Tornadoes and Hail in Arkansas, January 17, 1999

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Arkansas, January 17, 1999
Start: 1999-01-17T15:20
End: 1999-01-17T17:20
Location: Arkansas

January 17, 1999 · NWS MEG · 19 events in 9 counties and zones

9 hail, 5 tornado, 5 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $382,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 19

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 radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 hail, 5 tornado, 5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Lawrence

When: January 17, 3:20 PM CST to 3:25 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, Imboden
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $100
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.200, -91.170

Hail, Poinsett

When: January 17, 3:35 PM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Poinsett County, Uno
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $8,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 35.650, -91.030

Hail, Randolph

When: January 17, 3:45 PM CST to 3:55 PM CST
Where: Randolph County, Countywide
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $500
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.320, -91.050

Hail ranged in size from dime to golfball.

Tornado, Craighead

When: January 17, 3:45 PM CST to 4:10 PM CST
Where: Craighead County, Risher to 1 mi SE of Bono
Rating: F0
Path length: 16 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.730, -90.980

The tornado started near Risher and tracked northeast across mainly rural areas. Some trees and power lines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Randolph

When: January 17, 3:50 PM CST to 4:05 PM CST
Where: Randolph County, 1 mi SW of Pocahontas
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.250, -90.980

Several houses had their roofs blown off. One truck was blown off the road injuring the driver. Several trees were knocked down as well.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When: January 17, 4:05 PM CST to 4:15 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, Walnut Ridge
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.070, -90.950

A building lost part of its roof. A truck was overturned. Several trees were blown down.

Tornado, Greene

When: January 17, 4:30 PM CST to 4:45 PM CST
Where: Greene County, Lafe to 3 mi NE of Marmaduke
Rating: F0
Path length: 8 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.200, -90.470

The tornado started to the east of Lafe and tracked northeast toward the northeast corner of Greene county. A few trees were knocked down.

Tornado, Greene

When: January 17, 4:35 PM CST to 4:45 PM CST
Where: Greene County, Bethel to 1 mi of Schug
Rating: F1
Path length: 5.5 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.970, -90.530

The tornado started just south of Bethel and continued east toward the town of Schug. A roof was blown off of a substance abuse center and several mobile homes were damaged in Schug.

Hail, Cross

When: January 17, 4:40 PM CST to 4:45 PM CST
Where: Cross County, Tilton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $10
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.320, -91.020

Tornado, Poinsett

When: January 17, 4:45 PM CST to 4:55 PM CST
Where: Poinsett County, Weiner to 1 mi NE of Weiner
Rating: F0
Path length: 7.8 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.620, -90.920

The tornado started just west of Weiner and tracked northeast staying north of Weiner. Several trees and power poles were knocked down.

Tornado, Craighead

When: January 17, 4:45 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Craighead County, Lake City to 5 mi N of Lake City
Rating: F2
Path length: 11 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.770, -90.500

The tornado started just southwest of Lake City and tracked northeast reaching the northwest corner of Lake City and then continued northeast. Two homes were destroyed and five others were damaged in Lake City. An electrical substation was badly damaged. Several trees and power lines were also blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clay

When: January 17, 4:45 PM CST to 4:50 PM CST
Where: Clay County, 4 mi SE of Corning
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.370, -90.530

A log cabin and barn were destroyed. A satellite receiver was also demolished. One home sustained damage to shingles on the roof. Several power poles and trees were also knocked down.

Hail, Cross

When: January 17, 4:50 PM CST to 4:55 PM CST
Where: Cross County, Hickory Ridge
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.400, -91.000

A few cars were damaged by the hail.

Hail, Poinsett

When: January 17, 4:55 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Poinsett County, Lepanto
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $100
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.620, -90.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Mississippi

When: January 17, 4:55 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Mississippi County, 1 mi N of Lennie
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.780, -90.180

Two trailer home were destroyed and another five homes were damaged. Several trees and power lines were also blown down.

Hail, Poinsett

When: January 17, 4:55 PM CST to 5:10 PM CST
Where: Poinsett County, Rivervale to Lepanto
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $100
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.670, -90.350

Hail ranged in size from dimes near Lepanto to quarters around Rivervale.

Hail, Crittenden

When: January 17, 5:10 PM CST to 5:15 PM CST
Where: Crittenden County, Gilmore
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $100
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.420, -90.280

Thunderstorm Wind, Mississippi

When: January 17, 5:10 PM CST to 5:15 PM CST
Where: Mississippi County, Manila
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.880, -90.170

Several power lines and power poles were blown down in the south part of Manila.

Hail, Crittenden

When: January 17, 5:15 PM CST to 5:20 PM CST
Where: Crittenden County, Turrell
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $100
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.370, -90.250

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arkansas in 1999 Every state in 1999 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Arkansas, 1999 Warnings in Arkansas, January 1999

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: 5685116, 5685126, 5685117, 5685129, 5685239, 5685127, 5685238, 5685119, 5685120, 5685128, 5685130, 5685240, 5685121, 5685122, 5685125, 5685237, 5685118, 5685123, 5685124.