NWS Little Rock, AR - Severe Storms on May 21-26, 2024 (2024)

During the evening of the 21st, there were supercells (storms with rotating updrafts) along the Arkansas River west of Little Rock (Pulaski County). Several Tornado Warnings were issued, and signs were ominous (on radar) that a tornado was spawned at Russellville (Pope County). While a funnel cloud was witnessed, it did not reach the ground. There were power lines downed on the south side of town (due to damaging straight-line winds). Farther east, a tree was blown onto a house in Greenbrier (Faulkner County).

On the 22nd, the focus shifted mainly to the northeast counties. The storm of the day rocked Jonesboro (Craighead County) with up to golf ball size hail and unleashed a 70 mph wind gust at the airport. Numerous trees were toppled and homes/businesses sustained minor wind damage. Elsewhere, quarter size hail was reported at Fair Oaks (Cross County), Harrisburg (Poinsett County), Marianna (Lee County), and Whelen Springs (Clark County). Trees were uprooted at Caraway (Craighead County) and near Watkins Corner (Phillips County), and power poles were pushed over between Osceola and Blytheville (both in Mississippi County) along U.S. Highway 61. East of Blevins (Hempstead County), nineteen head of cattle were killed by lightning while standing under a tree.

Early on the 23rd, a downpour and more than five inches of rain washed out a ten foot section of a county road around New Hope (Hempstead County). Residents in the area were unable to leave or access their homes.

Activity picked up a lot on the 24th. During the predawn hours, a weak tornado (rated EF1) touched down between De Queen and Lockesburg (both in Sevier County), and was on the ground for eight miles. Mostly tree damage was noted, although outbuildings and sheds were roughed up. The late afternoon/evening began with softball size hail at Slovak (Prairie County) and golf balls at Lexa (Phillips County). There was also a 63 mph wind gust at the Stuttgart Municipal Airport at Fairmount (Prairie County), and a 61 mph gust south of at McCreanor (Lonoke County). That was followed by a cluster of severe storms that marched from southwest through central and east central Arkansas. Trees were mowed down from Blevins (Hempstead County) and Kirby (Pike County) to Benton (Saline County), Little Rock (Pulaski County), Sheridan (Grant County), and Pine Bluff (Jefferson County). Quarter to hen egg size hail occurred in places. A 64 mph gust was measured at Maumelle (Pulaski County), with 50 to 55 mph gusts at airports in Camden (Ouachita County) and Pine Bluff (Jefferson County).

If you thought the 24th was bad, conditions were horrific before dawn on the 26th. The environment looked ominous from the central and southern Plains to southern Missouri and extreme northern Arkansas.

Multiple tornadoes were spawned from Benton County eastward through Carroll, Boone, Marion, Baxter, and Fulton Counties. At Olvey (Boone County), a survey confirmed at least EF3 damage.

Homes and businesses were heavily damaged or destroyed, and at least eight fatalities have been counted. Power was knocked out to at least 125,000 utility customers. More details will emerge as surveys are completed.