Flood in Garland County, Arkansas

Flash flooding, which developed on the evening of the 23rd, became widespread areal flooding on the morning on the 24th and continued into Christmas morning. A minor landslide occurred on West Mountain in Hot Springs. Part of Arkansas Highway 227 (Mountain Pine Rd.) had to be closed for awhile. Bridges that were washed out, damaged, or flooded including those on Deerpark Rd., Kelly Hollow at Wildcat Rd., Caddo Gap near Norman Dr., South Harris Rd., Holy Spirit Ln., Hughes Rd., Owl Creek Rd., Brady Mountain Rd., and Brady Mountain Cutoff. Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine rose rapidly out of their winter pools, approaching summertime lake levels. Docks broke loose in the Big Mazarn area, sending pieces of the docks, boats, personal watercraft, and other debris floating in Lake Hamilton. Boats and boat docks floated off on Lake Balboa and Lake Cortez in Hot Springs Village.

A strong but slow-moving low pressure system began its approach to Arkansas on the 23rd. Ahead of this low, unseasonably large amounts of moisture were drawn northward from the Gulf of Mexico. The approach of the low set off heavy rain and thunderstorms on the 23rd and 24th. Rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches were common for the two-day period. In a broad swath from southwest Arkansas through the central part of the state into northeast Arkansas, many places picked up 7 to 10 inches of rain. Flash flooding resulted initially, followed by areal flooding and river flooding. After the low passed by, colder air spilled into Arkansas. Light snow fell across parts of northern and western Arkansas from late on the 24th into the early morning hours of Christmas Day. Most snowfall amounts were in the 1/2 to 1 inch range, with spotty totals up to 2 inches. Though the amounts were rather small, hazardous driving conditions resulted.