Thunderstorm Wind — Ashley, Arkansas

2023-06-18 · near Bovine, Ashley, Arkansas

Event narrative

A destructive thunderstorm complex produced widespread damaging winds across Ashley County. While much of the county experienced severe wind gusts at or above 60 mph, a corridor of higher gusts in the 70 to 100 mph range occurred along a swath from near Crossett and Hamburg to the southeast. Most trees sustained some degree of damage, and many were uprooted or snapped. Approximately 20 to 30 homes were damaged or destroyed by fallen trees, and some residences and businesses lost some shingles and roof covering. Treefall also resulted in numerous power line and power pole failures. A tree also fell onto a substation in Hamburg. Between Crossett and Hamburg, tubular steel power transmission towers were collapsed. This area is where the winds likely reached maximum intensity, estimated to be near 100 mph. The damaging wind complex carried east and southeast toward Wilmot where winds weakened below 70 mph. Wind damage continued farther east into Chicot county, but was this was not as intense as that in central Ashley County.

Wider weather episode

An upper-level shortwave trough moving east through the Central Plains initiated a few clusters of thunderstorms over Arkansas beginning early in the morning of June 18th. With an unstable air mass and strong jet stream over the region, these storms became severe and produced damaging wind in portions of far southeast Arkansas.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.2000, -91.9300)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1151140. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.