A slow-moving upper level disturbance approached the region on the 24th. The atmosphere was very moist across the area ahead of this system, which supported a period of very heavy and persistent rainfall over parts of west central Arkansas.
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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 TSA wrote it up.
A slow-moving upper level disturbance approached the region on the 24th. The atmosphere was very moist across the area ahead of this system, which supported a period of very heavy and persistent rainfall over parts of west central Arkansas. Flash flooding resulted from that excessive rainfall.
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 Aug 24, 2:47 AM CST, 1 hour 43 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tulsa OK 347 AM CDT Sat Aug 24 2019 .DISCUSSION... Precipitation chances and potential for heavy rainfall and severe weather will highlight the forecast once again this morning, with tonight and Monday night the most active periods. Very moist airmass remains in place with an apparent MCV continuing to generate scattered thunderstorms over western AR and far eastern OK. Storm complex to the west has largely dissipated but another MCV associated with this may drift across the area later today. Thus the threat of scattered storms remains in the forecast today and despite fairly limited coverage, the potential for locally excessive rainfall will be present, as evidenced by the 0.81" at FSM in about a half hour. Attention for tonight turns to shortwave trough moving across the Central Rockies this morning. This will move southeast tonight to force more widespread coverage of storms including the possibility of a severe MCS. At this time the highest impacts in terms of severe weather should remain to our west where max instability is focused. Heavy rain remains a concern and a Flood Watch could be needed for parts of the area tonight into Sunday. Storm potential will shift to the east Sunday evening. Hot and humid conditions return Monday ahead of the next cold front, with very high dew points in the upper 70s to near 80 pooling ahead of the front. Heat Index values could easily reach the 105-110 range and heat headlines will likely be needed. Fortunately this will be short lived as the front pushes through Monday evening. Given the high instability forecast ahead of the front, along with strong shear by August standards, organized severe weather will be a possibility along with yet more heavy rainfall. Front will continue to slowly push south with northwest flow aloft continuing to support thunderstorm chances through Wednesday. Somewhat drier air may push into northern areas by Wednesday thunderstorm chances tapering off by Thursday and Friday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TUL 85 71 82 73 / 30 70 60 10 FSM 84 72 86 73 / 40 20 40 20 MLC 86 71 87 74 / 20 40 30 20 BVO 83 69 80 70 / 30 80 70 10 FYV 78 67 80 69 / 40 30 50 20 BYV 78 66 81 69 / 40 20 70 20 MKO 83 69 83 72 / 30 40 60 20 MIO 80 67 78 69 / 40 50 60 20 F10 85 69 86 72 / 20 50 60 10 HHW 87 72 90 74 / 20 20 30 20 && .TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...None. AR...None. && SHORT TERM...07 LONG TERM....14
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Tulsa OK 502 AM CDT Sat Aug 24 2019 ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-251015- 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- 502 AM CDT Sat Aug 24 2019 This Outlook is for Northwest and West Central Arkansas as well as much of Eastern Oklahoma. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. RISK...Elevated. AREA...Primarily northeast Oklahoma. ONSET...After 10 PM. FLASH FLOOD. RISK...Limited. AREA...Far eastern Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas. ONSET...Ongoing. DISCUSSION... Scattered thunderstorms are ongoing this morning and will remain possible through the day. Locally heavy rainfall has fallen early Saturday morning, and there will continue to a risk of localized higher amounts which could result in a flash flood risk. More widespread thunderstorms are likely to spread into northeast Oklahoma Saturday night, and continue eastward across the area through Sunday morning. These storms will initially pose a risk of damaging winds, however the risk of severe weather is likely to lessen as they continue eastward. The additional rainfall will also raise flooding concerns. SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... Activation of the Regional Spotter Network Possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. SUNDAY...Thunderstorm Potential. MONDAY...Severe Thunderstorm Potential...Dangerous Heat Potential. TUESDAY...Thunderstorm Potential...Heavy Rain Potential. WEDNESDAY...Thunderstorm Potential. THURSDAY and FRIDAY...No Hazards. EXTENDED DISCUSSION... Storms are likely to be ongoing Sunday morning, however the risk of severe weather will have lessened. The potential for locally heavy rainfall will continue and flooding concerns will be present. Additional widespread storms are expected to develop along a cold front across southern Kansas Monday afternoon. These storms will spread southeastward Monday evening and overnight. Severe weather currently appears likely as the storms spread into eastern Oklahoma. Additionally, heavy rainfall and flooding concerns will persist. Prior to the storms on Monday, temperatures will warm and dewpoints will remain very high resulting in afternoon heat index values of 105 to 110 degrees. Excessive heat advisories may be needed for Monday afternoon. Thunderstorm potential will continue Tuesday and Wednesday as the cold front slowly pushes southward, with drier weather possible by late next week. weather.gov/tulsa contains additional information.
The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 11 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:30 UTC.
4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Several roads across Fort Smith were flooded. A few cars were driven into the flood water and became stranded.
Portions of Highways 96 and 255 were closed near Lavaca. Portions of Highway 22 were closed near Fort Chaffee. Reportedly, 38 homes were flood-damaged in Fort Smith and seven were flood-damaged in Barling. A woman delivering newspapers drove into flood water across Kinkead Avenue on the east side of Fort Smith, and was washed off the road where she drowned.
Emergency management reported nineteen homes flooded in Lavaca.
A dormitory on the University of Arkansas Fort Smith campus was flooded.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Sebastian | 2019-08-24 | 47 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
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, August 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: 850141, 850143, 850144, 850145.