Flash Flood — Hempstead, Arkansas

2024-01-23 · near Patmos, Hempstead, Arkansas

Event narrative

Numerous roads were flooded across Hempstead County.

Wider weather episode

A deep upper-level trough axis became entrenched across the western U.S. early on January 23rd, enhancing a deep southwesterly flow pattern across the Middle Red River Valley. Multiple disturbances aloft ejected northeast within the southwesterly flow and combined with a stalled surface frontal boundary to provide a nearly ideal environment for heavy rainfall across the Ark-La-Tex region. The axis of heaviest rainfall extended across much of East Texas into Southwest Arkansas and Northwest Louisiana, ultimately totaling between 3-6 inches with isolated higher amounts. Given these excessive rainfall amounts coupled with rain rates of over an inch per hour in some areas, a few reports of flash flooding were received across parts of Southwest Arkansas.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.5142, -93.5740)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1159825. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.