Thunderstorm Wind in Pike County, Arkansas

Trees were blown down on Highway 26 near Delight.

An upper ridge was west of Arkansas and not directly over the state allowing thunderstorms to develop around its eastern periphery. On the 3rd, scattered storms popped up during the heat of the afternoon, with spotty severe weather in the north. There was quarter size hail at Mount Judea, and a tree was toppled onto a home in Parthenon (both in Newton County). Enough rain fell to flood Highway 327 southeast of Jasper (Newton County). There was also a landslide in the same area.

Early the next morning, strong to severe storms swept from Missouri into northern Arkansas. While the storms generally weakened with time, there was a 60 mph gust measured at the airport just northwest of Harrison (Boone County). Trees were knocked down at Lead Hill (Boone County).

During the afternoon of the 5th, a cluster of thunderstorms tracked through eastern sections of the state from north to south producing severe weather. In addition, there was a whole lot more wind damage in northern and central Mississippi. Cool outflow from the storms took off to the west.

As the outflow oozed westward through central and southern Arkansas, thunderstorms erupted. Some of the storms were huge, and exhibited structure found in springtime tornadic supercells (storms with rotating updrafts). In this case, rotation was found well aloft (10,000 to 15,000 feet), and did not make it to the ground. No Tornado Warnings were issued. Trees were uprooted at Arkadelphia (Clark County), Delight (Pike County), and just north of Star City (Lincoln County). At Donaldson (Hot Spring County), downed trees fell on a house and a vehicle.