Ice Storm in Benton, Arkansas

Upper level disturbances passing through the Southern Plains resulted in precipitation development north of a stationary arctic front located in North Texas. Freezing rain began across the area during the early afternoon hours of the 26th and became more widespread and heavy through the afternoon and evening hours. The heaviest icing and most widespread power outages and tree damage occurred across portions of Washington, Madison, Benton, and Carroll Counties where one to two inch accumulations were reported. At the height of the storm, 75 percent of electric customers were without power in Benton County and nearly 100 percent were without power in Carroll County. Some remote, rural customers continued to be without power for more than two weeks.

Before the precipitation ended across northwest Arkansas, the freezing rain changed to sleet with one to two inch accumulations falling across portions of the region on top of the very heavy ice.

One direct injury occurred from the storm in northwest Arkansas. A woman was injured by ice coated tree limbs that fell on her in Springdale.