High wind knocks out electricity to 10,000 in center of state
Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008
High winds, heavy rain and hail moved through Arkansas early Tuesday morning, knocking out power to thousands, officials said.
About 10, 000 residents were without electricity Tuesday, primarily in Pulaski, Garland and Pope counties, said James Thompson, a spokesman for Entergy Arkansas. Power was restored to all but about 1, 600 houses by Tuesday evening, he said. Of those, 1, 000 houses were in Hot Springs where 60 mph winds and more than 2 inches of rain were recorded.
The rest were scattered throughout the central portion of the state, Thompson said.
“They are just hit and miss,” he said of the houses without power Tuesday. “They’re just here and there. We’re working on them.”
Thunderstorms developed in the state Monday night and early Tuesday morning as high pressure from the Plains met warm wind flow from the south, said Amie Browne, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in North Little Rock.
No tornadoes were reported, Browne said.
Thunderstorm warnings had been issued in Van Buren, Cleburne, Pope, Conway, White, Poinsett and Mississippi counties. But those warnings were lifted Tuesday morning.
One-inch hail was reported in Quitman in Cleburne County early Tuesday morning. Morrilton, Conway and the town of Johnson in Benton County reported penny-size hail, Browne said.
An electrical transformer was destroyed by the storm in Garland County, said Tommy Jackson, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. Officials there barricaded several roads in the county because of flood- ing, he said.
In Pope County, trees fell across power lines on Arkansas 124 just east of Russellville, Jackson said, briefly knocking out power to 500 houses.
On Monday afternoon, a storm toppled trees in northeast Arkansas, weather service officials said. A barn in Bay was destroyed, and utility lines were downed in Craighead County.
A broadcasting booth at the Rivercrest High School football field at Wilson in eastern Mississippi County was damaged by high winds Monday evening, said officials with the National Weather Service in Memphis.
On Tuesday afternoon, storms developed in Lonoke and Prairie counties, prompting the weather service to issue brief warnings for both counties.
Another storm system was expected to push through the southeastern corner of the state Tuesday night and today, Browne said.
Thunderstorms and high winds were possible, coupled with hail and rain, Browne said.
“It’s not setting up for the right atmosphere for a tornado. But you can’t even count them out,” she added.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
