Heavy rain brought more flooding for the end of April 2020 for parts of Arkansas.
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.
Heavy rain brought more flooding for the end of April 2020 for parts of Arkansas.
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 28, 11:16 PM CST, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Little Rock AR 1216 AM CDT Wed Apr 29 2020 .AVIATION...29/06Z Forecast A line of severe thunderstorms will shift eastward in the next few hours, restricting conditions in the southeast to mvfr or ifr. Winds with the storms will be variable and gusty to 30 knots or higher. Behind the line, showers may linger, with conditions gradually improving later this morning. By the end of the period, conditions should be vfr throughout the area, with winds relaxing. && .PREV DISCUSSION...(ISSUED 550 PM CDT Tue Apr 28 2020) DISCUSSION... Updated to include the 00Z aviation discussion below... AVIATION... A line of SHRA/TSRA will drop SE through the state this evening into the early morning hrs on Wed. Some strong to SVR storms could be seen...with MVFR or lower conditions possible with this activity. Some improvements will be seen by daybreak into the late morning hrs on Wed...though breezy NW winds will be seen. Some additional SHRA may also be seen for the NRN terminals on Wed afternoon. PREV DISCUSSION...(ISSUED 359 PM CDT Tue Apr 28 2020) .Severe weather possible tonight over much of the area... SHORT TERM...Today Through Thursday Overall, no significant changes were introduced this cycle. Did make minor adjustments to the slow the timing of convection based on this morning's trends. Otherwise, another severe weather event appears likely late this evening through early Wednesday morning. Water vapor imagery depicts the leading edge of a potent upper shortwave trough digging into western NE as of 20Z. At the surface, the primary surface cyclone is analyzed across IA/WI with a cold front draped south and southwestward across the central Plains and then westward to the Four Corners region. A secondary surface cyclone is analyzed over western OK into the Caprock region of TX with a warm front stretching across eastern OK then arcing southeastward into deep East TX and western LA. Anticipating robust convection will initiate near the cold front over KS around 21Z, then push southward into northwestern AR late this evening, then through central AR near midnight, and finally through southern AR during the pre-dawn hours Wednesday. The airmass ahead of this convection, especially for western AR and areas west, will be characterized by large CAPE and gradually increasing flow in the low and mid levels. 18Z sounding data from OUN shows impressive instability characterized by SBCAPE values >4000 J/kg and MLCAPE values >2000 J/kg. Farther east, the LZK 18Z sounding shows far less instability, likely due to the influence of morning convection from the ArkLaTex eastward. Model progs do continue showing the reservoir of higher instability shifting east with time, effectively boosting instability over roughly the western half of the state. Surface obs over the last few hours do show increasing low-level moisture and strong heating where cloud cover has been less persistent, so no reason to discount further destabilization through the afternoon. Deep layer shear is expected to increase as well with the approach of the upper shortwave trough and this will support organized convective modes. It still appears most likely convection will consolidate into a large squall line owing to broad frontal forcing and front- parallel deep layer flow. Despite only modest flow anticipated in the lower troposphere, still quite concerned with damaging wind potential, especially over western portions of the area where better instability will be realized. Steep mid- level lapse rates will support large hail as well, although the thermodynamic environment is less impressive across AR versus farther west over OK. Forecast soundings do show increasing low-level SRH so tornadoes, while not the primary or secondary hazard, will be possible as well. Farther east where surface-based instability values are forecast to be less... convection will be likely given at least 2000 J/kg of MLCAPE to ingest. That said, higher near-surface stability and farther proximity from the primary instability axis should mitigate the severe threat some, but not entirely. Finally, PWAT values >1 inch will support heavy rain with convection this evening through tonight. 1 to 2 inches is entirely plausible with the highest values across western Arkansas. Given wet antecedent conditions, flash flooding is also a possibility and rises on local rivers/streams is likely. Through the remainder of the period, the lead shortwave trough will eject northeast Wednesday with steep northerly flow persisting in the mid/upper levels through Thursday. A bit of lingering moisture may be enough to generate some rain over northern and northeastern areas Wednesday before precip ends completely. Anticipating a dry weather late Wednesday and beyond. LONG TERM...Thursday Night Through Monday Dry conditions will be in place at the start of the long term portion of the forecast as both mid level and surface ridging build over the area in the wake of an H500 low moving toward the eastern US. Through the weekend, as H500 ridging increases and the surface ridge shifts east a bit, temperatures will begin to warm. Some portions of southern Arkansas could be looking at temps approaching 90F Sunday afternoon. From Sunday into the early part of next week as a series of troughs in the H500 flow cross the northern US, this will dampen the effects of the ridge southwest of the state. Some influence from these troughs will extend southward toward the state and as a cold front approaches from the NW, chances begin to increase for rain and thunderstorms across the state. && .LZK Watches/Warnings/Advisories...NONE. && Aviation...57
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Little Rock AR 354 PM CDT Tue Apr 28 2020 ARZ003>008-012>017-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-291000- Boone-Marion-Baxter-Fulton-Sharp-Randolph-Newton-Searcy-Stone- Izard-Independence-Lawrence-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- 354 PM CDT Tue Apr 28 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a Large Part of Arkansas. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Severe thunderstorms are possible across all of Arkansas through tonight. The threat of severe storms will be highest over the western half of the state during the evening hours as a line of strong thunderstorms develops along a cold front moving through. All modes of severe weather are possible. The most serious threat with any stronger storms will be damaging wind gusts of 60 MPH or higher, especially with the storms along the front. Large hail will also be a concern with stronger storms. There will be a threat of tornadoes, but this will be highest if any isolated supercells develop out ahead of the main line of storms. Though the threat of flash flooding will not be widespread, some of the stronger storms will be capable of producing one to two inches of rainfall in a very short period of time, which will cause localized flash flooding issues. The severe threat will decrease after midnight, as the storms weaken and move into eastern and southeast Arkansas. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday Through Monday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .Spotter Information Statement... Spotter activation may be needed this evening. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the National Weather Service while following all local, state, and CDC Guidelines. && Visit NWS Little Rock on the web. Go to http://weather.gov/lzk.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1253 AM CDT WED APR 29 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0927 PM TSTM WND DMG 10 E WALDRON 34.90N 93.92W
04/28/2020 SCOTT AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ON HIGHWAY 80 EAST OF WALDRON.
OTHER TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND
THE COUNTY.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK2000278
57PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1258 AM CDT WED APR 29 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1000 PM TSTM WND DMG COVE 34.44N 94.41W
04/28/2020 POLK AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN AT COVE ON SEVERAL COUNTY ROADS
AND ON U. S. HIGHWAY 71 SOUTH.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK2000279
57PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1259 AM CDT WED APR 29 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1015 PM TSTM WND DMG MORRILTON 35.16N 92.74W
04/28/2020 CONWAY AR SOCIAL MEDIA
MULTIPLE GAS PUMPS SUSTAINED WIND DAMAGE.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK2000280
230PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
117 AM CDT WED APR 29 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1100 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 ENE JACKSONVILLE 34.88N 92.10W
04/28/2020 PULASKI AR SOCIAL MEDIA
A PORTION OF A PRIVACY FENCE WAS BLOWN DOWN.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK2000281
230PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
138 AM CDT WED APR 29 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1030 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 SE QUAIL VALLEY 35.74N 91.57W
04/28/2020 INDEPENDENCE AR DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ON HWY 394 BLOCKING THE WEST
BOUND LANE.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK2000282
230PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
150 AM CDT WED APR 29 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1108 PM TSTM WND DMG MORNING SUN 35.20N 91.74W
04/28/2020 WHITE AR DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ACROSS THE SOUTHBOUND OUTSIDE
LANE OF U.S. HWY 67.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK2000283
230The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flooding returned on the White River at Georgetown for late April 2020 due to heavy rain.
Flooding returned on the Cache River at Patterson for late April 2020 due to heavy rain.
Flooding returned on the Ouachita River at Camden for late April 2020 due to heavy rain.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, April 2020
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: 887643, 887644, 887645.