.
The cooperative observer measured 4.40 inches of rain, most of which fell between 4:30 and 9:00 AM CDT.
A tree was blown down onto power lines.
Arkansas 14 was covered by water.
Arkansas 14 was covered by water.
Trees and power lines were blown down.
Trees and power lines were blown down.
Trees and power lines were blown down.
Trees were blown down in the Fordyce area.
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, May 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: 369224, 369231, 369225, 369227, 369230, 369232, 369239, 369240, 369365, 369241, 369366, 369370, 369371, 369367, 369368.