NORTHWEST ARKANSAS -- Its name was Isaiah, and it packed a punch as it moved across the country. The National Weather Service had predicted for nearly a week that Thursday, Friday and Saturday could see some of the most extreme weather conditions for the start of the New Year. And the weather service was spot on in its predictions.
Winter Storm Isaiah grew out of two low-pressure systems and a cold front that extended from the upper Midwest to Texas Thursday night. In addition to the National Weather Service, local television and newspapers also predicted extreme weather, from severe thunderstorms and tornadoes to ice and even snow.
In Northwest Arkansas, Friday morning started out with nice patches of blue sky and a few clouds passing through the area after early morning thunderstorms swept the area. But there was something in the air that indicated that the afternoon would be less than peaceful.
At 11 a.m. the storm clouds rolled in, bringing with them several light thunderstorms and rain. Then, around 3 p.m., the winds died away and a calm surrounded the Northwest Arkansas area. Soon the calm gave way to a darkening sky with a greenish tint which indicated an approaching super-cell thunderstorm and low-level circulation.
As a heavy thunderstorm hit Decatur and Gentry around 3:30 p.m., the lightning increased, showing signs of an intense storm.
At 3:34 p.m, the Decatur tornado sirens went off just before low-level circulation went over downtown Decatur. (Sirens had already sounded in Gentry and delayed the release of students from the schools.) Prior to its arrival, the winds went calm and an eerie silence fell over the town. Suddenly the flags began spinning in different directions, indicating the passing of the low-level circulation. While this was the only time sirens were activated in Decatur, the strong storms with heavy rain and lots of lightning continued through the evening in the area.
Sometime after midnight, the rains diminished a bit but the temperatures, which had been in the mid-sixties and near 70, began to plummet.
By sunrise, temperatures in the area dropped into the lower 30s, allowing the light rain to change over to freezing rain and eventually snow. Some places in Northwest Arkansas only got a half-inch of the white stuff, while others in the Decatur, Gravette and Gentry areas picked up one to two inches. By 2 p.m. the storm moved out of the area, giving way to overcast skies and a few light snow showers, with temperatures in the mid-20s.
The havoc that Winter Storm Isaiah created throughout our area and the United States claimed at least 11 lives in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama and Texas. In Arkansas, 47,000 people were without power on Saturday. This was not exactly the way anyone wanted to start the new year.
General News on 01/15/2020