A nearly stationary front, extending from southwest Arkansas to the east central part of the state, served as a trigger for severe weather on the 1st. The front was also responsible for heavy to excessive rainfall amounts, which began on April 30th and continued through May 2nd. The rain triggered flash flooding, which added to the areal flooding and river flooding already occurring. Thus, additional rainfall was contributed to the Great Flood of 2011. Some of the larger rainfall amounts from April 30th to May 2nd included 12.52 inches at Marche, 12.00 inches at Maumelle, 10.50 inches 2.4 miles east-southeast of Mayflower, 10.40 inches at Walton Heights in Little Rock, 9.60 inches at Clarendon, 9.49 inches at North Little Rock, 8.26 inches 4 miles southwest of Cabot, 8.05 inches at Mount Ida, 7.39 inches 5 miles southeast of Mount Ida, 7.21 inches at Georgetown, and 7.03 inches at the Hot Springs Airport. Stations reporting more than 6 inches included the Stuttgart Airport, 3.6 miles west of Searcy, Des Arc, McCrory, Little Rock Air Force Base, Langley, and Adams Field in Little Rock. Stations reporting more than 5 inches included the Newport Airport, Washita, Nimrod Dam, Brinkley, 6 miles southeast of Clinton, 1 mile east of Hopper, Mammoth Spring, 2 miles northwest of Augusta, the Batesville Livestock experiment station, 1 mile southeast of Oden, Grubbs, 3.5 miles east-northeast of Pottsville, the Newport Water Plant, Hot Springs National Park, 3 miles northeast of Botkinburg, Dardanelle, and Hardy.

Flash Flood in FAULKNER, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 00:00:00 to 01-MAY-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: GOLD CREEK
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

At 1:08 AM CDT, water was approaching the doorstep of houses in Mayflower. Around 1:20 AM CDT, an SUV went into flood waters on North Main St. in Mayflower and ended up in a ditch. The water was rising so rapidly that the vehicle was completely submerged by the time rescuers arrived. The 57 year-old driver of the SUV drowned. At 12:08 AM CDT, Numerous roads flooded around Vilonia; swift-water rescues became necessary by 1:00 AM CDT. A total of 29 people had to be evacuated from the Vilonia and Mayflower areas.

Flash Flood in PULASKI, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 00:00:00 to 02-MAY-11 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: WYE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 3.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

At 1:06 AM CDT on the 1st, roads were flooded north of Jacksonville around Maddox Rd. and Old Tom Box Rd. At 2:40 AM CDT, a culvert washed out on Arkansas Highway 300 just off Arkansas Highway 10, closing the road. At 7:49 AM CDT, U.S. Highway 67/167 flooded near Jacksonville. By 8:45 AM CDT, Jacksonville Cutoff was impassable near Gravel Ridge due to high water, and an apartment complex nearby had cars submerged in the parking lot. By 10:30 AM CDT, a portion of James Rd. in the Blue Hill area washed out and was barricaded. A mobile home park in northern Pulaski County had to be evacuated. Firefighters used boats to reach residents whose houses were surrounded by water in parts of northern and western Pulaski County. Twenty-five to 30 houses flooded in the Cypress Dr. area of Jacksonville.

Flash Flood in HOT SPRING, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 16:30:00 to 02-MAY-11 19:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: JONES MILL
Flood cause: Planned Dam Release
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Utility Company

As a result of heavy rains, releases from Remmel Dam were periodically increased from the afternoon of the 1st into the morning of the 2nd. Flows from the dam eventually reached 55,000 cubic feet per second. Lowland flooding and some flooding of roads resulted.

Heavy Rain in FAULKNER, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 06:00:00 to 02-MAY-11 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: CONWAY
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Thunderstorms and heavy rain, amounting to 2.50 inches over a 24-hour period, resulted in the cancellation of the final day of the annual Toad Suck Daze in Conway.

Flash Flood in SALINE, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 09:30:00 to 01-MAY-11 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: COLLEGEVILLE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Arkansas Highway 5/Stagecoach Rd. was flooded near Alexander.

Hail in PIKE, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 10:30:00 to 01-MAY-11 10:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: MURFREESBORO
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail the size of quarters fell at the sheriff's office.

Tornado in CONWAY, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 18:13:00 to 01-MAY-11 18:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: CENTER RIDGE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 35.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF1 tornado in the Center Ridge area blew down trees. One of the falling trees damaged the roof of a house and knocked the back porch off the same house. Another falling tree landed on the house across the street. Temperatures were in the lower 50's at the time of the tornado.

Flash Flood in MONTGOMERY, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 00:00:00 to 01-MAY-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALBERT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Flash flooding along the Little Missouri River at the Albert Pike Recreation Area trapped a Boy Scout troop, preventing them from returning on schedule.

Thunderstorm Wind in CONWAY, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 18:15:00 to 01-MAY-11 18:16:00 (CST-6)
Location: CENTER RIDGE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 20.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

Thunderstorm winds took much of the roof off a small barn, destroyed a shed, broke two power poles, and blew trees down.

Hail in SALINE, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 12:10:00 to 01-MAY-11 12:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: BRYANT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in SALINE, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 12:17:00 to 01-MAY-11 12:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: BENTON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Public

Flash Flood in GARLAND, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 00:00:00 to 02-MAY-11 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BEAUDRY
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Flash flooding continued on many roads in Garland County.

Thunderstorm Wind in PRAIRIE, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 12:17:00 to 01-MAY-11 12:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: SAND HILL
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind in PRAIRIE, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 12:17:00 to 01-MAY-11 12:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: HARRYS
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Trees were blown down.

Flash Flood in PRAIRIE, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 12:30:00 to 01-MAY-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: HICKORY PLAINS
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 325.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Numerous county roads were flooded. Arkansas Highway 38 between Johnson Chapel and Hickory Plains was heavily flooded and closed. Parts of Arkansas Highway 11 were also closed.

Hail in WOODRUFF, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 12:35:00 to 01-MAY-11 12:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOWELL
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail in PERRY, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 13:24:00 to 01-MAY-11 13:24:00 (CST-6)
Location: WYE
Magnitude: 1.75 
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail in PULASKI, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 14:23:00 to 01-MAY-11 14:23:00 (CST-6)
Location: HALSTEAD
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail fell at Interstate 430 and Col. Glenn Rd.

Flash Flood in PULASKI, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 14:30:00 to 01-MAY-11 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: AMBOY
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Parts of Camp Robinson Rd. in the Levy area of North Little Rock were impassable due to high water.

Hail in PULASKI, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 14:30:00 to 01-MAY-11 14:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: LEVY
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: NWS Employee

Hail was 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter.

Hail in GARLAND, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 14:34:00 to 01-MAY-11 14:34:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOT SPGS
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail up to the size of quarters fell.

Hail in CONWAY, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 17:32:00 to 01-MAY-11 17:32:00 (CST-6)
Location: CLEVELAND
Magnitude: 1.75 
Reported by: Public

Hail fell on Arkansas Highway 95.

Hail in BAXTER, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 17:41:00 to 01-MAY-11 17:41:00 (CST-6)
Location: NORFORK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail in PIKE, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 17:41:00 to 01-MAY-11 17:41:00 (CST-6)
Location: NEW HOPE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail in POPE, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 17:36:00 to 01-MAY-11 17:41:00 (CST-6)
Location: RUSSELLVILLE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in POLK, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 18:13:00 to 01-MAY-11 18:13:00 (CST-6)
Location: OPAL
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in CONWAY, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 18:17:00 to 01-MAY-11 18:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: WONDERVIEW
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A couple of trees were blown down.

Heavy Rain in PERRY, ARKANSAS
From 01-MAY-11 22:26:00 to 01-MAY-11 22:43:00 (CST-6)
Location: PERRY
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

One inch of rain fell in 17 minutes.