Arkansas, 2018

Excessive Heat and Heat in Arkansas, July 19 to 20, 2018

July 19 to 20, 2018 · NWS MEG · 20 events in 12 counties and zones

Upper level high pressure dominated the region during the middle of July 2018. High temperatures and humidity combined to create dangerous heat indices across the Mid-South.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 20 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
20

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 MEG wrote it up.

Upper level high pressure dominated the region during the middle of July 2018. High temperatures and humidity combined to create dangerous heat indices across the Mid-South.

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 Memphis, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 19, 9:39 AM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 19, 9:39 AM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 19, 2:13 AM CST, 8 hours 47 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Memphis TN
313 AM CDT Thu Jul 19 2018

ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-
MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-201015-
Alcorn-Benton MS-Benton TN-Calhoun-Carroll-Chester-Chickasaw-Clay-
Coahoma-Craighead-Crittenden-Crockett-Cross-DeSoto-Decatur-
Dunklin-Dyer-Fayette-Gibson-Greene-Hardeman-Hardin-Haywood-
Henderson-Henry-Itawamba-Lafayette-Lake-Lauderdale-Lawrence-
Lee AR-Lee MS-Madison-Marshall-McNairy-Mississippi-Monroe-Obion-
Panola-Pemiscot-Phillips-Poinsett-Pontotoc-Prentiss-Quitman-
Randolph-Shelby-St. Francis-Tallahatchie-Tate-Tippah-Tipton-
Tishomingo-Tunica-Union-Weakley-Yalobusha-
313 AM CDT Thu Jul 19 2018

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of East Arkansas...
the Missouri Bootheel...North Mississippi...and West Tennessee.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

A Heat Advisory is in effect for areas along and west of the
Mississippi river this afternoon. Heat Indices will range from
105 to 109F today.

In addition, there is a Marginal Risk for severe storms this
evening. Damaging winds and heavy rainfall are the main threats.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

Heat indices may exceed 105 degrees across most of the Mid-South
on Friday. A Heat Advisory will likely be needed.

There is a Marginal Risk for severe weather across northwest
Tennessee on Friday. The primary hazard will be damaging wind.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.

AC3

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 19, 6:55 AM CST, 4 hours 5 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 heat, 8 excessive heat. Local standard time, as filed.

Heat, Lawrence

When
July 19, 11:00 AM CST to July 20, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Lawrence forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
36.041, -91.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, Craighead

When
July 19, 11:00 AM CST to July 20, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Craighead forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.831, -90.633 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, Mississippi

When
July 19, 11:00 AM CST to July 20, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Mississippi forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.764, -90.054 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, Poinsett

When
July 19, 11:00 AM CST to July 20, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Poinsett forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.574, -90.663 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, Cross

When
July 19, 11:00 AM CST to July 20, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Cross forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.296, -90.771 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, Crittenden

When
July 19, 11:00 AM CST to July 20, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Crittenden forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.208, -90.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, St. Francis

When
July 19, 11:00 AM CST to July 20, 11:00 AM CST
Where
St. Francis forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.022, -90.748 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, Lee

When
July 19, 11:00 AM CST to July 20, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Lee forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
34.781, -90.782 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, Phillips

When
July 19, 11:00 AM CST to July 20, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Phillips forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
34.428, -90.848 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, Clay

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
36.368, -90.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, Randolph

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Randolph forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
36.342, -91.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Heat, Greene

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Greene forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
36.118, -90.559 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 105 degrees.

Excessive Heat, Craighead

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Craighead forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.831, -90.633 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 110 degrees.

Excessive Heat, Mississippi

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Mississippi forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.764, -90.054 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 110 degrees.

Excessive Heat, Poinsett

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Poinsett forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.574, -90.663 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 110 degrees.

Excessive Heat, Cross

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Cross forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.296, -90.771 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 110 degrees.

Excessive Heat, Crittenden

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Crittenden forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.208, -90.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 110 degrees.

Excessive Heat, St. Francis

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
St. Francis forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
35.022, -90.748 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 110 degrees.

Excessive Heat, Lee

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Lee forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
34.781, -90.782 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 110 degrees.

Excessive Heat, Phillips

When
July 20, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Phillips forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
34.428, -90.848 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat index values exceeded 110 degrees.

What these are

Heat
Heat below excessive heat criteria that still caused deaths, injuries or significant impacts.
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: 785132, 785137, 785138, 785139, 785140, 785141, 785142, 785143, 785144, 785134, 785135, 785136, 785211, 785212, 785213, 785214, 785215, 785216, 785217, 785218.