Flash Flood — Sebastian, Arkansas

2019-08-24 · near Lavaca, Sebastian, Arkansas

Direct deaths

$400K

Property damage

Event narrative

Portions of Highways 96 and 255 were closed near Lavaca. Portions of Highway 22 were closed near Fort Chaffee. Reportedly, 38 homes were flood-damaged in Fort Smith and seven were flood-damaged in Barling. A woman delivering newspapers drove into flood water across Kinkead Avenue on the east side of Fort Smith, and was washed off the road where she drowned.

Wider weather episode

A slow-moving upper level disturbance approached the region on the 24th. The atmosphere was very moist across the area ahead of this system, which supported a period of very heavy and persistent rainfall over parts of west central Arkansas. Flash flooding resulted from that excessive rainfall.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.3300, -94.1800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 850143. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.