1 high wind, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 135 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:49 UTC.
1 high wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A localized non-thunderstorm wind gust produced damage in the towns of Helena and West Helena. A large awning blew on a car killing one person. Three schools were damaged. Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down.
Hail ranging from dime to quarter size fell near Moro.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Wind, Phillips | 1997-05-02 | 57 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, May 1997
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5597611, 5597610.