If you thought last year was weather-rough, you’d be right.
The country saw 28 “Billion Dollar” storms across the United States and five of those impacted Arkansas. The total economic impact was $92.9 billion nationally and there were 4 92 direct or indirect fatalities.
All the numbers, but deaths, were all-time records and the economic impact could grow substantially as more data is gathered on the December floods that ranged from Florida to Maine.
It is important to note that the “billion dollar” mark is adjusted for inflation and that the individual storm’s economic impact can be spread across several states as weather systems view state lines as just markings on a map they can’t see.
The total number is for the 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia that make up the United States.
Of the 28 weather events, 19 were severe storms with four floods, two tropical cyclones and one each of a wildfire, winter storm and drought.
The numbers were compiled by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the federal agency tasked with these matters, and the report was released earlier this week.
The report confirmed, “a historic year in the number of costly disasters and [weather] extremes throughout much of the country.”
Arkansas was impacted by the costliest weather event, the drought and heatwave that was estimated at $14.6 billion and NOAA had it starting on April 1 and concluding Sept. 30.
States impacted include Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee and Nebraska, among others.
The drought impacted barge traffic on both the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers, as low water meant farmers couldn’t get crops to market while also allowing salt water from the Gulf of Mexico to make its way into the Mississippi River.
The drought also hit farmers and ranchers hard as well.
It was a double punch as the extreme heat meant crops and livestock were impacted.
It was far from an agricultural disaster as local schools pushed back the start of classes as well as football games because it was simply too hot to play sports or even ride on a school bus.
The third most expensive storm nationally was also the one that North of the River the hardest as the March 31 to April 1 tornado outbreak was estimated at $5.7 billion.
For comparison the Maui wildfire was estimated at $5.6 billion in damage.
The outbreak started on March 31 in Arkansas and resulted in an astonishing 145 tornadoes in the impacted states.
Tornado damage in North Little Rock’s Amboy neighborhood.
One of the worst was the March 31 EF-3 tornado that touched down in west Little Rock near the Home Depot and carved a path of destruction across Little Rock before skipping across the Arkansas River and touching back down in North Little Rock’s Burns Park, that still has portions closed due to the damage before heading north into the Amboy and Levy neighborhoods before skipping back up and touching down and hitting Sherwood and Jacksonville.
It was one of the most destructive storms in Arkansas and left one dead in North Little Rock. The rubble is still there in some parts of the towns hit as well as leaving 54 people injured.
That same day, another EF-3 tornado spun up and hit Wynne, wiping out the high school there and leaving 26 injured. That was followed by another Ef-3 tornado in Covington, out in the Memphis suburbs that left 28 injured and four dead.
Other storms that impacted Arkansas
Central and Southern Severe Weather | April 2023 | $1.4 billion |
Severe Storm, April 15: Several central and southern states including Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Texas, Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle were impacted by hail, tornadoes and high winds. These storms caused damage to many homes, vehicles and businesses.
Southern Severe Weather: June 2023 | $4.1 billion |
Severe Storm, June 11-June 14: Numerous southern states including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, South Carolina and Florida were impacted by hail, tornadoes and high winds. These storms caused damage to many homes, vehicles and businesses across several days of severe storm activity.
Rockies Hail Storms and Central and Eastern Severe Weather | June 2023 | $5 billion |
Severe Storm, June 21 - June 26: Severe hail storms across Colorado damaged many homes, vehicles and injured approximately 100 people at a large outdoor concert. This multi-day outbreak of severe weather also produced more than 60 tornadoes across portions of Wyoming, Colorado, Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky and Arkansas that caused damage to homes, businesses, vehicles, agriculture and other infrastructure.
Arkansas in 2023, by the numbers
Arkansas saw a total of 30 tornadoes in 2023, according to reports from the National Weather Service office in North Little Rock. That number was down from the 30-year average of 37 tornadoes annually.
Storms are rated on an EF scale that ranges from 1 to 5 being the worst. There’s also a designation of EFU or unknown, because the storm didn’t leave enough damage to evaluate.
The 30 tornadoes also left five dead, either directly or indirectly, with two more deaths each from wind and flooding.
The all-time record high in North Little Rock was 111 set on Aug. 3, 2011. This past year, the hottest day was Aug. 25 and Aug. 25, as both hit 103 degrees.
The coldest day was 24 degrees and was hit on three different occasions. The coldest day in 2022 was Dec. 23 when it was 1 degree.
A total of 55.02 inches of rain fell in 2023 well below the all-time record in North Little Rock 79.61 inches in 2009.
Billion dollar storms abound
Billion dollar storms abound
Billion dollar storms abound
If you thought last year was weather-rough, you’d be right.
The country saw 28 “Billion Dollar” storms across the United States and five of those impacted Arkansas. The total economic impact was $92.9 billion nationally and there were 4 92 direct or indirect fatalities.
All the numbers, but deaths, were all-time records and the economic impact could grow substantially as more data is gathered on the December floods that ranged from Florida to Maine.
It is important to note that the “billion dollar” mark is adjusted for inflation and that the individual storm’s economic impact can be spread across several states as weather systems view state lines as just markings on a map they can’t see.
The total number is for the 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia that make up the United States.
Of the 28 weather events, 19 were severe storms with four floods, two tropical cyclones and one each of a wildfire, winter storm and drought.
The numbers were compiled by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the federal agency tasked with these matters, and the report was released earlier this week.
The report confirmed, “a historic year in the number of costly disasters and [weather] extremes throughout much of the country.”
Arkansas was impacted by the costliest weather event, the drought and heatwave that was estimated at $14.6 billion and NOAA had it starting on April 1 and concluding Sept. 30.
States impacted include Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee and Nebraska, among others.
The drought impacted barge traffic on both the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers, as low water meant farmers couldn’t get crops to market while also allowing salt water from the Gulf of Mexico to make its way into the Mississippi River.
The drought also hit farmers and ranchers hard as well.
It was a double punch as the extreme heat meant crops and livestock were impacted.
It was far from an agricultural disaster as local schools pushed back the start of classes as well as football games because it was simply too hot to play sports or even ride on a school bus.
The third most expensive storm nationally was also the one that North of the River the hardest as the March 31 to April 1 tornado outbreak was estimated at $5.7 billion.
For comparison the Maui wildfire was estimated at $5.6 billion in damage.
The outbreak started on March 31 in Arkansas and resulted in an astonishing 145 tornadoes in the impacted states.
One of the worst was the March 31 EF-3 tornado that touched down in west Little Rock near the Home Depot and carved a path of destruction across Little Rock before skipping across the Arkansas River and touching back down in North Little Rock’s Burns Park, that still has portions closed due to the damage before heading north into the Amboy and Levy neighborhoods before skipping back up and touching down and hitting Sherwood and Jacksonville.
It was one of the most destructive storms in Arkansas and left one dead in North Little Rock. The rubble is still there in some parts of the towns hit as well as leaving 54 people injured.
That same day, another EF-3 tornado spun up and hit Wynne, wiping out the high school there and leaving 26 injured. That was followed by another Ef-3 tornado in Covington, out in the Memphis suburbs that left 28 injured and four dead.
Other storms that impacted Arkansas
Central and Southern Severe Weather | April 2023 | $1.4 billion |
Severe Storm, April 15: Several central and southern states including Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Texas, Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle were impacted by hail, tornadoes and high winds. These storms caused damage to many homes, vehicles and businesses.
Southern Severe Weather: June 2023 | $4.1 billion |
Severe Storm, June 11-June 14: Numerous southern states including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, South Carolina and Florida were impacted by hail, tornadoes and high winds. These storms caused damage to many homes, vehicles and businesses across several days of severe storm activity.
Rockies Hail Storms and Central and Eastern Severe Weather | June 2023 | $5 billion |
Severe Storm, June 21 - June 26: Severe hail storms across Colorado damaged many homes, vehicles and injured approximately 100 people at a large outdoor concert. This multi-day outbreak of severe weather also produced more than 60 tornadoes across portions of Wyoming, Colorado, Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky and Arkansas that caused damage to homes, businesses, vehicles, agriculture and other infrastructure.
Arkansas in 2023, by the numbers
Arkansas saw a total of 30 tornadoes in 2023, according to reports from the National Weather Service office in North Little Rock. That number was down from the 30-year average of 37 tornadoes annually.
Storms are rated on an EF scale that ranges from 1 to 5 being the worst. There’s also a designation of EFU or unknown, because the storm didn’t leave enough damage to evaluate.
The 30 tornadoes also left five dead, either directly or indirectly, with two more deaths each from wind and flooding.
Month ... … Tornadoes ... Tornado Deaths ... Wind Deaths ... Flood/Flash Flood Deaths ... Lightning Deaths
Jan. ... 6 (EF0: 1, EF1: 4, EF2: 1) ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0
Feb. ... 3 (EF1: 2, EF2: 1) ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0
March ... 9 (EF0: 2, EF1: 2, EF2: 2, EF3: 2, EFU: 1) ... 5 ... 0 ... 2 ... 0
April ... 2 (EF0: 1, EFU: 1) ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0
May ... 2 (EF1: 1, EFU: 1) ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0
June ... 6 (EF0: 1, EF1: 2, EF2: 2, EFU: 1) ... 0 ... 2 ... 0 ... 0
July ... 2 (EF1: 2) ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0
Aug. ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0
Sept. ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0
Oct. ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0
Nov. ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0
Dec. ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0
Total ... 30 ... 5 ... 2 ... 2 ... 0
Hot enough for ‘ya?
The all-time record high in North Little Rock was 111 set on Aug. 3, 2011. This past year, the hottest day was Aug. 25 and Aug. 25, as both hit 103 degrees.
The coldest day was 24 degrees and was hit on three different occasions. The coldest day in 2022 was Dec. 23 when it was 1 degree.
A total of 55.02 inches of rain fell in 2023 well below the all-time record in North Little Rock 79.61 inches in 2009.
NUMBER OF DAYS WITH (A) …
THUNDERSTORM ... 57
MIXED PRECIP. ... 1
HEAVY RAIN ... 30
RAIN ...63
LIGHT RAIN ... 129
FREEZING RAIN ... 3
LIGHT FREEZING RAIN 4
HAIL ... 4
HEAVY SNOW ... 0
SLEET ... 5
FOG ... 41
HAZE ... 0