Thunderstorm Wind in Montgomery County, Arkansas

Some tree limbs were downed.

As August began, drought conditions were widespread in Arkansas, with dryness the most noticeable in northern and western sections of the state. Above normal temperatures were also common. On the 8th, a cold front approached from the north, and brought chances of rain and promised temporary relief from the heat.

Ahead of the front, thermometers showed readings in the 90s. During peak heating, thunderstorms popped up quickly in the northern half of the state. Some of the storms cranked out damaging winds. Trees were downed at Gravel Ridge and Macon (both in Pulaski County), with one tree on a fence. More trees were toppled in west Little Rock (Pulaski County). The trees fell on power lines and a home, and power outages lasted into the overnight hours for some residents. Tree damage was also noted in Hot Springs (Garland County), and several utility poles were snapped. This was the most severe weather reported during the month.

Locations with an inch or more of rainfall were few and far between. Bogg Springs (Polk County) received 2.02 inches of rain, 1.16 inches at Mena (Polk County), 1.07 inches at Hot Springs (Garland County), and 1.00 inch at Batesville (Independence County).