The month began with a severe weather episode across northern and western Arkansas that started on November 30th. There were quite a few reports of wind damage during the wee hours of December 1st.
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.
The month began with a severe weather episode across northern and western Arkansas that started on November 30th. There were quite a few reports of wind damage during the wee hours of December 1st. The most extensive destruction was at Ash Flat (Sharp County), with roofs off of buildings, a storage building thrown, and trailers tossed across a parking lot into a ditch. Winds were likely over 80 mph. A 67 mph wind gust was measured at Flippin (Marion County).
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 Nov 30, 11:07 PM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Little Rock AR 1107 PM CST Fri Nov 30 2018 .AVIATION...06Z TAF Cycle ISOL to SCT SHRA/-TSRA across much of the forecast area at the opening of the TAF cycle. SHRA/TSRA to become NUMRS from west to east across the region at the beginning of the TAF period as a line of strong thunderstorms enters the state from the west. Thunderstorms to push into the eastern portion of the forecast area and diminish between 10-13Z. VFR conditions to prevail area- wide after 16Z through the remainder of the TAF period. && .PREV DISCUSSION...(ISSUED 544 PM CST Fri Nov 30 2018) AVIATION... ISOl to SCT TSRA developing across the forecast area and expect convection to become more widespread through the evening hours with strong gusty winds, hail, and isolated tornadoes possible. Convection to wind down from west to east after about 09Z tonight. PREV DISCUSSION...(ISSUED 312 PM CST Fri Nov 30 2018) SHORT TERM...Tonight Through Sunday Scattered showers developing across southern Arkansas early this afternoon. Lots of low clouds are keeping temperatures in the 60s to lower 70s in most areas. 18z sounding from KLIT showing about 1300 J/kg of surface based CAPE, with some capping noted. Perfect loaded gun sounding, with release of more pronounced convection/storms in the next few hours. This will happen in central/southern sections and lifting into the northern counties this evening. Main upper level feature/cold front still lagging to the west, and that will come into play toward midnight. Another round of storms will arrive in western Arkansas from eastern Oklahoma/northeast Texas. From there, storms will sweep eastward across the state, and should weaken as atmosphere becomes less unstable. While instability will be marginal during the event, wind fields assocaited with the incoming upper system will be out of this world. Shear values/turning of winds will increase markedly through the evening, making wind damage and isolated tornadoes more likely. Another aspect of the event will be the rain. From central into northeast Arkansas, a swath of two to three inch amounts is expected through dawn Saturday. Given this much rain, flash flooding could occur in places. All precipitation will sweep to the east Saturday morning, with rapid clearing behind the upper system. Breezy conditions will be noted, with mild air still in place and above average temperatures in the forecast. It will remain mild Saturday night/Sunday, but a new cold front will push through the area. This will bring much cooler air in the extended period. LONG TERM...Sunday Night Through Friday Expect a much cooler start to your work week with nearly zonal flow. There remains the chance for slight pops on Monday lingering across North Arkansas. Temperatures will be coolest on Tuesday/Wednesday with highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s by Tuesday night. The weather will be pretty benign until Friday when the next storm system will approach from the plains. Substantial precipitation will be possible with this system next weekend. Stay tuned. && .LZK Watches/Warnings/Advisories...NONE. && Short Term...19 / Long Term...57 Aviation...19
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Little Rock AR 714 PM CST Fri Nov 30 2018 ARZ003>008-012>017-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-011100- Boone-Marion-Baxter-Fulton-Sharp-Randolph-Newton-Searcy-Stone- Izard-Independence-Lawrence-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- 714 PM CST Fri Nov 30 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a Large Part of Arkansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight Showers and thunderstorms will continue through the overnight hours. Some thunderstorms will be severe. Damaging wind gusts will be the primary concern with any severe thunderstorms, and a few tornadoes will be possible. Large hail could also occur. The best chances for seeing severe thunderstorms will be across the southwestern half of the area...or generally along and southwest of a line from Clarksville to Little Rock to Monticello. The threat for seeing severe weather will be more isolated further northeast of this line. Rainfall amounts of one to two inches are expected...with locally heavier amounts possible. This may lead to some localized flash flooding. Expect the threat for thunderstorms and severe weather to decrease from west to east early Saturday morning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday Through Thursday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .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. 57
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
701 PM CST FRI NOV 30 2018
ARZ045-046-010145-
Lonoke AR-Prairie AR-
701 PM CST FRI NOV 30 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN PRAIRIE AND EAST CENTRAL
LONOKE COUNTIES UNTIL 745 PM CST...
At 701 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Barrettsville, or 10 miles northwest of Hazen, moving northeast at 25
mph.
Nickel size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Des Arc... Barrettsville...
Sand Hill... Hayley...
Jasmine... Childers...
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 200 AM CST for central and
eastern Arkansas.
LAT...LON 3497 9137 3482 9170 3485 9175 3496 9176
3504 9165 3503 9164 3502 9161 3503 9159
3509 9158 3509 9147 3507 9145 3507 9148
3506 9148 3505 9137
TIME...MOT...LOC 0101Z 229DEG 21KT 3490 9169
CavanaughSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
745 PM CST FRI NOV 30 2018
ARZ003-010215-
Boone AR-
745 PM CST FRI NOV 30 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BOONE COUNTY UNTIL 815 PM CST...
At 745 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Harrison, moving north at 45 mph.
Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Harrison... Diamond City...
Bergman... Lead Hill...
Myrtle... Capps...
Self... Willis...
Bellefonte... Crumpler Subdivision...
South Lead Hill... Batavia...
Bear Creek Springs... New Hope in Boone County...
Hopewell in Boone County... Ridgeway...
Bull Shoals Lake...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 200 AM CST for north central
Arkansas.
LAT...LON 3650 9286 3647 9286 3649 9288 3643 9289
3612 9302 3618 9325 3650 9315
TIME...MOT...LOC 0145Z 198DEG 40KT 3623 9312
57PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
756 PM CST FRI NOV 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0734 PM HAIL SUMMIT 36.25N 92.69W
11/30/2018 E0.75 INCH MARION AR PUBLIC
PENNY-SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT HILLTOP LIQUOR IN SUMMIT.
TIME EST. FROM RADAR.
&&
COOPERThe Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 89 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:06 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was reported down on a car on Highway 103 about 12 miles north of Clarksville, AR.
Sporadic tree damage occurred with associated power outages in eastern Logan County.
A tree was blown down in Hector.
Trees and power lines were blown down in Harrison.
Winds ripped the back door off its hinges on a home on Union Road.
Trees and power lines were blown down in several places throughout the county.
A tree was downed in the Ralph-Caney area.
A 67 mph wind gust was recorded at the Flippin-Marion County Regional Airport.
There were reports of roofs blown off buildings, and trailers were thrown across the parking lot and in ditches.
Trees and power lines were reported down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, December 2018
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: 795220, 795221, 795222, 795223, 795224, 795225, 795226, 795227, 795228, 795229, 795230.