Short Weather Summary

After drought conditions worsened significantly in August, there was some relief in September. An increase in tropical moisture led to heavy to excessive rain early in the month, especially in the northern half of Arkansas. There were more than a half dozen tropical systems during the month, with the remnants of Hurricane Humberto affecting southeast sections of the state on the 13th.

Record Temperatures

There were no record high or low temperatures in September.

Rain Brought Relief

	A storm system and a cold front provided several rounds of heavy rain across Arkansas on September 4th through the 10th. Moisture levels (precipitable water values) were well above normal, and some of this moisture was provided by the remnants of Hurricane Henriette (a Pacific storm).
In the picture: The pattern on 09/06/2007...with a system aloft ("L") departing Arkansas with heavy rain, and a new cold front on the horizon (to the north) with more precipitation.

The heaviest rain occurred when a cold front pushed into the state from the north. Over five inches of rain fell in portions of northern and western Arkansas. Seventy two hour amounts as of 7 am CDT on the 11th included 6.65 inches at the Batesville Lock and Dam (Independence County), 5.99 inches at Greers Ferry (Cleburne County), 5.63 inches at Danville (Yell County), 5.44 inches at Cove (Polk County) and 5.18 inches at Gillham Dam (Polk County).

It looked like more heavy rain was coming on the 13th. The remnants of Hurricane Humberto headed toward the region, but tracked just to the south. While southeast Arkansas did get some precipitation from this system, amounts were generally under an inch.
In the picture: The satellite showed Tropical Storm Humberto moving toward the Texas Gulf Coast during the afternoon of 09/12/2007. Humberto eventually became a hurricane before making landfall.

	Late in the month, tropical moisture increased from the Gulf Coast region. The moisture focused along a cold front (from the northwest) on the 25th/26th, and this resulted in scattered showers and thunderstorms with heavy downpours. More than two inches of rain fell in spots, mainly in the southeast half of the state.
In the picture: Dewpoints climbed (moisture increased) into in the 60s/lower 70s by 09/23/2007, with lower dewpoints (dry air) in the 40s/50s displaced into the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region.

Links of Interest

September 4-10, 2007 (heavy rain)

September 13-14, 2007 (heavy rain)

September 23-26, 2007 (heavy rain)

In the Tropics

The tropics remained active in September. Hurricane Felix made landfall as a Category 5 storm in Nicaragua on the 4th. Tropical Storm Gabrielle affected the outer banks of North Carolina on the 9th. Hurricane Humberto (a Category 1 storm) hit the Texas Gulf Coast on the 13th, with Hurricane Lorenzo (a Category 1 storm) reaching Gulf Coast of Mexico on the 28th. Tropical Storms Ingrid, Jerry, Karen and Melissa remained out at sea before weakening.