After springlike conditions were seen across Arkansas on March 3rd, a strong cold front surged southeast across the state on the 4th. Abundant moisture remained in place as the colder air arrived, generating widespread wintry precipitation across the state.
Every event with a place to put it; 34 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.
After springlike conditions were seen across Arkansas on March 3rd, a strong cold front surged southeast across the state on the 4th. Abundant moisture remained in place as the colder air arrived, generating widespread wintry precipitation across the state. Several inches of sleet and snow resulted, causing significant travel hazards and resulting automobile accidents.
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 Mar 4, 10:44 AM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 1044 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES MADE TO THE SHORT TERM FOR THE MORNING UPDATE. HOWEVER...DID NEED TO MAKE SOME SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON OBSERVATIONAL TRENDS. THE SUB-FREEZING AIR IS LAGGING BEHIND THE FRONT AS EXPECTED...BUT IT IS ALSO LAGGING BEHING PREVIOUS FORECASTS GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. HAVE PUSHED THE ARRIVAL TIME OF FREEZING AIR TO MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS BACK ABOUT 2-3 HOURS. FOR EXAMPLE THE PREVIOUS THINKING WAS AN ARRIVAL TIME OF FREEZING AIR AT HARRISON BY 7AM THIS MORNING...BUT IT WAS NEARLY 830 AM BEFORE IT ARRIVED. LIKEWISE THE ARRIVAL TIME OF FREEZING AIR IN THE LITTLE ROCK METRO WAS FORECAST FOR 3-4 PM...BUT HAVE PUSHED THAT BACK TO AROUND 6 PM NOW. THE FORECAST TRENDS OVERALL REMAIN THE SAME WITH RESPECT TO PRECIP TYPE AND HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE ANY GIVEN LOCATION TO TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO FREEZING RAIN...AND THEN ON TO SLEET AND SNOW IF APPLICABLE. IN LIGHT OF THAT...HAVE NOT ADJUSTED THE EXPECTED AMOUNTS AT THIS TIME AS WINTRY PRECIPITATION STILL APPEARS LIKELY...AND ALSO BECAUSE THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF PRECIPITATION LEFT TO MOVE THROUGH. WILL MONITOR OBS AND TEMP TRENDS THROUGH THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON AND ADJUST...IF NECESSARY...EXPECTED ICE...SLEET...AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AT THAT TIME. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 543 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015/ AVIATION... WINTER PRECIP WILL MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN TAFS AROUND 15Z...CENTRAL TAFS AROUND 21Z...AND SOUTHERN TAFS AFTER 05/00Z. AFTER -RA THIS MORNING...THERE WILL BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF FZRA BEFORE CHANGING TO PL...AND THEN SN. LIFR/IFR CONDITIONS WILL PREDOMINATE...WITH SOME IMPROVEMENT AFTER 05/06Z ACROSS THE NORTH. NORTH WINDS WILL BE GUSTY...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE EAST THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 540 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY COLDER AIR IS COMING...BUT JUST A LITTLE SLOWER IN THE LATEST DATA. GIVEN THIS...TRENDED RAIN TO A WINTRY MIX A BIT LATER IN MOST LOCATIONS. RAIN WILL CHANGE TO FREEZING RAIN/SLEET IN THE OZARKS THIS MORNING...WITH A TRANSITION TO SNOW EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. IT WILL RAIN IN CENTRAL SECTIONS OF ARKANSAS THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS BEFORE TEMPERATURES FINALLY FALL BELOW FREEZING. SUBFREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL NOT ARRIVE IN THE SOUTH UNTIL THIS EVENING. BY THE TIME WE GET INTO THE LATE NIGHT HOURS AND EARLY THURSDAY...MUCH OF WHAT FALLS ACROSS THE NORTH WILL BE SNOW. ACROSS THE CENTRAL COUNTIES...THERE WILL BE A LOT OF SLEET WITH SOME SNOW TO FINISH THE EVENT. IN THE SOUTH...IT WILL BE FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET...AND A LITTLE SNOW AS PRECIPITATION WINDS DOWN. ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW/SLEET WILL BE HIGHEST IN THE NORTHEAST...WHERE SIX INCHES PLUS IS POSSIBLE. FOUR TO SIX INCHES WILL BE COMMON IN THE NORTH...WITH TWO TO FOUR INCHES CENTRAL AND A HALF INCH UP TO TWO INCHES IN THE SOUTH. ALL OF THIS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF MOISTURE BEHIND THE FRONT THAT PUSHED THROUGH THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY. GIVEN A SPLIT FLOW ALOFT...THE POLAR JET IS DRIVING THE FRONT/COLD AIR... AND THE SUBTROPICAL JET IS PROVIDING THE MOISTURE. WHEN BOTH JETS ARE WORKING IN TANDEM...THAT OFTEN RESULTS IN WINTER STORMS LIKE THIS. BESIDES THE WINTRY MIX...WINDS WILL PICK UP FROM THE NORTH/NORTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE STATE. GIVEN HEAVY ACCUMULATION OF SNOW/ICE...GUSTY CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE SOME POWER OUTAGES. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT TODAY/TONIGHT FOR ALL OF THE COUNTY WARNING AREA. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS POSTED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT IN CENTRAL/EASTERN ARKANSAS...WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS IN THE DELTA REGION. ROADS WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS...ESPECIALLY GIVEN WELL BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES TONIGHT. OTHER THAN SOME LEFTOVER LIGHT SNOW THURSDAY MORNING...CLOUDS WILL DECREASE BUT TEMPERATURES WILL BE WAY BELOW NORMAL. LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE SETTLING OVER THE STATE THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE EAST. HIGHS WILL WARM ON FRIDAY...BUT WILL BE INHIBITED BY SNOW COVER...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST. AS THE HIGH SHIFTS TO THE SOUTHEAST...SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL BRING WARMER READINGS FOR SATURDAY...WITH READINGS CLIMBING ABOVE FREEZING IN THE EAST. GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW GULF MOISTURE MOVING NORTH AS A COASTAL LOW MOVES EAST. HAVE KEPT FORECAST DRY...AS MODELS SHOW THIS FEATURE STAYING SOUTH OF THE STATE. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM INTO THE 50S...AND WHILE IT IS STILL BELOW NORMAL...IT IS BETTER THAN THE SLEET/SNOW IN THE SHORT TERM. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 46 20 29 10 / 100 100 20 10 CAMDEN AR 63 25 35 17 / 100 100 30 10 HARRISON AR 34 16 29 13 / 100 80 10 10 HOT SPRINGS AR 55 24 34 15 / 100 100 20 10 LITTLE ROCK AR 52 23 31 14 / 100 100 20 10 MONTICELLO AR 66 25 31 15 / 100 100 30 10 MOUNT IDA AR 52 23 34 15 / 100 100 10 10 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 35 15 30 12 / 100 80 10 10 NEWPORT AR 44 21 26 9 / 100 100 20 10 PINE BLUFF AR 55 24 30 14 / 100 100 30 10 RUSSELLVILLE AR 49 21 33 16 / 100 100 10 10 SEARCY AR 49 21 29 10 / 100 100 20 10 STUTTGART AR 50 23 29 13 / 100 100 20 10 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST THURSDAY FOR ARKANSAS-BRADLEY- CALHOUN-CLARK-CLEBURNE-CLEVELAND-DALLAS-DESHA-DREW-FAULKNER- GARLAND-GRANT-HOT SPRING-INDEPENDENCE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-LINCOLN- LONOKE-MONROE-OUACHITA-PIKE-PRAIRIE-PULASKI-SALINE-SHARP-WHITE- WOODRUFF. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST THURSDAY FOR CLEBURNE-CONWAY- FAULKNER-GARLAND-INDEPENDENCE-JACKSON-JOHNSON-LOGAN-LONOKE- MONROE-MONTGOMERY-PERRY-POLK-POPE-PRAIRIE-PULASKI-SALINE-SCOTT- VAN BUREN-WHITE-WOODRUFF-YELL. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST THURSDAY FOR BAXTER-BOONE- FULTON-IZARD-MARION-NEWTON-SEARCY-SHARP-STONE. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST THURSDAY FOR ARKANSAS-BRADLEY-CALHOUN-CLARK-CLEVELAND-DALLAS-DESHA-DREW- GRANT-HOT SPRING-JEFFERSON-LINCOLN-OUACHITA-PIKE. && 64
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 500 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-051100- 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 CST WED MAR 4 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT PERIODS OF RAIN WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTH. THE BIGGER STORY WILL BE THE WINTER WEATHER CONCERNS AS COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION. THERE WILL BE A MIXTURE OF PRECIPITATION TYPES...WITH A WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR ALL AREAS. ACROSS NORTHERN ARKANSAS...THERE WILL BE A BRIEF TIME OF FREEZING RAIN AROUND MID MORNING...BEFORE PRECIPITATION CHANGES OVER TO SLEET. SNOW WILL DEVELOP AFTER NOON...AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 3 TO 6 INCHES ACROSS THE NORTH. ACROSS CENTRAL ARKANSAS...THE TIME OF CHANGEOVER WILL BE THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. THERE WILL BE A BRIEF TIME OF FREEZING RAIN...BUT THE PREDOMINANT PRECIPITATION TYPE WILL BE SLEET. THERE WILL BE SEVERAL HOURS OF SLEET...WITH A CHANGEOVER TO SNOW DURING THE EVENING HOURS. SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. FREEZING RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF A TENTH TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS EAST CENTRAL ARKANSAS. SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...WITH ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. ACROSS SOUTHERN ARKANSAS...RAIN WILL CHANGEOVER TO FREEZING RAIN AFTER SUNSET. THERE WILL BE FREEZING RAIN THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...WITH A CHANGEOVER TO SLEET AROUND MIDNIGHT...AND THEN SNOW IN THE PRE DAWN HOURS. FREEZING RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF A TENTH TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS. SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...WITH ANOTHER HALF OF AN INCH TO TWO INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. A GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHWEST WIND WILL ALSO OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...WHICH MAY WORSEN POWER OUTAGE CONCERNS WITH ANY ICE ACCUMULATION ON UTILITY LINES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY CHANCES OF SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS THURSDAY FOR LOCATIONS SOUTHEAST OF LITTLE ROCK. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN MOVE INTO THE REGION...WITH DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. THE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING COLD TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION...WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS FRIDAY MORNING IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO THE TEENS. THERE WILL LIKELY BE SEVERAL RECORD LOWS BROKEN. TEMPERATURES WILL SLOWLY WARM THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH ALL AREAS ABOVE FREEZING SATURDAY AFTERNOON...AND WARMER TEMPERATURES CONTINUING THROUGH TUESDAY. .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. 58
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
32 winter storm, 13 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 2 to over 4 inches were observed across the county. Most of the accumulations was from snowfall.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to over 5 inches were observed across the county. Most of the accumulations was from snowfall. Several accidents were reported, including a plow truck that overturned outside of Flippin.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 6 to 8 inches were observed across the county. Most of the accumulations was from snowfall. Several accidents were reported.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 4 to over 7 inches were observed across the county. Most of the accumulations was from snowfall.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 4 inches were observed across the county. Most of the accumulations was from snowfall. Several accidents were reported.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 4 inches were observed across the county. Most of the accumulations was from snowfall. Several accidents were reported.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches were observed across the county. Most of the accumulations was from snowfall. Several accidents were reported.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 5 to 6 inches were observed across the county. Most of the accumulations was from snowfall. Several accidents were reported.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 5 to 8 inches were observed across the county. Most of the accumulations was from snowfall. Several accidents were reported.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 3 inches were observed across the county.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 4 to 6 inches were observed across the county.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches were observed across the county.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches were observed across the county.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 2 to 3 inches were observed across the county.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 2 to 3 inches were observed across the county.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches were observed across the county. Sleet accumulations alone were as high as 1 to 2 inches, with an additional 2 to 3 inches of snow on top of the sleet.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 5 to 6 inches were observed across the county.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 3 inches were observed across the county.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 2 to 3 inches were observed across the county.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches were observed across the county.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches were observed across the county.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches were observed across the county.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches were observed across the county.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches were observed across the county. Sleet accumulations accounted for upwards of 3 inches of this total accumulation. Several accidents were caused by the hazardous travel conditions from the wintry weather.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 3 inches were observed across the county.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 2 to 3 inches were observed across the county.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 4 to 5 inches were observed across the county. Several accidents were reported.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches were observed across the county. Sleet accumulations alone were as high as 1 to 3 inches, with an additional 2 to 3 inches of snow on top of the sleet.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 4 to 6 inches were observed across the county. Sleet accumulations accounted for upwards of 3 inches of this total accumulation.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 5 to 8 inches were observed across the county. Sleet accumulations accounted for upwards of 3 inches of this total accumulation.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches were observed across the county. Several accidents were reported.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 4 to 6 inches were observed across the county. Sleet accumulations alone were as high as 2 to 3 inches, with an additional 1 to 2 inches of snow on top of the sleet.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 4 to 6 inches were observed across the county. Sleet accumulations alone were as high as 2 to 3 inches, with an additional 2 to 3 inches of snow on top of the sleet.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches were observed across the county.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 2 to 3 inches were observed across the county.
Snow and sleet accumulations of around 1 inch were observed across the county.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches were observed across the county.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 4 to 5 inches were observed across the county. Several accidents were reported.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 4 inches were observed across the county. Sleet accumulations alone were as high as 2 to 3 inches, with an additional 1 to 2 inches of snow on top of the sleet.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 4 inches were observed across the county. Sleet accumulations alone were as high as 2 to 3 inches, with an additional 1 to 2 inches of snow on top of the sleet.
Total sleet and snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches were observed across the county. Sleet accumulations alone were as high as 1 to 3 inches, with an additional inch or so of snow on top of the sleet.
Sleet and snow accumulations of 3 to 4 inches were observed across the county. Several accidents were reported.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches were observed across the county.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches were observed across the county.
Snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches were observed across the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, March 2015
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: 558668, 558669, 558670, 558724, 558671, 558672, 558673, 558674, 558675, 558676, 558707, 558708, 558709, 558677, 558678, 558705, 558706, 558722, 558679, 558710, 558711, 558712, 558713, 558714, 558723, 558680, 558688, 558701, 558716, 558718, 558689, 558694, 558695, 558719, 558681, 558684, 558686, 558687, 558693, 558691, and more.