Arkansas, 2018

Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Arkansas, January 15 to 16, 2018

January 15 to 16, 2018 · NWS LZK · 29 events in 24 counties and zones

It was mild on the 15th with readings in the 40s and 50s. The high at El Dorado (Union County) was 58 degrees, with 57 degrees at Monticello (Drew County), and 54 degrees at Mount Ida (Montgomery County).

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 27 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
29

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LZK wrote it up.

It was mild on the 15th with readings in the 40s and 50s. The high at El Dorado (Union County) was 58 degrees, with 57 degrees at Monticello (Drew County), and 54 degrees at Mount Ida (Montgomery County). During the nighttime hours and into the 16th, it turned sharply colder in central and southern sections of the state. Models showed moisture building over areas along and south of Interstate 40, and snow was expected to become heavy in places.

Six inches of flakes were measured at Camden (Ouachita County) and Palestine (St. Francis County), with five inches at England (Lonoke County), Redfield (Jefferson County), and Sheridan (Grant County), and four inches at Kingsland (Cleveland County), and Roe (Monroe County).

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 heavy snow, 12 winter weather, 5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Boone

When
January 15, 8:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Boone forecast zone
Reported by
Public

The multi-day accumulation of snow was 8.5 inches 2 miles east of Omaha. For the second system on the 15th/16th, the Omaha COOP Observer recorded 3.5 inches.

Heavy Snow, Baxter

When
January 15, 9:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Baxter forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
36.287, -92.337 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The multi-day accumulation of snow was 6.8 inches 6 miles northeast of Mountain Home. Gamaliel COOP measured 0.5 inches of snow by the morning observation... and eventually 4.5 inches from the late morning through the early afternoon, bring her total to 5.0 inches for that day.

Heavy Snow, Fulton

When
January 15, 9:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where
Fulton forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
36.382, -91.818 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Calendar day total through 5 pm CST was 3.8 inches.

Winter Weather, Garland

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Garland forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
34.577, -93.150 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

COOP observer in Jessieville reported 1.1 inches.

Heavy Snow, Monroe

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Monroe forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
34.678, -91.204 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow was reported in Roe, 4 inches.

Winter Weather, Montgomery

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer

A half an inch of sleet was measured at Mt. Ida.

Winter Weather, Pulaski

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Pulaski forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
34.770, -92.312 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The media reported 2.0 inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Prairie

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Prairie forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.830, -91.553 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow fell in Ulm and 3.0 inches was reported.

Heavy Snow, Lonoke

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Lonoke forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
34.754, -91.889 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Five inches of snowfall was reported with higher drifts.

Heavy Snow, Grant

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.290, -92.424 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Five inches of snow was reported.

Winter Weather, Drew

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Drew forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.589, -91.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two inches of snow was reported at Monticello.

Winter Weather, Saline

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Saline forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.647, -92.677 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two inches of snow was reported at Bryant.

Winter Weather, Hot Spring

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Hot Spring forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.318, -92.946 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three inches of snow was reported at Malvern.

Winter Weather, Clark

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Clark forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.051, -93.176 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three inches of snow was reported at Arkadelphia.

Heavy Snow, Ouachita

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Ouachita forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.593, -92.882 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 6.0 inches of snow was reported at Camden.

Heavy Snow, Jefferson

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.269, -91.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 5.0 inches of snow was reported at Redfield.

Heavy Snow, Dallas

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Dallas forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.970, -92.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A measured 4.3 inches of snow was reported 7 miles north northwest of Fordyce.

Heavy Snow, Cleveland

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Cleveland forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
33.898, -92.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A measured 4.0 inches of snow was reported at Kingsland.

Winter Weather, Arkansas

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Arkansas forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.291, -91.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 3.0 inches of snow was reported at Hermitage.

Winter Weather, Lincoln

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.958, -91.733 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 3.0 inches of snow was reported at Palmyra.

Winter Weather, Arkansas

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Arkansas forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.291, -91.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A measured 3.5 inches of snow was reported at De Witt.

Winter Weather, Woodruff

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 10:00 AM CST
Where
Woodruff forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.186, -91.243 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 2.5 inches of snow was reported at Mccrory.

Winter Storm, Arkansas

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Arkansas forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.291, -91.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A measured 3.5 inches of snow was reported at De Witt. Arkansas DOT reported several highways in the county snow covered and impassible.

Winter Storm, Lincoln

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.958, -91.733 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 3.0 inches of snow was reported at Palmyra and area the county. Arkansas DOT reported several county highways snow covered and impassable.

Winter Storm, Drew

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Drew forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.589, -91.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two inches of snow was reported in Monticello. Arkansas DOT reported that county highways were covered in snow.

Winter Storm, Clark

When
January 15, 9:00 PM CST to January 16, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Clark forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
34.051, -93.176 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Clark County received around 3 inches of snowfall, covering several county highways per Arkansas DOT.

Winter Storm, Desha

When
January 16, 12:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where
Desha forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
33.833, -91.254 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Public reported two to three inches of snowfall in Desha County. Arkansas DOT reported that roads were snow covered and impassable.

Heavy Snow, Calhoun

When
January 16, 12:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where
Calhoun forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.558, -92.503 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Public reported 4 to 5 inches in the Locust Bayou area of Calhoun County. Additionally, Arkansas DOT reported roads completely covered in snow.

Heavy Snow, Bradley

When
January 16, 12:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where
Bradley forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
33.466, -92.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Arkansas Department of Transportation reported roads completely snow covered in Bradley County. Public reported 2-3 inches of snowfall.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arkansas in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, January 2018

Sources

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 736654, 736655, 737779, 736694, 736711, 736713, 736716, 736720, 736728, 736733, 736735, 736739, 736741, 736742, 736743, 736744, 736747, 736748, 736751, 736754, 736757, 736762, 743142, 743144, 743638, 743639, 743640, 743641, 743642.