NWS Little Rock, AR - Areas of Heavy Rain on July 27-31, 2022

The pattern changed temporarily at the end of July. For much of the month, high pressure sat over Arkansas or nearby, and turned up the heat and kept rain spotty. The high shifted toward the Gulf Coast by the 27th, and this allowed a cold front to drift into the state from the north. The front stalled across the region for several days, and was a focus for scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms.

Before the downpours started, triple digit readings were commonplace, especially in the west. The mercury hit 100 degrees or more at Texarkana (Miller County) twenty five times in 2022 through July, and twenty four times at Fort Smith (Sebastian County). Preceding the front on the 26th, the high temperature at Fayetteville (Washington County) was 104 degrees, and 105 degrees at Russellville (Pope County). These locations had not experienced such heat since 2012.

When the rain finally came, it was most concentrated in areas north of Little Rock (Pulaski County). Many locations in the north received two to more than four inch amounts during this event. At Alicia (Lawrence County), 10.45 inches of precipitation dumped in a four day period ending at 700 am CDT on the 31st. Highfill (Benton County) received 5.24 inches during the same time frame, and Jonesboro (Craighead County) got 4.84 inches. Severe weather was isolated. On the 28th, thunderstorm winds damaged a bank building and blew the press box onto the bleachers at a high school football field at Bismarck (Hot Spring County). Quarter size hail was also reported locally.

Southern and eastern Arkansas also got beneficial rain. In the twenty four hour period ending at 700 am CDT on the 30th, two to three inches of liquid was measured at Cane Creek State Park (Lincoln County) and Crossett (Ashley County). On the 30th, a cloudburst resulted in 3.30 inches of rain at Monticello (Drew County), with 2.81 inches at West Memphis (Crittenden County) on the 31st.

For the month, most places still had below average precipitation as the event came to a close. There were one to two inch rainfall deficits at Fayetteville (Washington County) and Fort Smith (Sebastian County), and two to more than three inch deficits at Pine Bluff (Jefferson County) and Texarkana (Miller County).

Looking elsewhere, this event was preceded by significant flooding in the St. Louis, MO area. Just over nine inches of rain fell in twenty four hours on July 25th/26th, and this broke the previous record by two inches (set in August, 1915 and due to the remnants of the Galveston Hurricane). Much of the rain (7.68 inches) came down in only six hours, which was faster than it could be carried away. Water flowed into homes and businesses and stalled vehicles. Dozens of people had to be rescued. There were two fatalities. High water closed a thirty mile section of Interstate 70 and damaged the MetroLink light rail transit system.

A couple of days later, there was a deluge in southeast Kentucky, with close to ten inches of rain in places. The North Fork Kentucky River went on a rampage through the rolling terrain of Appalachia. The river reached unprecedented levels at Whitesburg, KY (blowing by the previous record crest in 1957 by six feet) and Jackson, KY. A swollen Troublesome Creek ripped through Fisty, KY and Hindman, KY. As water levels rose, evacuations became necessary, including near an overwhelmed Panbowl Lake Dam at Jackson, KY. Homes were swept off their foundations, and at least fifty bridges were washed away in one county. Thousands of people were displaced. Sadly, at least thirty seven people lost their lives. Adjacent areas of southwest Virginia and southwest West Virginia were also impacted by flooding.

Clouds and rain helped temper the heat. High temperatures on the 30th were only in the 70s in the northeast. This included a 71 degree reading at Walnut Ridge (Lawrence County), and 72 degrees at Corning (Clay County). Unfortunately, it was still hot in the southwest, with mid and upper 90s at Camden (Ouachita County) and Texarkana (Miller County).