While it seemed the region was in the clear on the 13th, rain and cool air kept the pressure elevated. At the same time, a storm system strengthened in Texas, and the pressure fell to the southwest.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
While it seemed the region was in the clear on the 13th, rain and cool air kept the pressure elevated. At the same time, a storm system strengthened in Texas, and the pressure fell to the southwest. This created a pressure gradient, and this often leads to increased wind speeds. Gusts exceeded 40 mph in the southern half of the state during the afternoon/evening, and this went on for several hours.
A 47 mph gust was measured at the airport in Hot Springs (Garland County) at 240 pm CDT. A couple of hours later, a gust reached 53 mph at Little Rock National Airport (Pulaski County). Numerous trees (200 to 300 trees) were downed on the west side of Lake Ouachita at the Little Fir and Tompkins Bend Recreation Areas (both in Montgomery County). Trees were also toppled at Hot Springs (Garland County), Houston (Perry County), Maumelle (Pulaski County), Pine Bluff (Jefferson County), and west Little Rock (Pulaski County). Some trees were on homes and blocking roads. At least 30,000 power outages were reported.
More rain was on the horizon by late on the 17th, and it was expected to be heavy. This was preceded by a few severe storms in the west. Golf ball size hail was reported at Dover (Pope County), with half dollar size hail at Atkins (Pope County), and quarter size stones at Clarksville (Johnson County) and Russellville (Pope County). Following the hail, the deluge commenced.
Three to more than five inches of rain dumped in central and western Arkansas. Forty eight hour amounts through 700 am CDT on the 19th included 6.02 inches just northeast of Bryant (Saline County), 5.44 inches at Little Rock (Pulaski County), 4.89 inches at Benton (Saline County), 4.50 inches at North Little Rock (Pulaski County), 4.50 inches at Crystal Valley (Pulaski County), 4.01 inches at Big Fork (Polk County), 3.77 inches at Conway (Faulkner County), 3.48 inches at Waldron (Scott County), 3.34 inches at Bogg Springs (Polk County), and 3.30 inches at Booneville (Logan County).|The 5.44 inches of rain at Little Rock (Pulaski County) not only shattered a daily record on the 18th, it was the 15th wettest calendar day on record locally and the 5th wettest April calendar day.
Given so much rain, there was high water along Interstate 30 near Vimy Ridge (Saline County). All lanes were closed for at least a couple of hours. In Macon (Pulaski County), flooding along Highway 107 stranded a vehicle, and people needed to be rescued. Many roads were flooded from Benton (Saline County) to the Little Rock (Pulaski County) area. Highway 11 near Hazen (Prairie County) was under water, as was Highway 31 around Woodlawn (Lonoke County). Many farm fields were converted into lakes.
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 Apr 13, 11:58 AM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.
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</html>The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 144 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:01 UTC.
17 flash flood, 6 strong wind, 5 hail, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Gusty non-thunderstorm winds downed several trees and power lines. This blocked roads in some cases.
Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 50 mph downed several trees in Hot Springs, with some trees partially blocking roads. There were also numerous power outages in and around town.
A non-thunderstorm wind gust downed a tree onto a road and nearby fence.
Heavy rain caused widespread flooding of roads in Hampton.
Water was over several county roads neare Ingalls.
Water was high enough to be over several county roads near Hermitage.
Strong wind gusts downed a tree onto a house in Maumelle. The occupants escaped without injury.
A non-thunderstorm wind gust to at least 50 mph downed several trees in west Little Rock, with some trees on houses and blocking roads.
Gusty non-thunderstorm winds downed a tree onto power lines in Jacksonville. The tree blocked a road.
Highway 165 was blocked due to high water south of Dewitt.
Highway 159 was blocked by high water between the towns of Halley and McGehee.
Multiple portions of Hilldale Road in Bryant were under water.
The Emergency Manager reported Highway 7 between Griffithtown and Arkadelphia was flooded. Numerous other county roads had high water as well.
Several roads in Pulaski County have been reported as flooded including Highway 365 at King Rd., Highway 161 at Trammel Rd., Wayne Rd., JF Cooley Rd., Macarthur at Cedar Rd., Marche Rd., Arch and Baseline Rd., Jim Hall Rd., Kelly/Reed Rd., Crystal Hill/Kelly Rd., Lawson/Faulkner Rd., and Pratt Rd.
Sheriff's office reported portions of Highway 31 near Woodlawn are flooded. Additionally, numerous back roads across Lonoke County are inundated at this time.
A trained spotter reported several inches of water flowing over Highway 183 on the east side of Bauxite.
Water was over Edison Avenue at AR-35 with traffic backing up.
Sheriff's office reported Highway 11 at AR-249 near Hazen was flooded.
Multiple locations were flooded including Hilldale Rd., Midland Rd., Springhill Rd., and Hilltop Rd.
High water was reported near Clarendon with roads flooded.
Benton police department reported flooding at the intersection of Highway 35 and Edison Rd.
Alexander Rd. between Vimy Ridge Rd. and Sardis Rd. was underwater.
A water rescue was performed at Highway 107 in Macon.
Broadcast media reported 5.95 inches of rain.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, April 2019
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: 817596, 817586, 817587, 817595, 817588, 817589, 817590, 817591, 817592, 817593, 817594, 817597, 817599, 817598, 817690, 817600, 817601, 817602, 817605, 817607, 817608, 817609, 817610, 817679, 817680, 817682, 817683, 817684, 817687.