Arkansas, 2018

Excessive Heat in Arkansas, July 19 to 20, 2018

July 19 to 20, 2018 · NWS TSA · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

An upper level ridge of high pressure over the south central United States resulted in a period of unseasonably hot weather over the area in late July. Temperatures on the 19th and 20th climbed to near 105 degrees across west central Arkansas.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 TSA wrote it up.

An upper level ridge of high pressure over the south central United States resulted in a period of unseasonably hot weather over the area in late July. Temperatures on the 19th and 20th climbed to near 105 degrees across west central Arkansas. This heat, combined with high humidity, resulted in afternoon heat index values from 105 to 112 degrees.

What forecasters said that day

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 Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 19, 11:44 AM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 19, 11:44 AM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 19, 12:10 PM CST, 50 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Tulsa OK
110 PM CDT Thu Jul 19 2018

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-201030-
Adair OK-Benton AR-Carroll AR-Cherokee OK-Choctaw OK-Craig OK-
Crawford AR-Creek OK-Delaware OK-Franklin AR-Haskell OK-Latimer OK-
Le Flore OK-Madison AR-Mayes OK-McIntosh OK-Muskogee OK-Nowata OK-
Okfuskee OK-Okmulgee OK-Osage OK-Ottawa OK-Pawnee OK-Pittsburg OK-
Pushmataha OK-Rogers OK-Sebastian AR-Sequoyah OK-Tulsa OK-Wagoner OK-
Washington OK-Washington AR-
110 PM CDT Thu Jul 19 2018

This Outlook is for Northwest and West Central Arkansas as well as
much of Eastern Oklahoma.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and Tonight.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
	RISK...Limited.
    AREA...Far northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas.
    ONSET...This evening into the overnight hours.

DANGEROUS HEAT.
	RISK...Significant.
    AREA...Eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas.
    ONSET...Ongoing.

	AREA AT GREATEST RISK...Eastern Oklahoma.

DISCUSSION...
Latest heat index values are in the 105 to 109 degree range across
eastern Oklahoma as of early afternoon. Temperatures are expected
to top out around 100 degrees in some locations by late afternoon.
Heat advisories remain in effect for today and Friday. Heat index
values near 110 to 115 are possible on Friday afternoon. Continue
to take precautions if you must be out in the heat.

Storms have formed this afternoon across northern and central
Missouri. Most of these should stay north and east of northwest
Arkansas. More storms are located in north central Kansas. This
cluster of storms may eventually affect far northeast Oklahoma,
southwest Missouri and far northwest Arkansas late tonight. Any
storms will have the potential for frequent lightning, heavy
downpours, and isolated damaging wind gusts.

SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
Spotter Activation Not Expected.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.
FRIDAY and SATURDAY...Dangerous Heat Potential.
SUNDAY through WEDNESDAY...No Hazards.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
A weak cold front will push through the area by Saturday bringing
somewhat cooler conditions, although heat index values will
likely still exceed 105 in some places this weekend into early
next week.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING STATEMENT...
An increase in heat related responses is possible today and
Friday. Any local plans related to heat impacts may experience
an uptick in activation levels.

weather.gov/tulsa contains additional information.

CORFIDI

Event by event

3 excessive heat. Local standard time, as filed.

Excessive Heat, Crawford

When
July 19, 1:00 PM CST to July 20, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Crawford forecast zone
Reported by
Official NWS Observations

Excessive Heat, Franklin

When
July 19, 1:00 PM CST to July 20, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Franklin forecast zone
Reported by
Official NWS Observations

Excessive Heat, Sebastian

When
July 19, 1:00 PM CST to July 20, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Sebastian forecast zone
Reported by
Official NWS Observations

What these are

Excessive Heat
Heat at or above the local excessive heat warning criteria, or heat that caused deaths.

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, July 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 777001, 777002, 777003.