NWS Little Rock, AR - Severe Weather on June 12, 2009

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Arkansas has had its share of historic events, many of which will be in our memories for years to come.

	Severe Weather on June 12, 2009

Showers and thunderstorms tracked along a nearly stationary front into Arkansas on 06/12/2009.

700 am CDT | 100 pm CDT | 700 pm CDT | Loop

A front in southern Missouri wobbled into northern Arkansas on the 12th before becoming nearly stationary.

In the pictures: Showers and thunderstorms tracked along a nearly stationary front into Arkansas on 06/12/2009.

An MCS (Mesoscale Convective System...or large cluster of thunderstorms) developed in Kansas and Oklahoma early in the day. The MCS followed the front into Arkansas by the afternoon.

In the picture: The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed an MCS (Mesoscale Convective System...or a large cluster of thunderstorms) surging from western into central Arkansas at 118 pm CDT on 06/12/2009.

	The leading edge of the MCS, a bow echo, produced 60 to 80 mph winds...with locally higher gusts (more than hurricane force) as it raced from northwest into central and east central sections of the state.
In the picture: The WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) showed 60 to 80 mph inbound (toward the radar) winds surging toward central Arkansas at 205 pm CDT on 06/12/2009. The winds were associated with a fast moving bow echo. On the north end of the bow, there were several instances of rotation...and Tornado Warnings issued.

The bow echo entered the state around 12 pm CDT and reached the Mississippi River around 430 pm CDT.
In the picture: Severe thunderstorms rolled into the Little Rock (Pulaski County) area between 230 pm and 300 pm CDT on 06/12/2009. Click to enlarge.

A long-lived bow echo, or "derecho" (Spanish for "straight", or in this case, straight-line winds), rocketed eastward across Arkansas in four to five hours during the afternoon of 06/12/2009.

In the picture: A long-lived bow echo, or "derecho" (Spanish for "straight", or in this case, straight-line winds), rocketed eastward across Arkansas in four to five hours during the afternoon of 06/12/2009.

A bow echo is a backwards "C" shaped line of storms. Strong to damaging winds often punch through the rear of the storms, causing them to bulge forward (which explains the bowing).

There were numerous trees and powerlines downed, and spotty structural damage. At least 70,000 homes were left without power.

In the picture: Severe weather reports on 06/12/2009. The graphic is courtesy of the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK.

Link of Interest

Damage Pictures

There were also some tornado and funnel cloud reports. One tornado (rated EF1) was spawned from just south of St. Vincent to around Solgohachia (both in Conway County).
In the picture: A weak (EF1) tornado was noted in Conway County on 06/12/2009.

Link of Interest

Damage Survey

The bow echo continued through Mississippi and Alabama before weakening during the evening. Because it traveled for several hundred miles, caused extensive wind damage and followed a boundary (stalled front)...it can be classified as a progressive derecho (Spanish for "straight", or in this case, straight-line winds).

Link of Interest

More About Derechos

Storm Reports

Preliminary reports of severe weather in the Little Rock County Warning Area on June 12, 2009 (in red).

There was widespread wind damage and a tornado on the 12th. To check out the reports, click here.

In the picture: Preliminary reports of severe weather in the Little Rock County Warning Area on June 12, 2009 (in red).

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