A complex of strong to severe thunderstorms developed during the morning hours of July 14th over Southern Kansas and Northern Oklahoma ahead of an upper level shortwave trough, and quickly spread east southeast across Eastern Oklahoma into Southeast Oklahoma, Central and Southwest Arkansas during the mid and late afternoon hours. As these storms moved into Southwest Arkansas, they tracked along…
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 SHV wrote it up.
A complex of strong to severe thunderstorms developed during the morning hours of July 14th over Southern Kansas and Northern Oklahoma ahead of an upper level shortwave trough, and quickly spread east southeast across Eastern Oklahoma into Southeast Oklahoma, Central and Southwest Arkansas during the mid and late afternoon hours. As these storms moved into Southwest Arkansas, they tracked along a residual outflow boundary from a complex of showers and thunderstorms that moved through Southwest and Central Arkansas earlier that morning. Strong heating and instability developed along and south of this surface boundary during the afternoon, resulting in these storms intensifying across the southern half of Arkansas. As a result, widespread wind damage in the form of numerous downed trees, power lines, and some structural damage was reported across Northern McCurtain County Oklahoma and much of Southwest Arkansas, with these severe thunderstorms producing a strong cold pool/gust front which accelerated south. The severe gust front itself produced 60+ mph wind gusts, which downed trees and power lines well ahead of these thunderstorms, with the storms themselves also producing wind damage. The storms then developed southward into the eastern sections of North Central Louisiana during the evening behind the severe gust front, downing additional trees and power lines. The gust front began to gradually weaken after it moved south of Interstate 20, with wind damage reports becoming more sporadic before eventually diminishing over Central Louisiana just prior to midnight.
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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 14, 2:42 PM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Shreveport LA 342 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2016 .DISCUSSION... For the most part, today has been another carbon copy of heat and humidity, with heat indices just flirting with the 105 degree heat index threshold for heat advisory. However, subtle changes in position of upper ridge has allowed for a nw flow aloft pattern to infringe upon northern portions of the area...further cooling of mid lvl temps. A decayed nocturnal mcs has redeveloped over OK and movg sewd into area packing a big punch with widespread winds of 40 or more mph...and intense lgt strikes. Svr tstm watch issued for se OK/sw AR/and extreme ne corner of TX...until 9 pm. have upped pops to high end chance across northern portions of area, and expanded slgt chc to cover remainder of LA/TX and to include the entire overnight hours. NW flow to continue Friday, and gradually weakening over the wknd as the upper ridge expands once again as it begins to move into the central plains. Will see sct convection for much of the area on Friday, with coverage becmg questionable Saturday and finally minimal coverage of any convection by Sunday. Of course, with nw flow cannot assume that all convection will be diurnal. By early next week will see temps climb back into upper 90s and possibly near 100 with a more easterly flow locking in higher dewpoints, and any possible convection limited to more sea breeze type, as the upper ridge moves to a more northerly position, relative to our area. With that said, heat advisories may possibly be needed next week./VII/. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 104 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2016/ AVIATION... Mostly VFR conditions will continue through much of the 14/18Z TAF period. A sct cu field has developed over E TX/N LA early this afternoon...with SW AR expected to fill in by mid-afternoon. A stationary outflow bndry from morning convection over Cntrl AR is now focusing some cu towers just SW of HOT...to a LLQ and GLH line...with sct convection possibly developing by mid to late afternoon along it...shifting SSE late in the day. Any convection that develops along this bndry may near the ELD terminal by 00Z...but confidence remains too low to mention in the TAF attm. A larger cluster of convection has developed over Cntrl/NE OK early this afternoon...which should shift ESE into Wrn and Cntrl AR between 20-24Z. This convection may build farther Swd into extreme SE OK/SW AR by 00Z...and could affect the TXK/ELD terminals between 00-04Z. Will continue to monitor the current radar trends with amendments possible as confidence increases later today. Locally gusty winds...reduced vsbys...and MVFR cigs would be possible in/near the convection before it diminishes by late evening. Considerable convective debris should linger overnight/Friday morning...with additional sct -SHRA redevelopment possible over SW AR...with the higher confidence affecting the ELD terminal. Low MVFR cigs should develop between 09-12Z over the WSW portions of E TX...affecting the TYR/GGG/LFK terminals through mid-morning before scattering out. SSW winds 8-12kts this afternoon will diminish to 4-7kts after 00Z. /15/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SHV 78 96 77 96 / 20 20 20 20 MLU 76 95 76 92 / 30 30 30 30 DEQ 74 94 75 94 / 40 30 20 20 TXK 76 95 76 96 / 40 30 20 20 ELD 75 93 76 93 / 40 30 30 30 TYR 77 97 77 97 / 20 10 20 20 GGG 77 97 77 96 / 20 10 20 20 LFK 75 97 77 96 / 20 10 10 20 && .SHV Watches/Warnings/Advisories... AR...None. LA...None. OK...None. TX...None. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 1154 AM CDT THU JUL 14 2016 LAZ001>003-010>013-017>022-TXZ108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153- 165>167-151700- CADDO-BOSSIER-WEBSTER-DE SOTO-RED RIVER-BIENVILLE-JACKSON-SABINE- NATCHITOCHES-WINN-GRANT-CALDWELL-LA SALLE-FRANKLIN-TITUS-CAMP- MORRIS-CASS-WOOD-UPSHUR-MARION-SMITH-GREGG-HARRISON-CHEROKEE-RUSK- PANOLA-NACOGDOCHES-SHELBY-ANGELINA-SAN AUGUSTINE- 1154 AM CDT THU JUL 14 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...EAST TEXAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM ARE A REMOTE POSSIBILITY ACROSS PORTION OF THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. HOWEVER...AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX VALUES OF 100 TO 105 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. RAIN CHANCES BEGIN TO TAPER OFF AS WE HEAD INTO THE NEW WORK WEEK NEXT WEEK WITH DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WORK WEEK CLIMBING TO NEAR 100 DEGREES ACROSS THE ENTIRE FOUR STATE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS...AND STORM SPOTTERS WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ004>006-014-OKZ077-TXZ096-097- 151700- SEVIER-HOWARD-LITTLE RIVER-HEMPSTEAD-NEVADA-MILLER-LAFAYETTE- COLUMBIA-UNION-CLAIBORNE-LINCOLN-OUACHITA-MCCURTAIN-RED RIVER- BOWIE- 1154 AM CDT THU JUL 14 2016 ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY BEGIN TO DEVELOP BY MID AFTERNOON...WITH THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE POSSIBLY BECOMING SCATTERED BY THE EVENING HOURS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY BEGIN TO DEVELOP BY MID AFTERNOON...WITH THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE POSSIBLY BECOMING SCATTERED BY THE EVENING HOURS. ANY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THAT DEVELOPS DURING AFTERNOON HEATING TODAY COULD PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. OTHERWISE...THE HEAT WILL BE ON ONCE AGAIN TODAY WITH AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX VALUES ECLIPSING THE 100 DEGREE MARK. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. RAIN CHANCES BEGIN TO TAPER OFF AS WE HEAD INTO THE NEW WORK WEEK NEXT WEEK WITH DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WORK WEEK CLIMBING TO NEAR 100 DEGREES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS...AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. VII
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
325 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2016
OKZ077-142130-
MCCURTAIN OK-
325 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MCCURTAIN COUNTY UNTIL 430 PM
CDT...
AT 325 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF BIG
CEDAR TO 9 MILES EAST OF NASHOBA TO KOSOMA...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT
35 MPH.
WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BROKEN BOW...WRIGHT CITY...VALLIANT...MILLERTON...RUFE...OAK HILL...
SLIM...GOLDEN...PICKENS...BETHEL...SHERWOOD...SMITHVILLE...RINGOLD...
MOUNT HERMAN...PLUNKETVILLE...BATTIEST...HOCHATOWN...
WATSON AND GLOVER.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY
LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
IF ON OR NEAR BROKEN BOW LAKE...GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE
INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE OUT TO
15 MILES FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU
ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER NOW.
DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM.
&&
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ARKANSAS...AND SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.
LAT...LON 3451 9446 3412 9447 3403 9461 3395 9516
3424 9515 3425 9505 3451 9505
TIME...MOT...LOC 2025Z 315DEG 29KT 3473 9457 3448 9504 3435 9558
15SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
427 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2016
ARZ050-051-059-OKZ077-142215-
HOWARD AR-LITTLE RIVER AR-SEVIER AR-MCCURTAIN OK-
427 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN LITTLE RIVER...
HOWARD...SEVIER AND EAST CENTRAL MCCURTAIN COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM
CDT...
AT 426 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM OPAL TO NEAR COSSATOT RIVER
STATE PARK TO 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF BROKEN BOW...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST
AT 30 MPH.
HALF INCH HAIL AND STRONG WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE
WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DE QUEEN...DIERKS...HORATIO...UMPIRE...LOCKESBURG...WINTHROP...
GILLHAM...BEN LOMOND...CORINTH...ATHENS...CENTER POINT...OAK GROVE...
CENTRAL...GENEVA...LEBANON...MUDDY FORK...EAGLETOWN...BELLVIEW...
WEST LINE AND SILVER RIDGE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY
LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ARKANSAS...AND SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.
LAT...LON 3435 9394 3427 9394 3426 9392 3419 9392
3418 9382 3404 9382 3396 9388 3370 9428
3410 9464 3423 9447 3419 9447 3419 9425
3436 9425
TIME...MOT...LOC 2126Z 318DEG 24KT 3456 9401 3432 9424 3412 9455
15PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
442 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0355 PM TSTM WND DMG SMITHVILLE 34.47N 94.65W
07/14/2016 MCCURTAIN OK PUBLIC
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ON BEACHTON ROAD EAST SIDE OF
SMITHVILLE
&&
EVENT NUMBER SHV1600603
25The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 139 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:46 UTC.
12 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated to be near 70 mph. Several trees were downed inside De Queen, Arkansas.
Trees and powerlines were downed across the county but the worst damage to trees was in the Horatio and Lockesburg areas of Sevier County, Arkansas.
Trees were downed north and west of Nashville. Other trees were also downed across the county.
Powerlines were downed on Jacks Isle Road and Hwy. 32 near Millwood Lake. northeast of Ashdown, Arkansas.
Numerous large limbs and several trees downed east of Prescott, Arkansas.
Trees and powerlines were downed across the entire county.
Trees and powerlines were downed in Hope and outside the city limits as well.
A large tree and powerlines were downed on Spruce Street. Trees and powerlines were also downed on Hwy. 29 south of Lewisville, Arkansas.
Trees were downed in Smackover, including one tree that fell across a vehicle.
A measured gust of 59 mph was recorded by the ASOS at the El Dorado airport.
Trees and powerlines were downed throughout the county.
A large tree was snapped on Timberlane at the Old High School on the west side of El Dorado.
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, July 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: 637826, 637829, 637831, 637834, 637836, 637837, 637838, 637839, 637840, 637841, 637842, 637849.