Heavy rains over several days brought flooding to many rivers in Arkansas. Through 6 am CST on the 25th, four to more than ten inches of water was measured in a five day period.
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.
Heavy rains over several days brought flooding to many rivers in Arkansas. Through 6 am CST on the 25th, four to more than ten inches of water was measured in a five day period. At many locations, this was two months of rain in just a few days. Amounts included 10.55 inches at Mount Ida (Montgomery County), 9.82 inches at Hot Springs (Garland County), and 8.83 inches at Little Rock (Pulaski 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 Feb 21, 6:05 AM CST, 4 hours 29 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated for Aviation National Weather Service Little Rock AR 605 AM CST Wed Feb 21 2018 .AVIATION... Widespread MVFR conditions/some IFR conditions will be noted through tonight with areas of rain and low clouds in the forecast. There will be isolated thunderstorms in southeast Arkansas. Winds will be north/northeast at 6 to 12 mph, with gusts from 16 to 20 mph in places. (46) && .SHORT TERM...Today Through Thursday Night Rain was slowly building to the southeast early this morning, and gradually tapering off in northwest Arkansas. It was becoming progressively colder. In fact, readings were around freezing in portions of Boone and Newton Counties, with some freezing rain reported. Given that ice amounts will be spotty/light, opted to issue a Special Weather Statement to address the possibility of slick spots on bridges/overpasses. Otherwise, this heavy rain event will now shift into the southeast half of the state today/tonight. Precipitation will be along/north of a cold front that will stall in far southeast Arkansas or northern Louisiana. It appears the south/east will get another two to four inches of liquid, with a Flood Watch for that part of the region. The watch farther north/west will expire this morning. Heavy rain may linger in the southeast Thursday morning, and that may be followed by a brief lull. The front will then push back to the north, with a new round of showers/isolated thunderstorms across the north/west Thursday night. A Flood Watch may be needed as rain could become excessive. Temperatures through the near term will not vary much. Readings will generally be below average during the daytime, and above average at night. && .LONG TERM...Friday Through Wednesday Unfortunately, a similar overall pattern will be in place at the start of the long term portion of the forecast which will provide continued chances for rain and flooding across the state. Upper ridge will be parked off the southeast Atlantic Coast with a large trough tracking across the Rockies toward the Northern Plains. Here locally, this will continue to provide southwesterly flow and abundant moisture to the state. Any disturbance that traverses the flow will help initiate showers and thunderstorms. By Saturday, a more robust shortwave will round the base of the trough and make its way northeast across the Southern Plains. Temperatures at the surface will be in the 60s and 70s, with dewpoints in the 60s for much of the area as well. 00z model guidance suggests some instability in place across the state with 50kts of shear as well. Low level jet will likely ramp up across eastern parts of the state during the afternoon hours. With the persistent ridging in place across the southeast, the strength and location of the approaching shortwave is in question and will likely determine any true threat for severe weather on Saturday. Stay tuned for updates, plenty of time for things to change. A cold front will make its way through the state Saturday night into Sunday, providing cooler, near normal temperatures to the area. Dry weather may be in place from Sunday into the early part of next week. But, it definitely doesn't look like a quiet (dry) period ahead. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Batesville AR 44 38 52 49 / 100 90 40 80 Camden AR 60 47 58 57 / 100 100 60 60 Harrison AR 34 34 50 46 / 50 50 40 90 Hot Springs AR 52 43 54 52 / 100 90 50 80 Little Rock AR 52 43 53 52 / 100 100 50 80 Monticello AR 62 48 60 59 / 100 100 80 40 Mount Ida AR 48 43 55 52 / 100 80 50 80 Mountain Home AR 36 34 51 47 / 60 60 40 90 Newport AR 47 39 52 51 / 100 90 40 80 Pine Bluff AR 57 45 56 54 / 100 100 70 60 Russellville AR 45 40 53 50 / 80 70 40 90 Searcy AR 50 41 52 51 / 100 90 50 80 Stuttgart AR 54 43 54 54 / 100 100 60 60 && .LZK Watches/Warnings/Advisories... Flood Watch through late tonight FOR Clark-Cleburne-Dallas- Faulkner-Garland-Grant-Hot Spring-Independence-Jackson-Lonoke- Montgomery-Ouachita-Perry-Pike-Polk-Prairie-Pulaski-Saline-White- Woodruff. Flood Watch until 6 AM CST early this morning FOR Baxter-Boone- Conway-Fulton-Izard-Johnson-Logan-Marion-Newton-Pope-Scott- Searcy-Sharp-Stone-Van Buren-Yell. Flood Watch through Thursday morning FOR Arkansas-Bradley- Calhoun-Cleveland-Desha-Drew-Jefferson-Lincoln-Monroe. && Short Term...46 / Long Term...67
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Little Rock AR 500 AM CST Wed Feb 21 2018 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-221100- 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- 500 AM CST Wed Feb 21 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a Large Part of Arkansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Areas of rain and isolated thunderstorms will gradually build into the southeast half of Arkansas today and tonight. This will be along and north of a cold front that will eventually stall in northern Louisiana. Precipitation will tend to taper off or become more spotty in the northwest. There could be a brief period of freezing rain in the far northwest this morning. In much of the south and east, rain will become heavy to possibly excessive through tonight. Two to four inches of liquid is in the forecast, with locally higher amounts. This includes areas from Mena, Conway, and Newport to the southeast. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday Through Tuesday Some rainfall will linger through the morning hours Thursday, mainly across southeastern portions of the area. Any rain that falls would likely only worsen expected flooding conditions. Additional heavy rainfall will return to the forecast by late Thursday through Sunday morning as the aforementioned front moves back to the north over the region. Rainfall totals across the state from Thursday through Sunday morning will likely be in the two to four inch range for many areas. As a result, the threat for widespread river and flash flooding will continue to increase throughout the week and into the weekend. Severe weather may be possible on Saturday as an upper level storm system approaches from the west. Even with well above normal temperatures expected and abundant moisture in place, certain atmospheric conditions appear to limit the severe weather threat. Be sure to monitor the latest forecast/outlooks for more information regarding these severe weather chances. .Spotter Information Statement... Due to a low severe weather concern, spotter activation is not anticipated through Friday. If there are severe storms, they appear most likely this weekend, and spotter activation may be required. && Visit NWS Little Rock on the web. Go to http://weather.gov/lzk. 46/67
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
944 AM CST WED FEB 21 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0930 AM FLASH FLOOD 1 SSW MIDWAY 34.24N 92.96W
02/21/2018 HOT SPRING AR UTILITY COMPANY
REMMEL DAM FLOW RATE OVER 45...000 CFS
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK1800057
CROSSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
949 AM CST WED FEB 21 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0948 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 ESE SWEET HOME 35.01N 92.72W
02/21/2018 M8.06 INCH PERRY AR MESONET
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK1800058
CROSSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
953 AM CST WED FEB 21 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0917 AM FLASH FLOOD SEARCY 35.25N 91.74W
02/21/2018 WHITE AR EMERGENCY MNGR
MULTIPLE ROADS FLOODED THROUGHOUT WHITE COUNTY... SOME
WITH WATER DAMAGE
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK1800059
CROSSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
956 AM CST WED FEB 21 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 AM HEAVY RAIN WEST LITTLE ROCK 34.77N 92.41W
02/21/2018 M5.00 INCH PULASKI AR SOCIAL MEDIA
HEAVY RAIN BROUGHT 5 INCHES OF RAIN AS OF 9 AM TO WEST
LITTLE ROCK BEHIND KROGER ON CHENAL.
&&
51PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
959 AM CST WED FEB 21 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0950 AM FLASH FLOOD AVILLA 34.68N 92.58W
02/21/2018 SALINE AR DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
MULTIPLE ROADS ARE FLOODED WITH WATER RUNNING OVER THEM
IN SEARCY COUNTY.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK1800060
CROSSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1031 AM CST WED FEB 21 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1015 AM HEAVY RAIN HOT SPRINGS 34.50N 93.05W
02/21/2018 M4.60 INCH GARLAND AR SOCIAL MEDIA
SINCE 7 PM 2/20/18 4.60 INCHES FELL ON CARPENTER DAM RD.
AT HOT SPRINGS
&&
51The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
15 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Saline River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Ouachita River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Petit Jean River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Fouche LaFave River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Little Missouri River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Ouachita River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the White River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Saline River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Little Red River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the White River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Saline River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the White River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Little Red River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the White River.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Arkansas River at Morrilton.
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, February 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: 742291, 742295, 742281, 742280, 742290, 742301, 742286, 742292, 742283, 742289, 742293, 742288, 742284, 742287, 742282.