NWS Little Rock, AR - A Close Call on November 29, 2022

For the second time in November, an outbreak of severe weather was a possibility in Arkansas on the 29th. Warm and moist air was on the move northward from the Gulf Coast. At the same time, much colder air was on the doorstep in the Plains. Contrasting air masses often yield volatile weather, and that is what was on the menu in the mid-South.

Severe thunderstorms were expected to develop during the afternoon and overnight hours, especially from southeast Arkansas into northern Louisiana, Mississippi, and northwest Alabama. Tornadoes were likely in these areas.

Unfortunately, the WSR-88D at North Little Rock (KLZK) was scheduled to be taken down the day before the event unfolded. This was the beginning of an up to two week repair to refurbish a critical component of the radar (the pedestal). The planning of such a repair was complicated, and the same repair for other radars was locked in on the calendar. Any delays could potentially throw the repair process into disarray. Even so, given the heightened risk of severe weather, it was decided to halt work until this event was over.

Once the event got under way, numerous tornadoes were spawned. The tornadoes bypassed Arkansas to the south and east. There were three dozen reports of tornado damage by the morning of the 29th.

Tornadoes wreaked havoc to the south and east of Arkansas on November 29th/early on the 30th. Sadly, some of the tornadoes were spawned late at night while folks were asleep. At Holum, LA (35 miles south of Monroe, LA), several homes were damaged or destroyed by a tornado (rated EF3), and at least two people were injured. A similar tornado (rated EF3) cut a nearly twenty mile swath of destruction through Fruitdale, AL and Tibbie, AL (50 miles north of Mobile, AL). A tree was uprooted by a tornado (rated EF2) and fell through a home just northeast of Montgomery, AL. There were two fatalities and one injury. A tornado (rated EF1) tore much of the roof off of an apartment complex near Eutaw, AL (80 miles southwest of Birmingham, AL). Displaced residents were sheltered at a nearby middle school. A grocery store was hit by a tornado (rated EF2) just south of Caledonia, MS. People were trapped inside. Not far away, a fire department building was dismantled.

While severe thunderstorms were ongoing, a band of snow (some heavy) developed from the central Plains to upper Midwest. Six to ten inch accumulations were noted in parts of Minneapolis, MN.

A couple of days before the severe weather event, the Mauna Loa volcano erupted. The volcano was in hiatus since 1985, which was its longest period (thirty seven years) without an eruption. This is one of five volcanos on the island of Hawaii.

Around here, a power pole and power lines were downed on Highway 318 at Marvell (Phillips County). Golf ball size hail was reported at Dermott (Chicot County), with ping pong ball size hail at Tinsman (Calhoun County), and quarter size hail west of Star City (Lincoln County).

As far as rainfall, the heaviest precipitation was to the east of us. Parts of eastern Mississippi and northern Alabama had more than five inches of liquid. Amounts over two inches occurred in extreme southeast Arkansas.

After high temperatures in the 60s and 70s, colder air poured into the region from the northwest. By the morning of the 30th, most readings were in the 20s and 30s. There was also a gusty north to northwest wind.