January 29, 2008

A notable “rogue wind” event occurred in Arkansas. A cold front slammed into Arkansas, and a very large barometric pressure fall/rise on either side of this front resulted in an extreme pressure gradient and very quick turnaround of strong wind from southwest to northwest. More than sixty reported high-wind events resulted in two fatalities (in Faulkner and Lonoke counties). Measured winds reached sixty-one mph at the Little Rock Air Force Base; damage was estimated at over $13 million, and more than 80,000 Arkansans lost power in this most unusual single event.