PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1050 AM CST WED DEC 18 2013

...30 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK...THE COLD WAVES OF DECEMBER 1983 BEGAN...

DECEMBER 1983 HAS LONG BEEN REMEMBERED AS ONE OF THE MOST SEVERELY
COLD PERIODS IN ARKANSAS HISTORY.

MUCH OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE MONTH...TEMPERATURES FLIPPED BETWEEN
ABOVE AND BELOW NORMAL EVERY FEW DAYS. HOWEVER...THE LAST HALF OF
THE MONTH SAW BITTERLY COLD TEMPERATURES AND SEVERAL SNOWSTORMS HIT
THE STATE. ARCTIC AIR PLUNGED THE MERCURY BELOW ZERO IN ALL AREAS.

MANY LOCATIONS IN THE STATE STAYED BELOW FREEZING FOR ALMOST TWO
WEEKS CONTINUOUSLY. ICE FORMED ON THE ARKANSAS RIVER. MILLWOOD LAKE
FROZE OVER COMPLETELY. DURING THE COLDEST PART OF THE
OUTBREAK...STRONG WINDS PRODUCED WIND CHILLS NEAR 60 DEGREES BELOW
ZERO.

THERE WAS WIDESPREAD AGRICULTURAL IMPACT DUE TO HEADS OF CATTLE
FALLING THROUGH ICE AND DROWNING LOOKING FOR WATER. ROADS SAW
CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DUE TO MELTING AND REFREEZING. THE COLD CAUSED
WIDESPREAD PROBLEMS WITH WATER PIPES...EVEN THOUGH MANY WERE BURIED
TWO FEET DEEP. MANY HOMES BURNED AS A RESULT OF ATTEMPTS TO KEEP
WARM. LOW WATER PRESSURE OR LACK OF WATER AND ICY ROADS PREVENTED
FIREFIGHTERS FROM PUTTING OUT BLAZES. LOW WATER PRESSURE IN MANY
TOWNS MADE IT NECESSARY TO BOIL WATER BEFORE USING IT FOR HUMAN
CONSUMPTION. POULTRY SUFFERED CONSIDERABLY FROM THE COLD...LACK OF
ELECTRICITY...AND FROM SHORTAGE OF FEED DUE TO IMPASSABLE ROADS.

13 PEOPLE DIED DUE TO HYPOTHERMIA.

THERE WERE TWO PERIODS THAT WERE COLDEST...DECEMBER 24TH-25TH AND
DECEMBER 30TH AND 31ST. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED IN THE
STATE DURING THIS TIME WAS -17 ON THE MORNING OF THE 25TH AT
NEWPORT.

CONTINUOUS DAYS BELOW FREEZING...

AT THESE LOCATIONS...THE TEMPERATURE REMAINED CONTINUOUSLY BELOW
FREEZING FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS.

HARRISON            13 DAYS     DEC 18TH-30TH
JACKSONVILLE        13 DAYS     DEC 19TH-31ST
MENA                13 DAYS     DEC 18TH-30TH
HOT SPRINGS         12 DAYS     DEC 20TH-31ST
LITTLE ROCK         12 DAYS     DEC 19TH-30TH
MONTICELLO          12 DAYS     DEC 20TH-31ST
MOUNT IDA           12 DAYS     DEC 20TH-31ST

FIRST PEAK...DECEMBER 24TH-25TH...
TEMPERATURES AT OR BELOW ZERO WERE RECORDED IN THE ENTIRE STATE.

SITE              COLDEST TEMPERATURE      DATE
NEWPORT                 -17                 25TH
DEER                    -13                 25TH
WEST MEMPHIS            -12                 24TH
EUREKA SPRINGS 3WNW     -11                 25TH
GRAVETTE                -11                 25TH
BENTONVILLE 4S          -10                 25TH
MOUNTAIN HOME           -10                 25TH
FAYETTEVILLE DRAKE FIELD -9                 24TH
FAYETTEVILLE EXP. STN.   -9                 24TH
GILBERT                  -9                 25TH
HARRISON                 -9                 25TH
LEAD HILL                -9                 25TH
MAMMOTH SPRING           -9                 25TH
YELLVILLE 2SSE           -9                 25TH
CALICO ROCK 2WSW         -8                 25TH
MOUNTAIN VIEW            -8                 25TH
POCAHONTAS               -8                 25TH
SILOAM SPRINGS           -8                 25TH
BATESVILLE LIVESTOCK     -7                 25TH
CORNING                  -7                 25TH
BATESVILLE LOCK AND DAM  -6                 25TH
MORRILTON                -6                 25TH
MOUNTAINBURG 2NE         -6                 25TH
ALICIA                   -5                 25TH
JONESBORO 2NE            -5                 25TH
KEISER                   -5                 25TH
GREERS FERRY DAM         -4                 25TH
HELENA                   -4                 25TH
SEARCY                   -4                 25TH
SUBIACO                  -4                 25TH
BEEDEVILLE               -3                 25TH
BLYTHEVILLE              -3                 25TH
BOONEVILLE               -3                 25TH
BRINKLEY                 -3                 24TH
EVENING SHADE 1NNE       -3                 25TH
WALDRON                  -3                 25TH
MOUNT IDA                -2                 25TH
MURFREESBORO             -2                 25TH
WYNNE                    -2                 25TH
ALUM FORK                -1                 25TH
CABOT 4SW                -1                 25TH
CONWAY                   -1                 25TH
DARDANELLE               -1                 25TH
FORT SMITH               -1                 25TH
HECTOR 2SSW              -1                 25TH
MARIANNA                 -1                 25TH
NORTH LITTLE ROCK        -1                 25TH
SHERIDAN                 -1                 25TH
BENTON                    0                 25TH
BLUE MOUNTAIN DAM         0                 25TH
CLARKSVILLE               0                 25TH
CROSSETT 2SSE             0                 25TH
FORDYCE                   0                 25TH
HOT SPRINGS               0                 25TH
LITTLE ROCK               0                 25TH
MONTICELLO                0                 25TH
NIMROD DAM                0                 25TH
SAINT CHARLES             0                 25TH
STAR CITY                 0                 25TH

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF -1 ON THE 25TH AT BENTONVILLE 4S WAS THE
COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED IN ARKANSAS DURING THE MONTH
OF DECEMBER.

SECOND PEAK...DECEMBER 30TH-31ST...
BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURES WERE NOT AS WIDESPREAD THIS TIME...AND WERE
MAINLY LIMITED TO NORTHERN AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS.

SITE              COLDEST TEMPERATURE      DATE
GILBERT                 -12                 30TH
LEAD HILL               -12                 30TH
YELLVILLE 2SSE          -11                 30TH
DEER                     -9                 30TH
EVENING SHADE 1NNE       -9                 30TH
MAMMOTH SPRING           -9                 30TH
CALICO ROCK 2WSW         -8                 30TH
GRAVETTE                 -8                 30TH
BENTONVILLE 4S           -7                 30TH
MOUNTAIN HOME            -7                 30TH
SILOAM SPRINGS           -7                 30TH
FAYETTEVILLE DRAKE FIELD -6                 30TH
FAYETTEVILLE EXP. STN.   -5                 30TH
GREENBRIER               -5                 30TH
HARRISON                 -5                 30TH
HECTOR 2SSW              -5                 30TH
MORRILTON                -5                 30TH
ALICIA                   -4                 30TH
BATESVILLE LOCK AND DAM  -4                 30TH
HUNTSVILLE 1SSW          -4                 30TH
KEISER                   -4                 30TH
MOUNTAIN VIEW            -4                 31ST
MOUNTAINBURG 2NE         -4                 30TH
SEARCY                   -4                 30TH
WYNNE                    -4                 30TH
CLARKSVILLE              -3                 31ST
NIMROD DAM               -3                 30TH
POCAHONTAS               -3                 31ST
WALDRON                  -3                 30TH
CABOT                    -2                 30TH
CORNING                  -2                 30TH
EUREKA SPRINGS           -2                 30TH
MOUNT IDA                -2                 31ST
BATESVILLE LIVESTOCK     -1                 30TH
CONWAY                   -1                 30TH
HELENA                   -1                 30TH
JONESBORO 2NE            -1                 30TH
MENA                     -1                 30TH
BEEDEVILLE                0                 31ST
GREERS FERRY DAM          0                 30TH
LEOLA                     0                 30TH
MURFREESBORO              0                 31ST

SNOWSTORMS...
THERE WERE SNOWSTORMS ON DECEMBER 16TH...19TH...20TH-21ST...23RD...
AND 27TH. MOST OF THESE JUST PRODUCED MINOR AMOUNTS OF SNOWFALL...
BUT THE STORM ON THE 16TH PRODUCED HEAVY SNOWFALL OVER SOUTHERN
ARKANSAS. WITH THIS STORM, THE HEAVIEST ACCUMULATION FELL AT
FOREMAN...WITH 9.0 INCHES.

MONTHLY AMOUNTS AT THE STATIONS LISTED BELOW WERE EXCESSIVE...AND
MOST OF THE SNOW THAT FELL DURING THE MONTH WAS DURING THE STORM ON
THE 16TH.

SITE               DECEMBER 1983 SNOWFALL
STAR CITY                14.0 INCHES
SHERIDAN                 10.8 INCHES
PRESCOTT                  9.9 INCHES
ANTOINE                   9.0 INCHES
ARKADELPHIA               9.0 INCHES
FOREMAN                   9.0 INCHES
LEOLA                     9.0 INCHES
MAGNOLIA                  9.0 INCHES
NASHVILLE                 8.6 INCHES
CAMDEN                    8.5 INCHES
SPARKMAN                  8.2 INCHES
ASHDOWN                   8.0 INCHES
MURFREESBORO              8.0 INCHES
TEXARKANA                 8.0 INCHES

COLDEST DECEMBER...
DECEMBER 15TH-31ST CEMENTED DECEMBER 1983 AS THE COLDEST DECEMBER ON
RECORD...NOT ONLY AT MANY LOCATIONS WITHIN ARKANSAS...BUT IN
ARKANSAS AS WELL. THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THE STATE WAS 30.2
DEGREES. IT WAS THE COLDEST DECEMBER SINCE 1963...AND THIS DEGREE OF
COLD WAS NOT EVEN APPROACHED IN ARKANSAS AGAIN UNTIL DECEMBER OF
2000...WHEN THE STATE AVERAGE WAS 31.6 DEGREES.

THE COLD MODERATED IN THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY 1984. HOWEVER...BY
MID-MONTH...SEVERE COLD GRIPPED THE STATE ONCE AGAIN...WITH
WIDESPREAD TEMPERATURES IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND BELOW ZERO. ON THE
19TH...TEMPERATURES AS COLD AS -15 TO -18 WERE SEEN IN PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN ARKANSAS.

$$

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