National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Severe Thunderstorm and Fire Weather Threats in the Central U.S. Today; Strong Storm in Western Alaska

There is an Enhanced Risk (Level 3 of 5) for severe thunderstorms today with threats for significant severe hail and tornado potential over southern Iowa into northern Missouri and west-central Illinois. Elevated to critical fire weather is possible today due to gusty winds and dry conditions over parts of the southern High Plains and northeastern Montana. Read More >

Overview
A prolonged period of rain fell across the Four State Region during a four-day period from late Friday, March 17, through Monday, March 20, 2006. The heaviest rain fell north of Interstate 20 during this event with rainfall amounts generally between 4 and 6 inches with some totals just over 8 inches across Red River County in Northeast Texas.
 
Graphics
Map showing rainfall totals
A graphic showing how many inches of rain fell during this four-day rain event.
 
Surface map for 7am on Sunday, March 19, 2006
Rainfall totals for March 8-15, 2016.
 
Upper level chart for Sunday morning on March 19, 2006
An upper level chart for Sunday morning on March 19, 2006.
 
Rainfall Totals
Southerly winds just above the surface ushered copious amounts of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico over a nearly stationary frontal boundary across Central Texas. This moisture, combined with a few upper level disturbance ahead of the main trough across the Western United States, resulted in nearly continuous rainfall with a few thunderstorms from Friday night through Sunday mainly along and north of Interstate 20. The heaviest rainfall was along the Interstate 30 corridor.

The upper trough pushed east into the Southern Plains Sunday night and Monday. This allowed the frontal boundary to push a bit farther north as a warm front into East Texas and Central Louisiana. This brought another round of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across the region. Finally, the rain came to an end Monday evening, March 20th, 2006.
 
 
Selected Rainfall Reports from March 17-20, 2006
ARKANSAS
LOCATION AMOUNT
Ashdown 6.49 inches
De Queen 6.41 inches
El Dorado 3.95 inches
3 miles NE of Hope 5.76 inches
Lewisville 5.20 inches
Locksburg 4.79 inches
Texarkana 5.07 inches
TEXAS
Atlanta 5.51 inches
Center 2.71 inches
1 mile W of Clarksville 8.20 inches
Garrison 2.74 inches
4 miles WNW of Gilmer 4.40 inches
1 mile W of Hallsville 5.67 inches
6 miles NE of Hemphill 2.31 inches
Karnack 6.27 inches
Longview 3.78 inches
Lufkin 1.39 inches
Mount Pleasant 5.04 inches
New Boston 5.32 inches
Quitman 5.10 inches
Tyler 2.79 inches
 
Selected Rainfall Reports from March 17-20, 2006
OKLAHOMA
LOCATION AMOUNT
1 mile N of Broken Bow 6.50 inches
LOUISIANA
Arcadia 4,47 inches
5 miles E of Benton 6.48 inches
Bienville 4.38 inches
Farmerville 5.71 inches
Hagewood 4.10 inches
Hodges Gardens 3.65 inches
1 mile N of Homer 6.05 inches
Monroe Airport 5.78 inches
Monroe (River) 4.84 inches
Provencal 2.95 inches
Shreveport NWS 4.34 inches
Shreveport Regional Airport 4.25 inches
Shreveport
(Wallace Lake-North)
3.35 inches
Stonewall 3.69 inches
Vivian 6.45 inches
2 miles W of Winnfield 1.90 inches
     
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