Rare August Rain

As stated first here on the Arkansas Weather Blog a couple weeks ago, the worst of summer is likely behind us and the rainfall yesterday and the expected rainfall today is helping to seal the deal. The added soil moisture PLUS a cool front passage will continue to limit extreme heat chances going forward. It can still get hot, but triple digit heat is likely behind us. It's pretty rare to get widespread rainfall in August WITHOUT it coming from a tropical system. This is typically our driest month of the entire year according to the 30 year average.

According to the 30 year average, this is the driest month of the entire year. Overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning, we received 1'' of rainfall. We're already close to half of our monthly average. Unrelated, but look at November! That's our wettest month of the year and it's NOT in the spring.

Little Rock rainfall as of 7:30AM Wednesday.

Looking at the radar Tuesday evening, it looked like the northern half of the state got a soaking AND they DID! However, some got much more than others. That's fairly typical in these summertime situations, but there's no denying the widespread nature to this event doesn't happen often in August.

24 hour rainfall estimates from radar ending 7:19AM Wednesday August 8th.

The focus of the rainfall was northern Arkansas. That focus will shift to central and especially southern Arkansas today (Wednesday)

Look at a closer inspection of the rainfall amounts across central Arkansas. Some much more than others. White county received widespread 3''+ amounts and at one time was under a flash flood warning Tuesday PM.

Even closer into Pulaski county, the northwestern end got soaked. Radar estimated 4.5'' just north of Lake Maumelle. I had a viewer tell me she measured 4'' in Roland. Pretty close! Meanwhile, just a few miles south (8 miles), barely anything as of 7:37 AM.