Heavy snow fell in parts of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains on February 23-24, 2016. Reports of 4-6 inches of snow were commonly reported in the higher elevations of the Ozarks and Ouachitas.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
Heavy snow fell in parts of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains on February 23-24, 2016. Reports of 4-6 inches of snow were commonly reported in the higher elevations of the Ozarks and Ouachitas. The maximum snowfall totals were reportedly 8.5 to 9 inches in the highest elevations of the mountains. Lower elevations received little to no snowfall making this a somewhat rare elevation driven snowfall event.
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 Feb 23, 3:12 PM CST, 1 hour 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 312 PM CST TUE FEB 23 2016 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT THE MAIN CONCERNS FOR THE SHORT TERM ARE THE CHANCES FOR WINTRY PRECIPITATION...AND STRONG WINDS...EXPECTED ACROSS THE STATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. AS SUCH THE DISCUSSION WILL FOCUS ON THAT. FIRST OFF...THE WINTER WEATHER ASPECT OF THIS SYSTEM. NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED THIS AFTERNOON. ELEVATION WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE WITH THIS SYSTEM...WITH HIGHER ELEVATIONS RECEIVING ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL AND ELEVATIONS BELOW 1000 FT SEEING NON-ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL FOR THE MOST PART. THE EXCEPTION TO LOW ELEVATIONS WILL BE IN THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST. STILL EXPECT TO SEE A CHANGEOVER FROM RAIN TO SNOW BY A FEW HOURS BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS. HAVE ALREADY HAD SOME REPORTS OF SLEET IN NORTHERN ARKANSAS...AND SOME RAIN/SNOW MIX IN HEAVY PRECIP RATES IN THE NORTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON. BETWEEN HEAVY PRECIPITATION RATES AND A SUBSTANTIAL DRY LAYER TO THE NORTH...IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO BE SEEING THESE REPORTS. HOWEVER...THINK A CHANGEOVER BACK TO ALL RAIN WILL OCCUR THIS AFTERNON AS THE COLUMN MOISTENS...WITH WINTRY PRECIPITATION NOT EXPECTED TO RETURN UNTIL LATE THIS EVENING. STILL THINK THAT ELEVATIONS NEAR/ABOVE 1000 FT ARE THE AREAS TO LOOK TO FOR ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT...WITH A GENERAL 1-3 INCH SNOWFALL EXPECTED. LOWER ELEVATIONS COULD SEE UP TO AN INCH...MAINLY IN WESTERN ARKANSAS. THE EXCEPTION TO THE LOW- ELEVATION CAVEAT WILL BE IN THE NORTHEAST WHERE LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL ALSO EXPERIENCE A 1-3 INCH SNOWFALL. DID CONTINUE TO MENTION RAIN/SNOW MIX IN THE ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY AND IN THE LITTLE ROCK METRO...BUT AGAIN...DO NOT EXPECT TO SEE MUCH IN THE WAY OF ACCUMULATIONS IN THESE AREAS. WINTRY PRECIPITATION SHOULD PULL OFF TO THE NORTHEAST BY MID MORNING. REGARDING WINDS...THE NAM CONTINUES TO BE THE FRONT RUNNER IN TERMS OF OBSERVED WINDSPEEDS ACROSS THE REGION...AND PLACEMENT/STRENGTH OF THE SURFACE LOW THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH FAR SOUTHEASTERN ARKANSAS AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. THE NAM INDICATES THAT PERHAPS THE WIND ADVISORY WE HAVE OUT MAY BE A BIT OVERDONE...HOWEVER I HAVE MY DOUBTS THAT WINDS WILL BE AS WEAK AS THE NAM ADVERTISES GIVEN THE PROXIMITY OF THE LOW AND THE FORECAST PRESSURE GRADIENTS ACROSS THE STATE. INDEED THERE ARE OTHER GUIDANCE SETS THAT INDICATE THE WIND ADVISORY IS WARRANTED AND AS SUCH HAVE STAYED THE COURSE WITH THAT. STILL THINK THE LOCATIONS THAT WILL SEE THE HIGHEST WINDS WILL BE IN THE DELTA REGIONS OF EASTERN ARKANSAS...AND ALSO ALONG THE HIGHEST TERRAIN OF THE OZARKS. GUSTS TO 50 MPH IN THOSE REGIONS SEEM VERY POSSIBLE. && .LONG TERM...THURSDAY THORUGH TUESDAY THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL BE OVERALL DRY WITH MODERATING TEMPS. A CHANCE OF RAIN ENTERS THE FORECAST LATE IN THE PERIOD. THURSDAY WILL SEE THE DEEP UPPER TROUGH MOVING MORE TO THE EAST...WHILE A FAST MOVING DRY FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. ONLY SOME CLOUDS WITH A WIND SHIFT TO THE NW ARE EXPECTED...WHILE TEMPS WILL BE AROUND NORMAL VALUES. ON FRIDAY...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION...AS SOME UPPER HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING BEGINS TO MOVE INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST. THIS WILL KEEP THE FORECAST DRY WITH WARMING TEMPS. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WILL SEE WARMER TEMPS...AS THE SURFACE HIGH MOVES EAST AND A SOUTH WIND FLOW RETURNS TO THE REGION. A CHANCE OF RAIN ENTERS THE FORECAST FOR LATE SUNDAY TO MONDAY...AS A COLD FRONT SAGS SOUTHEAST TO AR...THEN MOVES OUT OF THE STATE DURING THE DAY MONDAY. AT THIS TIME ONLY USED CHANCE POPS AND WILL FINE TUNE WITH LATER FORECASTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 34 46 32 49 / 100 80 10 0 CAMDEN AR 39 52 34 58 / 90 30 10 0 HARRISON AR 34 41 29 45 / 100 20 0 0 HOT SPRINGS AR 38 49 33 54 / 100 40 10 0 LITTLE ROCK AR 38 49 33 53 / 100 70 10 0 MONTICELLO AR 38 50 35 55 / 80 50 10 0 MOUNT IDA AR 37 48 32 54 / 100 20 10 0 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 35 44 30 46 / 100 40 10 0 NEWPORT AR 34 46 30 49 / 100 80 10 0 PINE BLUFF AR 38 49 33 53 / 100 70 10 0 RUSSELLVILLE AR 38 48 32 52 / 100 40 10 0 SEARCY AR 37 48 30 51 / 100 80 10 0 STUTTGART AR 36 48 31 52 / 100 80 10 0 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST WEDNESDAY FOR BAXTER-BOONE-CLEBURNE-CONWAY-FULTON-GARLAND- INDEPENDENCE-IZARD-JOHNSON-LOGAN-MARION-MONTGOMERY-NEWTON-PERRY- POLK-POPE-SCOTT-SEARCY-SHARP-STONE-VAN BUREN-YELL. WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR 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. && SHORT TERM...64 / LONG TERM...59
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 1147 AM CST TUE FEB 23 2016 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-241100- BOONE-MARION-BAXTER-FULTON-SHARP-NEWTON-SEARCY-STONE-IZARD- INDEPENDENCE-JOHNSON-POPE-VAN BUREN-CLEBURNE-JACKSON-LOGAN-CONWAY- FAULKNER-WHITE-WOODRUFF-SCOTT-YELL-PERRY-POLK-MONTGOMERY-GARLAND- SALINE-PULASKI-LONOKE-PRAIRIE-MONROE-PIKE-CLARK-HOT SPRING-GRANT- JEFFERSON-ARKANSAS-DALLAS-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-DESHA-OUACHITA- CALHOUN-BRADLEY-DREW- 1147 AM CST TUE FEB 23 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL DEVELOP AND MOVE OVER THE STATE TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. INITIALLY...SHOWERS AND SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SEEN DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS TODAY...BUT TEMPERATURES WILL DROP THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. TEMPERATURES LOOK TO GET COLD ENOUGH ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE STATE TO SEE RAIN MIXING WITH SNOW LATE THIS EVENING...THEN TRANSITION TO ALL SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. AT THIS TIME...THE BEST CHANCES FOR SEEING ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL WILL BE ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL THROUGH NORTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS THAT ARE 1000 FEET IN ELEVATION OR HIGHER. FORECAST ACCUMULATIONS ARE ON THE ORDER OF ONE TO THREE INCHES IN THOSE AREAS ABOVE 1000 FEET IN ELEVATION WITH LOWER AREAS LIKELY SEEING ONE INCH OR LESS. LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN THE OZARKS WHERE THE COLDEST AIR WILL RESIDE. SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS COULD ALSO BE SEEN FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST OF THESE AREAS. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL ALSO BE SEEN WITH THIS STORM SYSTEM LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT. NORTHERLY WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH COULD BE SEEN...WITH GUSTS OVER 40 MPH POSSIBLE. SOME LOCATIONS...ALONG THE I-40 AND US-67 CORRIDOR NORTHEAST AND EAST OF LITTLE ROCK...COULD SEE EVEN HIGHER WINDS. THESE AREAS COULD SEE SUSTAINED WINDS APPROACHING 40 MPH...WITH GUSTS POTENTIALLY OVER 45 TO 50 MPH THIS EVENING AND ESPECIALLY OVERNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SOME SNOW OR RAIN SNOW MIX WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE DURING THE MORNING HOURS ON WEDNESDAY. SOME ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS COULD BE SEEN IN THE MORNING HOURS BEFORE THE STORM SYSTEM LIFTS NORTHEAST OUT OF THE REGION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. PRECIPITATION WILL THEN END FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. EXPECT WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH...AND GUSTS OVER 40 MPH POSSIBLE. SOME LOCATIONS COULD STILL SEE SUSTAINED WINDS OVER 35 MPH...AND GUSTS OVER 45 MPH. EXPECT THESE WINDS TO LESSEN DURING THE AFTERNOON AND ESPECIALLY EVENING HOURS ON WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. HOWEVER...REPORTS OF ANY SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE APPRECIATED. && VISIT NWS LITTLE ROCK ON THE WEB. GO TO HTTP://WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON CENTRAL ARKANSAS. 62/226
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 winter weather, 4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
An estimated 8.5 inches of snow fell at Queen Wilhelmina State Park. Strong winds made it difficult to measure accurately. Park/Forest Service estimated 5.0 inches at 940 pm on the 23rd while several social media reports came in above 9 inches.
The Park/Forest Service reported 8.0 inches at 800 am on the 24th. There was also a report from Social Media that Mt. Magazine at 1035 pm on the 23rd measured 6.0 inches.
An estimated 1.5 inches of snow fell 20 miles south of Jasper.
A measured 3 inches of snow was reported in Botkinburg...according to the COOP observer. Sheriff estimated 2.0 inches of snow at Dodd Mountain.
The COOP Observer reported 7.5 inches in Compton. We also received reports from a COOP Observer in Fallsville of 4.5 inches...from Law Enforcement in Deer of 3.0 inches...from broadcast media that Mt. Sherman received 5.0 inches...and from the public that 5.5 inches was 11 S of Jasper.
The COOP Observer in Witts Spring reported 5.8 inches of snow at 754 am on the 24th.
An estimated 2.0 inches of snow fell in Harrison. 2.5 to 3.0 inches of snow was reported in Ridgeway by Social Media.
An estimated 1.0 inch of snow fell at Yellville...estimated by the Sheriffs office.
An estimated 1.0 inch of snow fell at Hardy.
An estimated 2.5 inches of snow was reported in Viola at 615 am. An estimated 1.0 inch of snow fell at Salem...estimated by the Sheriffs office at 534 am.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, February 2016
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: 621155, 621158, 619840, 619919, 621161, 621162, 619875, 619910, 619889, 619922.