Early on the 21st, a few trees were toppled by gusty winds at Sturkie (Fulton County). As the day progressed, the deluge arrived.
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.
Early on the 21st, a few trees were toppled by gusty winds at Sturkie (Fulton County). As the day progressed, the deluge arrived. Later in the afternoon and evening, water was over Highway 60 near Sweet Home (Perry County). On the south side of Cabot (Lonoke County), a neighborhood flooded with water in several homes.
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 Sep 21, 1:49 PM CST, 3 hours 37 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Little Rock AR 249 PM CDT Fri Sep 21 2018 .SHORT TERM...Tonight Through Sunday Afternoon visible satellite imagery shows a well defined cold front extending from a surface low north of the Great Lakes region southwestward across central Arkansas into Texas. A secondary reinforcing shot of cooler and drier air is making its way from the north providing temperatures in the 60s and dewpoints in the 50s as far south as southeast Kansas. While more comfortable conditions will begin to slowly filter in from the north, abundant moisture will continue to stream over the area from the south. The observed PW value from our 12z KLZK sounding was around 1.8" with an overall increase into the 2-2.25" range through the overnight hours. With this continued supply of abundant moisture and the influence of isentropic lift over the cold front stalling over the area, widespread heavy rainfall is expected. Rainfall amounts haven't changed significantly with this forecast package, with the area of main concern for flash flooding remaining across western parts of Arkansas. Portions of the Ouachitas and the Ozarks could see 4-6" of rainfall with locally higher amounts this weekend and those venturing into remote areas should be aware of their surroundings and avoid camping in low lying areas. Elsewhere, rainfall amounts of 2-4" will be common. While heavy rainfall will and should be the main weather story in the coming days, much more pleasant air will filter in to the state. Morning lows across northern Arkansas may dip down into the upper 50s Saturday and Sunday morning with high temperatures in these areas only in the 60s to lower 70s. Elsewhere, temperatures will be more comfortable than in recent days but not quite as cool as northern Arkansas. && .LONG TERM...Sunday Night Through Friday Expect the weather to remain unsettled through the work week as nearly zonal flow turns back to the southwest. This will provide additional taps into the Gulf moisture ahead of yet another deepening trough. Models suggest multiple progressive synoptic features will roll through the region with timing of each of these boundaries to be fine tuned in later forecasts. For now, kept at least chance pops in with areal averages close to WPC guidance. The high temps will be closer to seasonal norms through the week, which is about 10 degrees cooler than this week. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Batesville AR 63 67 61 73 / 90 90 60 60 Camden AR 73 77 66 81 / 70 70 60 50 Harrison AR 60 66 59 73 / 90 90 30 40 Hot Springs AR 69 72 64 76 / 90 80 70 60 Little Rock AR 67 71 64 76 / 90 80 70 60 Monticello AR 73 81 68 81 / 60 70 70 60 Mount Ida AR 68 71 62 76 / 90 90 70 60 Mountain Home AR 60 68 59 74 / 90 90 40 40 Newport AR 63 66 62 73 / 90 90 60 70 Pine Bluff AR 70 73 66 78 / 80 70 70 60 Russellville AR 67 70 64 75 / 90 90 50 60 Searcy AR 65 69 63 74 / 90 90 70 70 Stuttgart AR 68 72 65 76 / 90 70 70 70 && .LZK Watches/Warnings/Advisories... Flash Flood Watch from 7 PM CDT this evening through Sunday morning FOR Baxter-Boone-Cleburne-Conway-Faulkner-Fulton-Garland- Independence-Izard-Johnson-Logan-Lonoke-Marion-Montgomery-Newton- Perry-Polk-Pope-Pulaski-Saline-Scott-Searcy-Sharp-Stone-Van Buren-White-Yell. && Short Term...67 / Long Term...61
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Little Rock AR 423 AM CDT Fri Sep 21 2018 ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-221000- 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- 423 AM CDT Fri Sep 21 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a Large Part of Arkansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop during the day and overnight, especially across areas along and north of the interstate 30/highway 67 corridor. Heavy rainfall, with a corresponding flash flood potential, will be a threat late tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday Through Thursday Showers and thunderstorms, some producing heavy rainfall will continue to affect the same areas Saturday through Sunday. The flash flooding threat will continue through at least early Sunday. Unsettled weather conditions will continue into early next week. .Spotter Information Statement... Spotter activation may be required late tonight through Sunday morning. && Visit NWS Little Rock on the web. Go to http://weather.gov/lzk.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
101 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2018
ARZ021-030-211830-
Johnson AR-Logan AR-
101 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN LOGAN AND
SOUTHWESTERN JOHNSON COUNTIES UNTIL 130 PM CDT...
At 100 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Subiaco, or near Paris, moving northeast at 20 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Clarksville... Paris...
Subiaco... Hartman...
Scranton... Hoyt...
Hinkle... Midway in Logan County...
Tokalon... Spadra...
Lake Dardanelle... Coal Hill...
Morrison Bluff... New Spadra...
Dublin... Ludwig...
Wilkins...
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.
&&
LAT...LON 3538 9376 3536 9375 3537 9371 3544 9371
3556 9362 3532 9340 3524 9373 3534 9379
TIME...MOT...LOC 1800Z 246DEG 17KT 3534 9368
67Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
143 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2018
ARZ022-031-211930-
Pope AR-Conway AR-
143 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL CONWAY AND SOUTHEASTERN
POPE COUNTIES UNTIL 230 PM CDT...
At 142 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Petit Jean State Park, or 8 miles west of Morrilton, moving northeast
at 15 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Atkins... St. Vincent...
Hattieville... Happy Bend...
Petit Jean State Park... Economy...
Kenwood... Macedonia in Conway County...
Blackwell... Wonderview...
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.
&&
LAT...LON 3532 9271 3511 9287 3513 9297 3517 9293
3517 9298 3538 9291
TIME...MOT...LOC 1842Z 216DEG 8KT 3515 9290
61The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:25 UTC.
3 flash flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Water was over Highway 60 near Sweet Home Loop.
Thunderbird Drive was flooded. A few houses had water in them. Diederich Lane going from hwy 321 to Campground Rd. was almost impassable due to high water.
Flash flooding was observed on Mount Tabor Rd. and in several other areas of northern Lonoke County.
Rain measured 3.15 inches and fell in 3.5 hours from 7 pm to 1030 pm.
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, September 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: 785854, 785855, 785856, 785857.