During the predawn hours of February 24th, a front was stalled along the Gulf Coast, with high pressure and colder air slowly building into Arkansas from the north. Between these two features, a narrow band of showers and thunderstorms set up across the central third of the state.
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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 LZK wrote it up.
During the predawn hours of February 24th, a front was stalled along the Gulf Coast, with high pressure and colder air slowly building into Arkansas from the north. Between these two features, a narrow band of showers and thunderstorms set up across the central third of the state.
Several inches of rain came down quickly, and prompted the issuance of Flash Flood Warnings that included Hot Springs (Garland County), Benton (Saline County), and Little Rock (Pulaski County). A video via social media showed flooded roads in a neighborhood in Bryant (Saline County), with water getting close to several homes.
At Little Rock (Pulaski County), 4.19 inches of rain was measured. This was the second most rain on record in February at the site (the highest amount was 6.00 inches on the 28th in 1875). Interestingly, just seven miles to the north, only 1.69 inches of rain fell at the North Little Rock Airport (Pulaski County). This illustrates how limited in extent (from north to south) were the most intense downpours. Hot Springs (Garland County) had 3.13 inches of precipitation, which was the third highest total for the month.
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 Feb 24, 5:39 AM CST, 2 hours 21 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Little Rock AR 539 AM CST Fri Feb 24 2023 ...New AVIATION... .SHORT TERM... (Today through Saturday Night) Issued at 357 AM CST Fri Feb 24 2023 Quite the spread in sfc temperatures across the state this morning,even with the cold front southeast of the area. Near the MO border across north central AR, temps are in the mid 20s F while mid 50s F are noted across southern AR as of 10z. A steady plume of mid-level moisture continues from SW to NE across the area. This combined with occasional pieces of shortwave energy will likely lead to persistent showers/occasional TS activity across mainly the southern half to two thirds of the state today. Some light precip may expand northward a bit overnight, but the main focus for persistent rainfall appears to be across the midsection of the state, generally along and south of I-40. The shallow, cold airmass in place across much of the state will begin to moderate tonight into Sunday as sfc ridging centered northwest of the state will begin to shift eastward. Low level flow will transition from easterly today to southerly by Saturday night. && .LONG TERM... (Sunday through Thursday) Issued at 357 AM CST Fri Feb 24 2023 The period will begin with a potent storm system tracking from the southern Rockies into the central Plains Sunday/Sunday evening. Ahead of the system, gusty south/southwest winds will be noted in Arkansas, and temperatures will be well above average. Clouds will also increase, and showers/thunderstorms will become widespread Sunday night. With the loss of instability after dark, any severe weather should be isolated, and mainly west of Little Rock. Severe storms will be more likely farther west in the afternoon from southern Kansas to northern Texas. Rain will mostly end Monday morning, with breezy west winds continuing. Much drier air will arrive in the afternoon along with rapid clearing and continued springlike temperatures. The pattern looks more quiet on Tuesday with high pressure in place and plenty of sunshine. There will not be much change on Wednesday, although clouds will increase as the high shifts to the east. There will also be a new storm system on the horizon to the southwest. The system will bring chances of rain late Wednesday into Thursday. The precipitation shield will begin exiting Thursday night, with colder air building into northwest sections of the state. && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 534 AM CST Fri Feb 24 2023 A band of light to moderate rain continues from near KMEZ/KDEQ to KAWM/KJBR. Occasional TS activity persists in this precip and will continue through the morning hours. N AR terminals will stay mostly dry with VFR conditions today, some MVFR ceilings may develop tonight. Central and southern AR terminals will contend with fairly persistent MVFR or lower ceilings/vsby through the period. Winds will be E/NE through much of the period. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Batesville AR 44 41 53 46 / 10 30 20 10 Camden AR 50 45 56 49 / 50 30 40 0 Harrison AR 45 38 55 46 / 20 20 10 20 Hot Springs AR 44 40 52 47 / 70 50 60 10 Little Rock AR 46 42 53 48 / 90 50 50 10 Monticello AR 53 47 59 51 / 50 30 30 0 Mount Ida AR 46 40 54 48 / 60 50 50 10 Mountain Home AR 46 39 54 45 / 10 20 10 20 Newport AR 44 43 51 46 / 30 30 30 10 Pine Bluff AR 48 45 54 49 / 70 40 50 0 Russellville AR 46 41 54 46 / 30 40 30 10 Searcy AR 44 40 51 45 / 70 30 30 10 Stuttgart AR 46 45 51 48 / 90 50 50 0 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...67 LONG TERM....46 AVIATION...67
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Little Rock AR 436 AM CST Fri Feb 24 2023 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- 237-238-240-241-313-340-341-251100- 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- 436 AM CST Fri Feb 24 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a Large Part of Arkansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Rain and thunderstorms are expected across the state today, some locally heavy rainfall is possibly. No severe weather is expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Chances for rain and thunderstorms remain in the forecast for the weekend into early next week. A few strong to possibly severe storms are possible across mainly western Arkansas from Sunday night into Monday as a strong storm system passes by. Windy conditions are expected on Monday as well .Spotter Information Statement... Spotter activation will not be needed. && Visit NWS Little Rock on the web. Go to http://weather.gov/lzk. 67
The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 33 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:58 UTC.
2 heavy rain, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Excessive rain flooded some roads, with water close to several homes. This was a delayed report.
This is a daily total from 12 am CST to 6 pm CST.
This is a daily total from 12 am CST to 6 pm CST.
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, February 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: 1081414, 1081415, 1081416.