Flash Flood — Independence, Arkansas

2009-10-29 · near New Hope, Independence, Arkansas

Direct deaths

$15K

Property damage

Event narrative

A pickup truck was swept off Webber Chapel Road into an unnamed creek. The driver was killed after being swept downstream. A passenger in the vehicle saved himself by clinging to a tree.

Wider weather episode

A large storm system in the Rockies headed through the Plains into the upper Midwest on the 29th. Rain increased ahead of the system, and became widespread in Arkansas. Meanwhile, a cold front arrived from the west. Because the system was so far to the north, it did not give the front much push. The front slowed down, which prolonged the rain. The result was widespread flash flooding, which gave way to areal flooding and river flooding. Winds changed direction and speed up through the atmosphere, a favorable condition for tornadoes. However, instability was sufficient only in southern Arkansas for the development of tornadoes.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.8082, -91.7748)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 197838. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.