Stalled fronts from the north interacted with pieces of energy from the southwest, and this led to several rounds of heavy rain and severe weather from the 11th through the 14th. This led to some river flooding.
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.
Stalled fronts from the north interacted with pieces of energy from the southwest, and this led to several rounds of heavy rain and severe weather from the 11th through the 14th. This led to some river flooding.
North of the front, a narrow band of heavy rain (two to three inch amounts) setup from around North Little Rock (Pulaski County) to Cabot (Lonoke County), and Des Arc (Prairie County). For the event (ninety six hour time frame ending at 600 am CST on the 15th), one to more than three inches of precipitation was common in 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 Mar 14, 5:36 PM CST, 5 hours 48 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Little Rock AR 636 PM CDT Sat Mar 14 2020 .DISCUSSION... Updated to include the 00Z aviation discussion below... && .AVIATION... MVFR or lower conditions will be seen for most terminals through most of this TAF period. SHRA and some isolated TSRA will be possible this evening and overnight as an area of convection drops SE through the state. This activity will drop SE of the state by late Sun morning. More rain will become possible late in the period across NWRN sections of the area. No widespread improvements are expected through this TAF period. && .PREV DISCUSSION...(ISSUED 241 PM CDT Sat Mar 14 2020) SHORT TERM...Today Through Monday Data from KLZK radar indicate weak convection continuing to affect northern sections of the forecast area. The focus for this activity is expected to slide southward overnight, closer to a nearly stationary boundary, subjectively analyzed at 19z along a line from Idabel OK, to Stuttgart AR. A brief lull in precipitation is expected for much of Sunday. By late Sunday, additional shortwave energy in a southwest flow will approach the mid south, and will promote widespread precipitation coverage late Sunday night and on Monday. Below normal afternoon temperatures are expected during this period. LONG TERM...Monday Night Through Saturday Active period still anticipated during the long term portion of the forecast with widespread heavy rainfall possible as well as the potential for at least some severe weather. At the start of the period, a stalled frontal boundary will be in place south of the area. The H500 flow will largely be zonal across the area and as a few ripples of energy traverse the state, some shower and isolated TS activity will be possible. Initially, temperatures will be near to slightly below average for most locations. As the period progresses, an H500 low will make slow progress southward along the California coast. Working against the H500 ridge across the Gulf of Mexico, the flow locally will turn more out of the southwest through mid-week. At the surface, the boundary will lift north as a warm front with a return to above average temperatures during the mid-week timeframe. Uniform swrly flow will be seen through much of the atmosphere, with abundant moisture being transported across the state Wednesday to Thursday. Td values in the mid to upper 60s F will be possible along with PW values in the 1.5- 1.8" range. By this point, the H500 low will begin to progress eastward with a well defined shortwave trough ejecting into the middle of the country. An area of sfc low pressure will develop across the Central Plains with a sharp cold front trailing to its southwest. Ahead of the upper trough and before the cold front arrives several upper level impulses will make their way across the area, leading to showers and thunderstorm chances increasing. As the main trough lifts north of the state and the cold front approaches, thunderstorms will likely develop west of the area Thursday afternoon and evening. Some of this activity could enter western parts of the forecast area Thursday evening and night. Will have to monitor for potential severe activity in this timeframe. Cooler temperatures and at least a break in rain chances will be seen in the wake of this front. Some locations across northern AR could see lows in the 30s next weekend. && .LZK Watches/Warnings/Advisories...NONE. && Aviation...62
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Little Rock AR 440 AM CDT Sat Mar 14 2020 ARZ003>008-012>017-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-151000- 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- 440 AM CDT Sat Mar 14 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a Large Part of Arkansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A few thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon and evening across the state along and ahead of a slow moving cold front. However, organized severe weather is not expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday Through Friday Periodic rain, and potentially a few thunderstorms will continue through the end of the weekend and into next week. Organized, severe weather is not forecast at this time, however the potential for most of the state to accumulate 2-4 inches of rain remains through next week. Late in the period, a strong storm system will approach the region, and may require monitoring as it nears the short term. .Spotter Information Statement... Spotter activation will not be needed at this time. && Visit NWS Little Rock on the web. Go to http://weather.gov/lzk. 230/232
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
654 PM CDT SAT MAR 14 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0557 PM HAIL 1 E PLEASANT VALLEY 34.97N 92.66W
03/14/2020 E1.00 INCH PERRY AR PUBLIC
ONE INCH DIAMETER HAIL REPORTED BETWEEN BIGELOW AND WYE
MOUNTAIN. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR AND REPORT RELAYED
VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK2000169
COOPERSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
727 PM CDT Sat Mar 14 2020
ARZ033-034-044>047-150115-
Pulaski AR-White AR-Monroe AR-Lonoke AR-Prairie AR-Woodruff AR-
727 PM CDT Sat Mar 14 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN WOODRUFF...NORTHERN
PRAIRIE...NORTHERN LONOKE...NORTHWESTERN MONROE...SOUTHEASTERN WHITE
AND NORTHEASTERN PULASKI COUNTIES UNTIL 815 PM CDT...
At 727 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Old Austin, or over Cabot, moving east at 65 mph.
Nickel size hail will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Jacksonville... Cabot...
Brinkley... Des Arc...
Little Rock AFB... Ward...
Austin in Lonoke County... Old Austin...
Parnell... Sylvania...
Thurman... Cotton Plant...
Fargo... Becton...
McClelland... Hayley...
Jasmine... Dixie...
Sand Hill... Butlerville...
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 3486 9208 3494 9212 3501 9207 3514 9128
3503 9118 3490 9120
TIME...MOT...LOC 0027Z 263DEG 58KT 3496 9198
CooperPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
741 PM CDT SAT MAR 14 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0728 PM HAIL CABOT 34.97N 92.02W
03/14/2020 E0.75 INCH LONOKE AR PUBLIC
REPORTS OF DIME TO PENNY SIZE HAIL IN THE TOWN OF
CABOT. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR AND REPORTS RELAYED VIA
SOCIAL MEDIA.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LZK2000170
COOPERThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Black River at Black Rock 3/14/20.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Ouachita River at Camden 3/15/20.
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Black River at Pocohontas 3/17/20.
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, March 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: 880275, 880277, 880276.