A line of strong to severe thunderstorms with a few tornadoes moved through the state on the evening of March 24th and early morning of the 25th.
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.
A line of strong to severe thunderstorms with a few tornadoes moved through the state on the evening of March 24th and early morning of the 25th.
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 24, 5:22 PM CST, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Little Rock AR 622 PM CDT Fri Mar 24 2017 .AVIATION... Forecasts continue to reflect the progression of current convection, moving east across western sections of the forecast area. A southerly near surface flow of 12-22 kts will be become southwesterly between 12 and 18z. 55 && .PREV DISCUSSION...(ISSUED 159 PM CDT Fri Mar 24 2017) SHORT TERM...Tonight Through Sunday Fairly quiet so far early this afternoon across the LZK CWA with the exception of breezy SRLY winds. Regional radar imagery depicts the linear cluster of SHRA/TSRA developing over ERN OK...with SHRA and a few TSRA lifting NNE into NW AR early this afternoon. Nothing SVR at this time. Not a whole lot of changes so far with regards to SVR Wx potential this afternoon and overnight. However...some details have changed...such as timing and an increased SVR WX threat for winds across SRN sections of the state. The closed upper low to the west will continue to slowly drift east this afternoon through Sat. As noted earlier...breezy SRLY winds are ongoing...and have seen dewpts increase into the upper 50s to low 60s as a result. Given these modest dewpts though...and with not a whole lot of increase in these values expected...this will continue to limit the overall SFC based instability expected through tonight. Due to this limit in instability...the primary SVR WX threat will remain damaging winds given the impressive dynamics and SHR associated with this synoptic cyclone moving over the region. This threat will also be greatest in the SRN sections of the state this evening...where some of the near-term high-res guidance is suggesting a large bowing line segment or a few smaller bowing segments traversing east across the state. Will state though that the threat for seeing tornadoes...while not high given the limited SFC based instability...will be highest in this region of the state as well. Any tornadoes that do develop will be in association with the leading edge of any of these bowing segments. Hail...while remaining a possibility with any organized cells...will be a more limited threat. Latest near-term guidance has indicated a more slow moving line of storms through the evening and overnight period. As a result...there may be increased heavy rain potential...with rainfall amounts ranging from 0.5 to over 2 inches possible through Sat morning. Some locally higher amounts could be seen. Expect the threat for flash flooding to exist given some training potential in a few areas. However...this doesn't look widespread enough for a flash flood watch. Keep the Lake Wind Adv going for the current time and spatial placement. However...this may need extending into Sat if the winds persist at the current levels. The storm system will slowly rotate over the region Sat...then push NE of the area by Sat night into Sun. Some wrap around moisture will keep some mention of SHRA and isolated TSRA for NRN sections of the state on Sat...but expect all areas to see drying conditions by Sun. These drier conditions will be short lived however as more potential for SHRA/TSRA and even SVR WX returns to the forecast for the active long term period. LONG TERM...Sunday Night Through Friday The parade of storm systems affecting Arkansas will continue through the extended periods...all bringing the potential for severe weather. In fact, the long term period start off with the next upper level shorwave impacting the area Sunday night and Monday. This system will be an open shortwave and relatively weak. Still, there will be enough lift, shear, and instability to sustain a few severe storms. The next system will be much stronger, as a large closed upper level low pressure system take shape across north Texas, and moves across Arkansas Wed afternoon and lingering across the area into Friday, followed by another system which is currently outside the 7 day forecast period. Each system will bring a weak cold front through the state, but only subtle temperatures changes expected. Generally, lows will be in the 50s and highs in the 70s for the entire extended forecast periods. && .LZK Watches/Warnings/Advisories... Lake Wind Advisory until 10 PM CDT this evening 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. && Aviation...99
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Little Rock AR 740 pM CDT Fri Mar 24 2017 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-251000- 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- 740 PM CDT Fri Mar 24 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a Large Part of Arkansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Thunderstorms will continue to move eastward this evening, from western sections of Arkansas, reaching eastern Arkansas during the late evening hours. Damaging wind gusts can be expected with the strongest storms. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday Through Thursday Unsettled weather will continue through the period with several additional storm systems expected to move across the area. There will be a chance for some severe weather over western Arkansas late Sunday and Monday...and then statewide on Wednesday. .Spotter Information Statement... Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and tonight. && Visit NWS Little Rock on the web. Go to http://weather.gov/lzk.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
804 PM CDT FRI MAR 24 2017
ARZ021-030-250145-
Johnson AR-Logan AR-
804 PM CDT FRI MAR 24 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL LOGAN AND SOUTHWESTERN
JOHNSON COUNTIES UNTIL 845 PM CDT...
At 804 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Ratcliff, or near Booneville, moving northeast at 50 mph.
Half inch hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Clarksville... Booneville...
Paris... Lamar...
Magazine... Subiaco...
Hartman... Scranton...
Ratcliff... Woodland...
Hinkle... Hoyt...
Midway in Logan County... Spadra...
Tokalon... Coal Hill...
Caulksville... Morrison Bluff...
Roseville... Dublin...
LAT...LON 3523 9392 3532 9391 3531 9381 3541 9380
3536 9375 3538 9371 3553 9370 3557 9340
3535 9341 3509 9392 3523 9403
TIME...MOT...LOC 0104Z 226DEG 43KT 3522 9391
CavanaughThe Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:11 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 7 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Several street signs were blown down as well as tree limbs. Winds were estimated to be at 50 mph.
EF0 Tornado moved through rural Garland county, Arkansas. The tornado brought down numerous trees.
The tornado started in Hot Spring County near the Saline county line. At the time it was in Hot Spring county, it was rated as a EF0 with just a few trees down.
After crossing into Saline County, the tornado strengthened and caused EF2 damage. Some buildings were damaged. An outbuilding suffered severe damage... with a roof of a new home being ripped off. A roof was nearly completely blown off a newly constructed house.
This tornado touched down near the end of Steele Road south of US highway 70 southeast of Lonsdale, knocking down or snapping many trees. Several outbuildings or barns were either severely damaged or destroyed as the tornado moved north-northeast. The tornado then crossed US highway 70 east of Lonsdale. A carport was lofted into trees north/east of US hwy 70, along with additional outbuildings being damaged or destroyed. The tornado continued north destroying another barn before lifting shortly afterwards.
Severe thunderstorms blew trees down around the highway 5 and 9 intersection.
A line of thunderstorms blew limbs down along Congo Road.
Numerous trees and powerlines were blown down in the Ferndale area.
Large sections of a roof were ripped off from a home on Barrett Road in Western Pulaski County.
The tornado touched down just south of the Pulaski/Faulkner County line, south of Frenchman Mountain Road around Lowridge road. This tornado destroyed 4 mobile homes and damaged others. 6 People were injured, with 3 people being hospitalized.
After the tornado crossed into Faulkner County, the tornado caused several trees to snap or be uprooted. Additional, the tornado caused minor roofing damage and an outbuilding to collapse.
After the tornado crossed into Faulkner County, the tornado caused several trees to snap or be uprooted. Additional, the tornado caused minor to major roof damage on several structures and destroyed one double-wide trailer.
A line of thunderstorms took several powerlines down in Searcy.
Powerlines and trees were reported down after a line of severe thunderstorms moved through.
A building was destroyed due to severe thunderstorm winds.
Severe thunderstorm winds took down several powerlines in Bald Knob.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Arkansas, 2017Warnings in Arkansas, March 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: 685156, 685158, 685166, 685172, 685183, 685267, 685264, 685270, 685271, 685204, 685205, 685206, 685273, 685272, 685274, 685275.