Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to Extreme (D3) drought conditions across east-central Arkansas, along and south of Interstate 40, during December as below-normal rainfall and warmer-than-normal temperatures persisted. Lake and river levels continued to be at low levels as a result of the drought.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 MEG wrote it up.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to Extreme (D3) drought conditions across east-central Arkansas, along and south of Interstate 40, during December as below-normal rainfall and warmer-than-normal temperatures persisted. Lake and river levels continued to be at low levels as a result of the drought. Low levels on the Mississippi River were impacting barge and river traffic along with hydropower production at Osceola, Arkansas. Pastures were negatively impacted resulting in supplemental feeding and watering of livestock.
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 Memphis, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 21, 5:05 AM CST, 55 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 505 AM CST Thu Dec 21 2023 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 236 AM CST Thu Dec 21 2023 Dry weather with seasonally cool temperatures will continue through Friday morning. A wet and unsettled weather pattern will take shape by the end of the week. Multiple cold fronts and an upper level low pressure system are expected to bring a prolonged period of rain showers through the holiday weekend into next week. && .DISCUSSION... (Today through Wednesday) Issued at 236 AM CST Thu Dec 21 2023 Skies are partly cloudy across the Mid-South early this morning with temperatures ranging from upper 30s to upper 40s. High pressure remains in place across the central and southern Appalachians. The surface high will remain nearly stationary today. As a result, south winds will continue to be somewhat milder air into the region. Temperatures will be a couple of degrees warmer today with highs in the mid 50s to around 60 degrees. Dry weather will continue tonight with slightly milder temperatures. Lows Friday morning will be in the lower 30s to around 40 degrees. A weak frontal boundary will move across the central and southern Plains on Friday. This front is forecast to be farther west than in previous forecasts. It appears that any showers that develop ahead of this will only reach portions of the Mid-South west of the Mississippi River on Friday. With the threat of rain confined to western sections of the region, temperatures will be a little warmer on Friday with highs in the mid 50s to mid 60s. The frontal boundary will fall apart as it moves toward the region Friday night and Saturday with most of the scattered showers remaining over the northwest half of the Mid-South. A second cold front will move across the southern Plains on Sunday, into western Arkansas by Christmas morning and through the Mid-South Monday night. Showers and a few thunderstorms will develop ahead of this front and spread across the region starting Sunday morning and continuing through Christmas evening. As the cold front moves into Middle Tennessee on Tuesday, rain will gradually exit the region from west to east. An upper level low will move into the region on Wednesday with scattered showers possible over eastern sections of the Mid-South. Colder air will move into the region behind the upper low with temperatures returning to more seasonal levels. && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 504 AM CST Thu Dec 21 2023 VFR with increasing middle and high clouds through the period. Surface winds will be a little lighter today thanks to a slightly weaker pressure gradient. && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. && PUBLIC FORECAST...ARS AVIATION...SJM
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe (D2) drought conditions developed by the end of the month.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, December 2023
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: 1151630.