A vigorous upper level trough traversed east through the Desert Southwest and into the Southern Rockies January 1st, before ejecting northeast across the Texas/Oklahoma Panhandles into Western Kansas on the 2nd. In advance of this trough, rich low level moisture quickly spread northward from the Gulf of Mexico across East Texas, North Louisiana, and Southern Arkansas, along a strong southerly low level jet that developed ahead of a deepening surface low over Southeast Colorado and Western Kansas. With the trough taking on a more negative tilt as it ejected northeast across the Panhandle region, a dryline mixed east to the I-35 corridor of North-central Texas by early evening, and into East Texas and Eastern Oklahoma during the evening and overnight hours. Large scale forcing increased well ahead of the approaching upper trough across the expanding moist sector from the late morning through the afternoon and evening hours of the 2nd, with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developing across portions of Deep East Texas, North Louisiana, and Southern Arkansas. Increasing instability due to diurnal heating within a strongly sheared and moist air mass resulted in the gradual development of strong to severe thunderstorms across these areas, with locally heavy rain falling over areas where the storms moved repeatedly over the same areas. Rainfall amounts ranged from 1-3 inches across much of Southwest Arkansas, with isolated higher totals in excess of 4-5+ inches observed especially over Southern Lafayette, much of Columbia and Union Counties. This resulted in areas of flash flooding across portions of Southern Arkansas from the afternoon through the early morning hours on the 3rd, with a brief tornado also spawning across Central Union County north of El Dorado.

Tornado in UNION, ARKANSAS
From 02-JAN-23 11:47:00 to 02-JAN-23 11:48:00 (CST-6)
Location: NORPHLET
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-1 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 105 mph touched down about 3 miles southwest of Norphlet, just southwest of the intersection of Murphy Loop and Shady Grove Road. The tornado tracked northeast over the span of approximately one minute, snapping and uprooting several hardwood and softwood trees and causing minor damage to structures resulting mainly from the impacts of the fallen trees. The damage path ended just to the southeast of the intersection of Shady Grove Road, Murphy Loop, and Burchfield Road.

Flash Flood in LAFAYETTE, ARKANSAS
From 02-JAN-23 16:45:00 to 03-JAN-23 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: LAKE ERLING
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Highway 53 over Walker Creek was closed due to flooding.

Thunderstorm Wind in UNION, ARKANSAS
From 02-JAN-23 20:40:00 to 02-JAN-23 20:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: EL DORADO
Magnitude: 65.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A tree was blown down onto a home on Agnes Road.

Flash Flood in UNION, ARKANSAS
From 02-JAN-23 21:00:00 to 03-JAN-23 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: EL DORADO
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

High water covered the intersection of 19th Street and Tanglewood Drive.

Thunderstorm Wind in LAFAYETTE, ARKANSAS
From 02-JAN-23 22:10:00 to 02-JAN-23 22:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: LAKE ERLING
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Trees were downed onto power lines in the Walker Creek community.

Flash Flood in UNION, ARKANSAS
From 02-JAN-23 21:00:00 to 03-JAN-23 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: EL DORADO
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Several roads were flooded and closed in El Dorado.

Flash Flood in UNION, ARKANSAS
From 02-JAN-23 23:25:00 to 03-JAN-23 02:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: SMACKOVER
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Water entered a home in Smackover. High water covered several roads in town as well.