Arkansas, 1998

Tornado and Hail in Arkansas, March 30, 1998

March 30, 1998 · NWS TSA · 12 events in 5 counties and zones

A solid line of thunderstorms covering the entire north-south length of Oklahoma, associated with a cold front and wave of low pressure, moved into western Arkansas around 800 PM on the evening of March 30. The part of the line moving out of eastcentral Oklahoma had a bow echo signature as it moved into Arkansas, causing many reports of severe tstm winds.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$137,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
12

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TSA wrote it up.

A solid line of thunderstorms covering the entire north-south length of Oklahoma, associated with a cold front and wave of low pressure, moved into western Arkansas around 800 PM on the evening of March 30. The part of the line moving out of eastcentral Oklahoma had a bow echo signature as it moved into Arkansas, causing many reports of severe tstm winds. At the north end of this bow echo in Benton County, an F1 tornado formed near Gravette, causing considerable damage on the south and east sides of town.

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When
March 30, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Benton County, Siloam Spgs
Property damage
$100
Coordinates
36.180, -94.530

Large tree blown down in city park

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When
March 30, 8:10 PM CST
Where
Benton County, Gentry
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
36.270, -94.480

Power lines blown down near Gentry

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
March 30, 8:21 PM CST
Where
Washington County, Prairie Grove
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
35.980, -94.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
March 30, 8:24 PM CST
Where
Washington County, Fayetteville
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
36.070, -94.170

Tornado, Benton

When
March 30, 8:25 PM CST to 8:27 PM CST
Where
Benton County, Gravette to 1 mi E of Gravette
Rating
F1
Path length
1.2 mi
Path width
125 yd
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
36.400, -94.450

Considerable damage was reported with an F1 tornado and thunderstorm winds that blew through Gravette. Three homes in the area were damaged when large trees blew over. One of the houses' occupants described the storm as sounding like a freight train. Other homes had minor roof damage. High winds downed a power line, which left the east side of the city without power for about 35 to 40 minutes. Doors were blown out of the Hendren Plastics plant on Hwy. 72 in eastern Gravette. A tree was blown onto Hwy. 72 near Gravette, making travel impossible until it was removed around 10 pm. Another tree was blown across Ridge Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When
March 30, 8:35 PM CST
Where
Benton County, Bella Vista
Property damage
$35,000
Coordinates
36.430, -94.230

Numerous trees blown down in Bella Vista. Newspaper clipping cited "trees down on cars,...trees down on houses,...and trees down on streets." Power lines blown down causing power outages.

Hail, Crawford

When
March 30, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, 8 mi S of Mountainburg
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
35.520, -94.170

Hail, Crawford

When
March 30, 8:56 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, Van Buren
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.430, -94.350

Near Hwy. 282 and I-540

Thunderstorm Wind, Sebastian

When
March 30, 9:10 PM CST
Where
Sebastian County, Hartford
Property damage
$200
Coordinates
35.020, -94.380

Sheet metal blown off shed

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
March 30, 9:15 PM CST
Where
Washington County, 2 mi E of Elkins
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
36.000, -93.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When
March 30, 9:25 PM CST
Where
Madison County, Huntsville
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
36.080, -93.730

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When
March 30, 9:40 PM CST
Where
Madison County, Huntsville
Property damage
$100
Coordinates
36.080, -93.730

Several large tree limbs downed by wind

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arkansas in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Arkansas, 1998Warnings in Arkansas, March 1998

Sources

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: 5634675, 5634676, 5634671, 5634672, 5634674, 5634677, 5634670, 5634673, 5634666, 5634667, 5634668, 5634669.