Arkansas, 2026

Damaging Winds in Arkansas, June 23, 2026

June 23, 2026 · NWS SHV · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Strong to severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and early evening on June 23rd within a zone of weak theta-e advection at 850 millibars, extending along the Middle Red River Valley and into the Ark-La-Tex. Rich boundary layer moisture as well as overall strong instability was in place across the area, along with effective deep-layer shear of 35-40 knots.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS SHV wrote it up.

Strong to severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and early evening on June 23rd within a zone of weak theta-e advection at 850 millibars, extending along the Middle Red River Valley and into the Ark-La-Tex. Rich boundary layer moisture as well as overall strong instability was in place across the area, along with effective deep-layer shear of 35-40 knots. Wind profiles indicated 850 millibar winds out of the south to southeast at around 25 knots, aiding in lift across the warm advection zone. As low-level winds veered and strengthened during the morning hours, forcing for ascent also increased. Slow-moving thunderstorms with heavy rainfall began to rapidly increase in this environment, extending well into the afternoon and early evening. Given the high precipitable water (PWAT) environment, localized strong downbursts also occurred with some of these storms. As a result, several damaging wind reports were recorded across parts of Southwest Arkansas.

What forecasters said that day

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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 23, 5:52 PM CST, 2 hours 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Issued at 1134 AM CDT Mon Jun 22 2026
  • Flood Watch is in effect through for much of the ArkLaTex until 7 AM Wednesday morning.
  • Temperatures will climb into the mid 90s by late week into the weekend possibly prompting Heat Advisory headlines each day.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 23, 5:52 PM CST, 2 hours 13 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
652 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 1134 AM CDT Mon Jun 22 2026

 - Flood Watch is in effect through for much of the ArkLaTex
   until 7 AM Wednesday morning.

 - Temperatures will climb into the mid 90s by late week into the
   weekend possibly prompting Heat Advisory headlines each day.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1119 AM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

An upper-level disturbance to translate southeast from the Texas
Panhandle and western Oklahoma into the ArkLaTex early this
evening prompting another round of showers and thunderstorms
within the ongoing Flood Watch area. With soils becoming nearly
saturated across the region from previous periodic rain events
over the past week or two, the flash flood thresholds are becoming
much lower, resulting in flash flooding concerns with lesser
rainfall rates. Thus, the ongoing Flash Flood Watch has been
extended to 7 AM Wednesday morning to account for upcoming
overnight convection.

Conditions are forecast to improve areawide on Wednesday
afternoon, signaling a pattern shift characterized by hotter and
drier conditions as an upper-level ridge builds east across
Texas.

Although there may still remain a chance for diurnally driven
showers and thunderstorms across portions of southwest Arkansas
and southeast Oklahoma on Thursday afternoon, precip chances will
become mostly non-existent through the weekend. Afternoon high
temperatures will climb into the mid 90s areawide with heat index
values exceeding 100 degrees, possibly approaching Heat Advisory
criteria. /05/

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 645 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

For the 24/00Z TAFs, ongoing thunderstorms in north Texas will
push eastward over the next several hours, impacting KTXK with
gusty winds and torrential rainfall. The remnants of these storms
may swing southward overnight, but impacts to terminals along the
I-20 corridor are still uncertain. Including VCTS for most likely
windows of impact. CIGs may deteriorate to MVFR/IFR levels near
daybreak at sites which do not receive precip overnight or have
sufficient time to recover after storms depart. Winds will be
light and variable overnight outside of the vicinity of stronger
storms, remaining southwesterly tomorrow at maximum sustained
speeds of 5 to 10 kts.

/26/

&&

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Issued at 651 AM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

Spotter activation may be needed this evening and overnight for
the potential of heavy rain and flash flooding across the northern
half of our Four State Region. /15/

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SHV  76  93  75  94 /  50  10  10   0
MLU  75  91  75  94 /  50  40  10   0
DEQ  71  88  72  90 /  70  40  30   0
TXK  74  92  75  94 /  60  40  20   0
ELD  72  88  72  93 /  70  40  20   0
TYR  77  94  74  94 /  20   0   0   0
GGG  77  93  74  93 /  50  10   0   0
LFK  76  95  73  95 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...Flood Watch through Wednesday morning for ARZ050-051-059>061-
     070>073.

LA...Flood Watch through Wednesday morning for LAZ001>006-010>014-019-
     021.

OK...Flood Watch through Wednesday morning for OKZ077.

TX...Flood Watch through Wednesday morning for TXZ096-097-108>112-
     124>126-138.

&&

DISCUSSION...05
AVIATION...26

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 23, 6:17 PM CST, 1 hour 48 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
717 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

TXZ111-112-125-126-138-240115-
Morris TX-Harrison TX-Cass TX-Upshur TX-Marion TX-
717 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN HARRISON...
MARION...NORTHEASTERN UPSHUR...SOUTHEASTERN MORRIS AND SOUTHWESTERN
CASS COUNTIES UNTIL 815 PM CDT...

At 717 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 6
miles east of Cedar Springs, or 21 miles northeast of Gilmer, moving
east at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
  Jefferson, Hughes Springs, Lone Star, Ore City, Berea, Cedar
  Springs, Jenkins, Woodlawn, Lodi, Kildare, Fairview, Avinger,
  Lassater and Pruett.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

&&

LAT...LON 3276 9485 3290 9476 3290 9472 3291 9473
      3291 9474 3292 9474 3292 9475 3300 9470
      3295 9424 3261 9435
TIME...MOT...LOC 0017Z 277DEG 12KT 3285 9462

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

09
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 6:35 PM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
735 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

ARZ050-051-059-060-TXZ097-240130-
Little River AR-Bowie TX-Sevier AR-Howard AR-Hempstead AR-
735 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT LITTLE RIVER...
NORTHEASTERN BOWIE...NORTHWESTERN HEMPSTEAD...HOWARD AND SEVIER
COUNTIES UNTIL 830 PM CDT...

At 735 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a line of strong
thunderstorms extending from near De Queen to 5 miles northeast of De
Kalb, or extending from near De Queen to 11 miles northwest of New
Boston, moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
  Ashdown, Nashville, Mineral Springs, Dierks, Lockesburg, Wilton,
  Tollette, Gillham, Ben Lomond, Corinth, Saratoga, Center Point,
  Richmond, Oak Grove, Bellview, Browntown, Silver Ridge, Central,
  Provo and Geneva.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3356 9459 3365 9452 3364 9452 3362 9454
      3363 9449 3367 9449 3366 9438 3395 9427
      3417 9434 3428 9394 3426 9392 3419 9393
      3418 9382 3401 9382 3400 9374 3352 9411
TIME...MOT...LOC 0034Z 259DEG 34KT 3410 9437 3397 9428 3357 9456

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

50
Local storm report, Jun 23, 6:46 PM CST, 1 hour 19 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
746 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0650 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 N Clarksville         33.64N 95.06W
06/23/2026                   Red River          TX   Law Enforcement

            Law enforcement received report of a tree
            down on TX-37 South near Clarksville.

&&

SP
Local storm report, Jun 23, 6:48 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
748 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0747 PM     Flash Flood      Clarksville             33.61N 95.05W
06/23/2026                   Red River          TX   Law Enforcement

            FM 909 in Clarksville closed due to
            flooding.

&&

SP
Local storm report, Jun 23, 6:49 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
749 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0748 PM     Flash Flood      1 W Clarksville         33.61N 95.07W
06/23/2026                   Red River          TX   Law Enforcement

            Areas of US-82 West in Clarksville with
            water reported over the roadway.

&&

SP
Local storm report, Jun 23, 7:23 PM CST, 42 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
823 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0705 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 5 E Idabel              33.90N 94.74W
06/23/2026                   McCurtain          OK   Public

            Report of a tree down blocking Opal Valley
            Dr.

&&

SP

The radar

The Shreveport radar (KSHV), 69 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:05 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lafayette

When
June 23, 8:05 PM CST
Where
Lafayette County, 1.38 mi S of Kizer
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.050, -93.670

Trees downed along Highway 29 south of Bradley.

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia

When
June 23, 8:25 PM CST
Where
Columbia County, 1.74 mi E of Taylor
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.100, -93.440

Numerous trees downed across Columbia County, including along Highway 160.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When
June 23, 9:01 PM CST
Where
Union County, Wesson
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.120, -92.770

Tree downed onto a power line on Old Mill Road in the Wesson community.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When
June 23, 9:03 PM CST
Where
Union County, 1.5 mi SSW of Norphlet
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.300, -92.680

Trees downed along Smackover Highway between El Dorado and Smackover.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When
June 23, 9:27 PM CST
Where
Union County, Lawson
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.200, -92.480

Trees downed in the Lawson community.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arkansas in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, June 2026

Sources

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: 1351420, 1351421, 1351423, 1351425, 1351427.