Storms causes tree damage, road blocks in Decatur

DECATUR — Overnight storms July 9 began to fire in central Kansas, bringing with it the potential for tornadoes, strong straight-line wind, hail and heavy downpours.

Around 8:30 a.m., the National Weather Service office in Tulsa, Okla., issued a significant weather advisory for most of northeastern Oklahoma, Benton and Washington counties in Northwest Arkansas. What ensued was a dangerous situation for those who were under the weather service advisory.

Area residents of extreme Northwest Arkansas woke up to a beautiful sunrise with partly cloudy skies and lots of sunshine. But looming on the western horizon were dark storm clouds which would soon change the beautiful morning sunrise into a scene of chaos. It became more and more apparent that this storm was anything but a pop-up variety rainmaker.

At 9 a.m. a developing shelf cloud began to move into Northwest Arkansas. As it moved to the southeast, the wind shifted from the south-southeast and began to pick up. When the storm hit, torrential downpours, winds of 40 mph-plus and dangerous lightning inundated the area.

In Decatur, a tree blew down across Arkansas 59, blocking the southbound lane for about an hour. Several

Several heavy tree limbs that once hovered over Crystal Lake Road came crashing down July 9, blocking access to the lake for about 90 minutes. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Mike Eckels) huge tree limbs blew down on Crystal Lake Road, cutting access in and out of the lake and airport. A large limb snapped off from one of the Bradford pear trees behind the old Head Start building on Jo Avenue.

Several low water bridges were flooded, cutting off access to several rural residents for about two hours. Fortunately for residents of Grant Springs Apartments, the emergency route the city built for just such a situation was open.

No injuries or damage to buildings and homes were reported during the storm.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Mike Eckels) A large branch from a Bradford pear tree (above photo) near Decatur’s City Hall broke off during a powerful thunderstorm that swept through Northwest Arkansas on July 9. The strong storm produced straight-line wind in excess of 40 mph and caused widespread tree damage throughout Decatur. (Right photo) Water floods the low lying ground at Oak Park Addition in eastern Decatur.