Flash Flood — Hempstead, Arkansas

2024-05-23 · near Hope, Hempstead, Arkansas

Event narrative

A ten foot section of County Road 183 washed out due to flash flooding, leaving several residents unable to access or leave their homes.

Wider weather episode

An expanding cluster of thunderstorms shifted across Southwest Arkansas during the morning hours on May 23rd. Some bowing became evident within these thunderstorms, suggesting at least a slightly organized cold pool. This convection occurred in tandem with a weak cyclonic mid-level circulation evident in water vapor imagery, and near the nose of an associated 40 knot southerly low-level jet. The forcing aloft, co-located with an axis of 1500 to 2000 J/kg slightly elevated CAPE, helped to sustain this convection throughout the morning with a few reports of isolated damaging wind gusts and flash flooding across parts of Southwest Arkansas.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.6777, -93.6199)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1187500. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.