Flash floods strike Arkansas, over a dozen crashes reported in Fayetteville on the I-49

Severe thunderstorms swept across northwest Arkansas on Thursday, August 28, causing multiple crashes along I-49 in Fayetteville.

The thunderstorms began affecting the region early Thursday, with the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasting 100–150 mm (4–6 inches) of rainfall throughout the day.

Heavy rainfall triggered flash floods across the region and caused more than a dozen crashes along I-49 near Fayetteville.

Crews were working on a drainage issue near the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (MLK) exit on I-49, causing delays. A crash was also reported in the area at 07:16 LT, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT). It occurred in the northbound right lanes near mile marker 62 and has since been cleared.

Several other crashes were reported along I-49 on Thursday morning. In Bentonville, a southbound crash affected the off-ramp around 07:30 LT. In Rogers, a northbound crash reported at 07:45 LT impacted the right shoulder.

In Springdale, a wreck near Exit 73 heading southbound at 07:56 LT blocked the right shoulder and on-ramp. Later, in Gravette, a crash near mile marker 102 southbound was reported at approximately 09:00 LT, impacting the right shoulder.

While all of the above incidents were cleared by 10:20 LT, another crash involving an 18-wheeler was reported near Exit 69 in Johnson on I-49 northbound around 11:30 LT.

The heaviest rainfall in northwest Arkansas was expected to continue through 16:00 LT before tapering off near sunset. Multiple water rescues were conducted across the affected region. The Fayetteville Arkansas Fire Department received 27 service calls from 06:00 to 11:00 LT.

A lightning strike caused a structure fire at a home in Fayetteville. The fire was contained, and no injuries were reported.

Fayetteville Public Schools issued a notification that buses were delayed due to weather conditions, stating that “some roads may be impassable for our school buses. Other routes may experience delays.”

Two crashes were also reported in the River Valley region. One occurred in Van Buren on the southbound I-540 near mile marker 3.3 at around 10:40 LT, affecting the left lane. The second crash occurred on the northbound State Highway 80 in Waldron at 11:08 LT, disrupting traffic on all lanes.

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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