Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, November 9 to 10, 1998

Numerous trees were blown down.

Numerous trees were blown down.

Power lines were blown down.

Several trees were blown down.

Several large tree limbs were blown down.

Several trees were blown down.

Two trees were blown across city streets.

A tree, reportedly 2 feet in diameter, fell onto a power line near US Hwy 71B and Cooper Drive, causing a power outage for 1,900 customers as far north as Lowell.

Several large tree limbs were blown onto a road in Van Buren. The branches even caused a traffic accident. (Damage value from accident not included in this entry since the winds were the indirect cause of the accident.)

An F1 tornado touched down in extreme eastern Oklahoma between Arkoma and Pocola and then moved northeast into western Arkansas, moving across the southern part of Fort Smith and finally lifting at the Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM). Along the way, many homes and businesses sustained damage ranging from minor to major. This includes several homes in the Random Acres subdivision near the Oklahoma border where shingles were blown off many roofs. Trees and power lines were blown down throughout the tornado's path.Some of the tornado's worst damage occurred at the Fort Smith Regional Airport, where eight private and corporate airplanes were damaged, including three single-engine planes that were flipped. Four of the planes that received the most damage were outside hangars. The storm also damaged nine hangars, including three corporate and six general aviation facilities. The weather observer at the airport officially recorded a tornado, and the ASOS at the airport measured a peak wind gust of 57 kts (66 mph) at 1244 AM.Otherwise, seven thousand residences in the south part of Fort Smith lost power in the storm. Sutherland Central Distribution Center on US Hwy 71 lost several metal buildings and had some roof damage. Reeder Simco Truck Center on south Zero Street had its showroom glass blown in, and a tractor-trailer was turned over. A photo in the Southwest-Times Record daily newspaper showed cleanup efforts from a large tree that had fallen into a home's driveway in the 6800 block of S. Seventh street.

Numerous trees were blown down from 2-5 miles south of Fayetteville.

Numerous large tree limbs blown down at Holiday Island.

Several 2-inch diameter tree limbs blown down.

A barn was destroyed north of Charleston. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down throughout Franklin County.

There were quite a few reports of damage from the greater Vesta area. Specific reports follow:- Just northwest of Vesta, two windows were blown out of a house. A shed was blown over. A large oak tree was uprooted, and several other trees were heavily damaged. A patio table was blown away, never to be seen again. - On Mill Creek Mountain, a home was damaged when a tree was uprooted and blown on top of a house. Numerous other large trees were blown over, including a walnut tree with an eleven-foot circumfrence. A shed was destroyed. Sheet iron was scattered about.- On Hickory Ridge (located one mile south of Vesta), a window was blown out of a residence, and two sheds were destroyed on Hickory Ridge. Numerous trees were blown over, one of which fell onto a truck, breaking the windshield and messing up the hood.

Several trees in the city of Charleston were uprooted.

A brief F0 tornado touched down just north of the Arkansas River. Two houses received minor damage, and numerous trees and power lines were blown down.

A large tree was blown down across a road.

Trees were blown onto a power line between Ozark and Coal Hill, causing a power outage to a large part of western Johnson County.

Two large trees were blown down.