Abnormally dry weather continued across much of Arkansas during the month of December and fueled the spread of extreme (D3) drought conditions over parts of Northeast Arkansas. Dry conditions negatively impacted pastures, triggering more feeding of hay, and causing concern for hay shortages for the winter months.
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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 MEG wrote it up.
Abnormally dry weather continued across much of Arkansas during the month of December and fueled the spread of extreme (D3) drought conditions over parts of Northeast Arkansas. Dry conditions negatively impacted pastures, triggering more feeding of hay, and causing concern for hay shortages for the winter months. The drought caused river and lake levels to be at low levels.
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 Memphis, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 12, 5:18 AM CST, 42 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 518 AM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 .UPDATE...Aviation Discussion. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 313 AM CST Tue Dec 12 2017/ DISCUSSION... Currently a well mixed boundary layer was keeping temperatures milder tonight in the wake of yesterday's evening frontal passage. Readings ranged from the mid 40s to 50F. Winds speeds were generally in the 10-20 mph range with skies mostly cloudy. Today through Friday...northwest flow aloft will keep the Midsouth dry...with the passage of two more distinct disturbances that will see-saw temperatures below and above normals. The next shortwave will arrive tomorrow evening...so after a cooler start today temperatures will warm a good 7 to 10 degrees for highs Wednesday. Reinforcing cooler air will surge back into the area Thursday and Friday as the next shortwave ripple dives southeast from the Dakotas. The GFS continues to show a period of stronger lift Friday that may squeeze out sprinkles or morning snowflakes. The overall greatest concern the next four days will be an elevated fire danger. Today's afternoon RH's will drop into the mid 20's to low 30's..but fortunately the 20ft winds will have weaken to below redflag criteria. Slightly greater humidity is anticipated tomorrow through Friday...but the persistent dry weather could keep the area primed for a continued fire danger. Saturday through Monday...the GFS has been consistently showing a change in the pattern...with the upper level flow backing southwesterly as a trough digs into the southern Rockies. This will provide for a northern surge of midlevel subtropical and low level gulf moisture from Texas. The current 00z run from the ECMWF has gotten on board with this thinking...and has gone even further in showing the trough getting pinched off from the main jetstream across the north. Either solution will bring about a welcomed 36 hour window for rain. The Weather Prediction Center...along with several of the GEFS solutions show the brunt of this precipitation occurring south of I-40...where upwards of an inch could be seen. The Euro's 500mb cut-off low would provide the whole area this soaking. Have increased pops starting Saturday night through Monday morning...and added the threat for fog as well...which could become dense. Temperatures this period will be above normal with readings remaining above freezing. JAB && .AVIATION...12z TAFs Patchy midlevel clouds will dissipate early this morning. Winds will be from the north to Northwest 10-15kt with gusts near 20kt today...diminishing to 5-10kt overnight. Winds will shift from the Southwest early tomorrow. VFR conditions will prevail. && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Memphis TN 303 AM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-131115- Alcorn-Benton MS-Benton TN-Calhoun-Carroll-Chester-Chickasaw-Clay- Coahoma-Craighead-Crittenden-Crockett-Cross-DeSoto-Decatur- Dunklin-Dyer-Fayette-Gibson-Greene-Hardeman-Hardin-Haywood- Henderson-Henry-Itawamba-Lafayette-Lake-Lauderdale-Lawrence- Lee AR-Lee MS-Madison-Marshall-McNairy-Mississippi-Monroe-Obion- Panola-Pemiscot-Phillips-Poinsett-Pontotoc-Prentiss-Quitman- Randolph-Shelby-St. Francis-Tallahatchie-Tate-Tippah-Tipton- Tishomingo-Tunica-Union-Weakley-Yalobusha- 303 AM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of East Arkansas... the Missouri Bootheel...North Mississippi...and West Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Elevated fire danger is expected today across the entire Midsouth. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Elevated fire danger will be possible across all the Midsouth on Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time. JAB
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions developed across the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, December 2017
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: 731642.