An upper level disturbance slowly approached the Mid-South during the evening of April 30th, 2010 as a cold front became stationary to the west. This pattern remained in place through the evening hours of May 2nd, 2010. South to southwest winds pumped warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and created a very unstable atmosphere. Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with the front during the early evening hours and moved east into Eastern Arkansas shortly before midnight. Additional thunderstorms occurred in association with the upper level disturbance. Due to the unstable atmosphere, thunderstorms quickly became severe producing large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding. The severe weather evolved into an outbreak by May 1st and 2nd. Historic rainfall and flash flooding in addition to large hail and damaging winds occurred during the early morning hours of May 1st with several tornadoes occurring during the afternoon hours of May 1st to early morning hours of May 2nd.

Thunderstorm Wind in POINSETT, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-10 20:45:00 to 01-MAY-10 20:55:00 (CST-6)
Location: TRUMANN
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Straight line winds knocked down five power poles in Trumann. A pivot irrigation unit and buildings at a farm store storage compound near the Craighead County border were damaged from the wind. In addtion, a house was hit with a tree in Lepanto.

Flash Flood in LAWRENCE, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-10 00:00:00 to 01-MAY-10 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: (ARG)WALNUT RIDGE AR
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Heavy rain produced widespread flooding in College City. Numerous streets were flooded.

Flash Flood in CRITTENDEN, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-10 02:30:00 to 01-MAY-10 11:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEST MEMPHIS
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 7.50M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Heavy rain, up to 10 inches, fell across the West Memphis and Marion area. Numerous streets and roads were flooded. At least 101 homes sustained at least minor damage from the flooding.

Hail in CRITTENDEN, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-10 20:00:00 to 01-MAY-10 20:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: THOMPSON GROVE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Tornado in CRAIGHEAD, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-10 20:58:00 to 01-MAY-10 20:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: SANDY
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

An eyewitness took photos of a tornado briefly touching down in the St. Francis Sunken Lands State Wildlife Refuge Area. The extent of the tree damage from the tornado is unknown due to the track across a marsh land.

Tornado in CROSS, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-10 19:58:00 to 01-MAY-10 20:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: FAIROAKS
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A tornado moved northeast into Cross County from Woodruff County, Arkansas near Primrose, east of Highway 49. The tornado first tracked across open farm land. The tornado then damaged three homes and several outbuildings on US Highway 64. One home sustained major damage and a two-story barn was completely collapsed. The other two homes had minor damage. Several very large trees were also knocked down. Five power poles were also snapped along US Highway 64. The tornado then continued northeast across open farm land before snapping power lines along County Road 165 before lifting.

Flash Flood in POINSETT, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-10 21:00:00 to 01-MAY-10 23:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: FISHER
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 150.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Heavy rain produced flash flooding across Poinsett County. A bridge on Old Military Road was washed out. In addition, U.S. Highway 214 near Fisher was underwater. Several homes were flooded in Lepanto as well.

Tornado in POINSETT, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-10 20:36:00 to 01-MAY-10 20:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEONA JCT
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 75.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A tornado touched down southwest of Weona near Hogg Road. The tornado moved a tractor disc and then moved northeast across open farm land damaging several transmission lines near Highway 373. Four power poles were also snapped. The tornado continued northeast destroying an office trailer at a crop duster hangar off Highway 14 in Weona. The crop duster hangar was also damaged. The tornado then tracked across open farm land damaging trees and power poles. The tornado crossed Henderson Lane and damaged one home. A barn was also destroyed. The tornado then tracked across more open farm land snapping three more transmission lines as it crossed Maple Grove Lane. The tornado damaged more trees between farm fields before lifting near County Road 204.

Flash Flood in MISSISSIPPI, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-10 01:15:00 to 01-MAY-10 05:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: WHITTON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 750.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Very heavy rain produced widespread flooding in portions of Mississippi County especially the Osceola area where at least 35 homes were affected by flood waters. At any one point homes had anywhere from two inches to up to a foot of water inside. The most concentrated area of flooded homes occurred near the Osceola Country Club. In Wilson, flooding forced the closure of Hampson Archaeological Museum State Park, which had 4 feet on its grounds and seepage occurred inside the museum building. In Lepanto, several homes were flooded. In total, 70 homes were affected by flood waters in Mississippi County where eight inches of rain fell in less than a 24 hour period.