Hail — Fulton, Arkansas

2023-04-05 · near Cherokee Vlg, Fulton, Arkansas

Event narrative

A picture was posted on social media of hail with the smallest stones appearing to be quarter sized, up to hen egg size. Time based on radar.

Wider weather episode

Cooling took place overhead during the early morning hours of the 5th, and this allowed scattered severe thunderstorms to pop up in northern Arkansas. Straight-line wind estimated at 75 to 85 mph roughed up homes and barns around Sydney (Sharp County). Tennis ball size hail occurred at Ash Flat (Sharp County), with hen egg size stones at Cherokee Village (Fulton/Sharp Counties).

After sunrise, a line of showers and strong to severe thunderstorms surged through the state from the west. This happened as a powerful storm system in the upper Midwest dragged a cold front across the region. Trees were blown down near Center Ridge (Conway County) and Fox (Stone County).

The front eventually stalled along the Gulf Coast. North of the front, areas of heavy rain were noted in southeast Arkansas through the overnight hours of the 5th and into the 6th. More than three inches of precipitation dumped in places, including Cane Creek State Park (Lincoln County) and Monticello (Drew County). At the latter location, a portion of Highway 278 was closed due to flooding. Conditions were much cooler, with temperatures largely in the 50s at 100 pm CDT on the 6th.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.3000, -91.5700)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1093462. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.