Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across the southern half of Arkansas where warm/moist air resided ahead of an approaching cold front. While the best ingredients remained south of Arkansas, a few storms became severe over southern sections of the state.
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.
Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across the southern half of Arkansas where warm/moist air resided ahead of an approaching cold front. While the best ingredients remained south of Arkansas, a few storms became severe over southern sections of the state.
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 Dec 13, 1:56 PM CST, 3 hours 33 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Little Rock AR 156 PM CST Tue Dec 13 2022 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM... .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Thursday) Issued at 155 PM CST Tue Dec 13 2022 As of 2 PM, an impressive upper cyclone was centered over western KS/NE with a 990 mb surface cyclone stacked beneath its upper counterpart. A primary surface cold front arced east and south across eastern KS/OK and into central TX with a warm front intersecting this front invof E OK and stretching S/SE into E LA. Behind the primary cold front, a secondary cold front was draped across western KS/OK. Largely elevated convection continues along/ahead the primary front and north of the warm front with this activity moving east across the area through evening and into early tonight. Where surface-based instability is maximized within the warm sector, the threat for all severe hazards will persist, although the apex of richer theta-e air and modest SBCAPE is fairly narrow given the cold/warm front geometry. Have noticed some breaks in clouds over SE/south-central AR this morning, suggesting relatively higher instability there and a continued threat for iso/sctd severe storms as convection moves east over the next several hours. Despite underwhelming thermodynamics, kinematic fields are very impressive with effective shear on the order of 50-60+ kts and SRH values over 200-300 m^2/s^2 per mesoanalysis and observed sounding data. Any storms -- elevated or not -- will be capable of mixing down fast flow from aloft with damaging winds possible. Tornadoes and hail remain most favored over southern AR where better moisture/instability reside. Abnormally high PWAT values will promote heavy rain with some localized flooding possible, mainly over the eastern half of the area. As the Plains cyclone and associated surface reflection move N/NE through tonight, the aforementioned frontal boundaries will translate east with the primary front/convective band exiting AR around daybreak Wednesday. Guidance depicts a pronounced vort max rounding the base of the upper cyclone through Wednesday, and with modest moisture still in place, additional rainfall is likely Wednesday into Wednesday evening before the second front clears the area and scours out remaining moisture. Dry conditions are expected on Thursday as surface ridging impinges from the north. Temps this period will trend colder each day with afternoon highs in the 50s/60s today falling into the 50s to near 60 F on Wednesday, then 40s/50s by Thursday. Lows in the 20s/30s are likely Wednesday night with most locations near/below freezing Thursday night save for far SE AR. && .LONG TERM... (Thursday night through next Tuesday) Issued at 155 PM CST Tue Dec 13 2022 Drier conditions are expected to return through Sunday. Synoptically, an expansive strong closed low will be positioned across the Nrn Plains with stacked surface low beneath it. For AR, near surface flow will be NWrly promoting continued below average temperatures through the period. Aloft, NW flow will develop and remain anchored over the region through Sunday. Through late week, the aforementioned upper/surface lows will slowly slide NEwrd into the UP of MI. Little changes in the position or orientation of these features are expected through the weekend. A piece of upper level energy is anticipated to pivot around the periphery of the upper low, providing marginal forcing for ascent, but with surface high pressure in place, only clouds are expected to result from this. On Monday a quick moving shortwave should traverse the Srn Rockies continuing Ewrd across the region. Slight to Chance PoPs are expected with this system as it approaches. The bulk of the moisture is expected to remain S of the state, nonetheless, with cold air in place, some of this precipitation could fall as a mixture of rain, freezing rain, sleet, or snow at times. This is still 6 to 7 days out, so there is plenty of time to monitor long range trends. Temperatures through the period will in the 30s and 40s for highs over the N with lows in the 20s to near 30. Over Cntrl and Srn sections of the state, highs should climb into the 40s and 50s with lows in the 20s and 30s. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1139 AM CST Tue Dec 13 2022 A line of TSRA with embedded +TSRA will move through the state affecting all terminals through the first part of tonight. Large fluctuations in vis/cig and erratic gusty winds can be expected in this activity with TSRA diminishing W to E through around 14/04-06Z. Cigs will briefly improve to VFR before additional cloud cover overspreads the area after dawn, bringing low VFR to MVFR (IFR possible SE) into play again. Additional SHRA will develop mid-morning through the end of the period over western terminals. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Batesville AR 48 58 33 48 / 100 50 0 0 Camden AR 49 57 33 53 / 90 60 0 0 Harrison AR 41 53 30 42 / 20 10 0 0 Hot Springs AR 45 55 33 50 / 60 50 0 0 Little Rock AR 50 57 36 51 / 90 60 0 0 Monticello AR 55 61 37 54 / 100 80 0 0 Mount Ida AR 43 56 32 50 / 30 40 0 0 Mountain Home AR 43 54 31 44 / 60 30 0 0 Newport AR 52 57 33 46 / 100 60 0 0 Pine Bluff AR 51 58 36 51 / 100 70 0 0 Russellville AR 45 55 32 48 / 40 40 0 0 Searcy AR 48 57 32 49 / 100 60 0 0 Stuttgart AR 52 58 36 49 / 100 70 0 0 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...69 LONG TERM....70 AVIATION...69
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Little Rock AR 159 PM CST Tue Dec 13 2022 ARZ004>008-014>017-024-025-031>034-039-042>047-052>057-062>069- 103-112-113-121>123-130-137-138-140-141-203-212-213-221>223-230- 237-238-240-241-313-340-341-141100- Marion-Baxter-Fulton-Sharp-Randolph-Stone-Izard-Independence- Lawrence-Cleburne-Jackson-Conway-Faulkner-White-Woodruff-Perry- Garland-Saline-Pulaski-Lonoke-Prairie-Monroe-Pike-Clark- Hot Spring-Grant-Jefferson-Arkansas-Dallas-Cleveland-Lincoln- Desha-Ouachita-Calhoun-Bradley-Drew-Boone County Except Southwest- Newton County Higher Elevations-Searcy County Lower Elevations- Southern Johnson County-Southern Pope County- Southeast Van Buren County-Western and Northern Logan County- Northern Scott County-Northwest Yell County- Polk County Lower Elevations- Central and Eastern Montgomery County- Boone County Higher Elevations-Newton County Lower Elevations- Northwest Searcy County Higher Elevations- Johnson County Higher Elevations-Pope County Higher Elevations- Van Buren County Higher Elevations- Southern and Eastern Logan County- Central and Southern Scott County-Yell Excluding Northwest- Northern Polk County Higher Elevations- Northern Montgomery County Higher Elevations- Eastern, Central, and Southern Searcy County Higher Elevations- Southeast Polk County Higher Elevations- Southwest Montgomery County Higher Elevations- 159 PM CST Tue Dec 13 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a Large Part of Arkansas. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Showers and storms will continue moving east across the state through tonight. While damaging winds will be possible as far north as central Arkansas, all severe hazards including damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes will be possible over southern sections. Localized flooding will also be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Another batch of rain is expected Wednesday afternoon as a second cold front moves through. This will be followed by cooler and drier air returning to the state. At this time, the threat of hazardous weather is low. .Spotter Information Statement... Spotter activation is requested through tonight. && 69/70 Visit NWS Little Rock on the web. Go to http://weather.gov/lzk.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
222 PM CST Tue Dec 13 2022
ARZ052>054-141-132045-
Hot Spring AR-Pike AR-Clark AR-
Central and Eastern Montgomery County AR-
222 PM CST Tue Dec 13 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern Clark,
northeastern Pike, southeastern Montgomery and southwestern Hot
Spring Counties through 245 PM CST...
At 221 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles east of Narrows Dam, or 9 miles northeast of Murfreesboro,
moving northeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Murfreesboro... Glenwood...
Amity... Caddo Valley...
DeGray Lake State Park... Lofton...
Friendship... Bismarck...
Alpine... Lower Lake Recreation Area...
Salem in Pike County... Bonnerdale...
Welsh... Shawmut...
Rosboro... Pike City...
De Roche... Point Cedar...
Kirby...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 500 PM CST for southwestern
Arkansas. A Tornado Watch also remains in effect until 1000 PM CST
for southwestern Arkansas.
&&
LAT...LON 3432 9364 3440 9339 3439 9301 3420 9297
3405 9370
TIME...MOT...LOC 2021Z 246DEG 37KT 3416 9359
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
CavanaughSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
520 PM CST Tue Dec 13 2022
ARZ062-063-066>068-132345-
Bradley AR-Cleveland AR-Calhoun AR-Dallas AR-Ouachita AR-
520 PM CST Tue Dec 13 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of north central
Bradley, southwestern Cleveland, northern Calhoun, southeastern
Dallas and east central Ouachita Counties through 545 PM CST...
At 520 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Highland Industrial Park, or near Camden, moving northeast at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Fordyce... Bearden...
Thornton... Highland Industrial Park...
Ellisville... Tipton...
Harlow... East Camden...
Tinsman... Chambersville...
Eagle Mills... Locust Bayou...
Hopeville... Woodberry...
Millville... Harmony Grove...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3350 9266 3365 9278 3393 9238 3370 9220
TIME...MOT...LOC 2320Z 236DEG 31KT 3357 9273
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
62The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 138 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:26 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple trees were blown down near the intersection of Highway 274 and Highway 167.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, December 2022
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: 1064355, 1064357.