Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Arkansas, May 20, 2001

Name: Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Arkansas, May 20, 2001
Start: 2001-05-20T18:45
End: 2001-05-20T23:30
Location: Arkansas

May 20, 2001 · NWS TSA · 18 events in 6 counties and zones

7 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 4 tornado, 1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

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.

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: $26,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 18

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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 20, 4:40 PM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 20, 4:40 PM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes before

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
540 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

UPDATED FORECAST TO INCLUDE HEADLINE FOR SEVERE TSTORM WATCH NUMBER
256. STILL WAITING ON POSSIBLE TOR WATCH FOR WESTERN AR...WILL HAVE
TO UPDATE AGAIN WHEN AND IF IT COMES OUT. INCREASED SEVERE THREAT
WORDING IN SEVERAL ZONES GROUPS. NEW STORMS GOING UP AND INCREASING
NOW...ONE IN EAST TULSA COUNTY AND THE ONE IN CREEK COUNTY. OTHER
STORMS GOING UP IN HUGHES AND PONTOTOC COUNTIES COULD ALSO BECOME
QUITE SEVERE AS IT TAPS EXTREME INSTABILITY.

FCSTID = 26

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 20, 5:08 PM CST, 1 hour 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
608 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

K0548 PM    VIVIAN                    OK    1.75 INCH HAIL
05/20/01   MCINTOSH

0550 PM    2 N BROKEN ARROW          OK    1 INCH HAIL
05/20/01   TULSA

Local storm report, May 20, 5:11 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
611 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0556 PM    2 N FAIRFAX               OK    1 INCH HAIL
05/20/01   OSAGE                           REPORTED BY POLICE DEPT

0607 PM    SAND SPGS                 OK    1.75 INCH HAIL
05/20/01   TULSA                           AMATEUR RADIO REPORT
m

Local storm report, May 20, 5:14 PM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
614 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

053r5 PM    7 SW BURBANK              OK    67 MPH TSTM GUST
05/20/01   OSAGE                           MESONET MEASUREMENT

Local storm report, May 20, 5:34 PM CST, 1 hour 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
634 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0630 PM    1 S PAWHUSKA              OK    TORNADO
05/20/01   OSAGE                           AMATEUR RADIO REPORT

Local storm report, May 20, 6:28 PM CST, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
728 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0639 PM    5 W PAWHUSKA              OK    65 MPH TSTM GUST
05/20/01   OSAGE                           ESTIMATE BY AMATEUR RADIO

0654 PM    1 NW STIGLER              OK    TORNADO
05/20/01   HASKELL                         EMERGENCY MGMT REPORT

0655 PM    WHITEFIELD                OK    .75 INCH HAIL
05/20/01   HASKELL                         EMERGENCY MGMT REPORT

0655 PM    3 WNW STIGLER             OK    92 MPH TSTM GUST
05/20/01   HASKELL                         MESONET MEASUREMENT

0657 PM    STIGLER                   OK    TORNADO
05/20/01   HASKELL                         TV CHASE TEAM REPORTED
                                           20 SECOND TOUCHDOWN

0721 PM    VERA                      OK    .88 INCH HAIL
05/20/01   WASHINGTON                      AMATEUR RADIO REPORT

@RUKWBCe KDENNWUS54 KTSA 210032
LSRTUL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
732 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0639 PM    5 W PAWHUSKA              OK    65 MPH TSTM GUST
05/20/01   OSAGE                           ESTIMATE BY AMATEUR RADIO

0654 PM    1 NW STIGLER              OK    TORNADO
05/20/01   HASKELL                         EMERGENCY MGMT REPORT

0655 PM    WHITEFIELD                OK    .75 INCH HAIL
05/20/01   HASKELL                         EMERGENCY MGMT REPORT

0655 PM    3 WNW STIGLER             OK    92 MPH TSTM GUST
05/20/01   HASKELL                         MESONET MEASUREMENT

0657 PM    STIGLER                   OK    TORNADO
05/20/01   HASKELL                         TV CHASE TEAM REPORTED
                                           20 SECOND TOUCHDOWN

0721 PM    VERA                      OK    .88 INCH HAIL
05/20/01   WASHINGTON                      AMATEUR RADIO REPORT

Local storm report, May 20, 6:32 PM CST, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
732 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0639 PM    5 W PAWHUSKA              OK    65 MPH TSTM GUST
05/20/01   OSAGE                           ESTIMATE BY AMATEUR RADIO

0654 PM    1 NW STIGLER              OK    TORNADO
05/20/01   HASKELL                         EMERGENCY MGMT REPORT

0655 PM    WHITEFIELD                OK    .75 INCH HAIL
05/20/01   HASKELL                         EMERGENCY MGMT REPORT

0655 PM    3 WNW STIGLER             OK    92 MPH TSTM GUST
05/20/01   HASKELL                         MESONET MEASUREMENT

0657 PM    STIGLER                   OK    TORNADO
05/20/01   HASKELL                         TV CHASE TEAM REPORTED
                                           20 SECOND TOUCHDOWN

0721 PM    VERA                      OK    .88 INCH HAIL
05/20/01   WASHINGTON                      AMATEUR RADIO REPORT

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 120 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:42 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 4 tornado, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Benton

When: May 20, 6:45 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Bentonville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.367, -94.217

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: May 20, 6:52 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 3 mi W of Rogers
Property damage: $500
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.333, -94.167

Thunderstorms winds blew down many large tree limbs and trees west of Rogers.

Hail, Sebastian

When: May 20, 7:02 PM CST
Where: Sebastian County, Ft Smith
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.383, -94.417

Unconfirmed reports of softball size hail could not be confirmed.

Tornado, Madison

When: May 20, 7:13 PM CST
Where: Madison County, 5 mi NNW of Clifty
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Property damage: $100
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 36.300, -93.833

An F0 tornado briefly touched down five miles north northwest of Clifty near the Carroll and Madison county line. Only tree damage was reported.

Hail, Sebastian

When: May 20, 7:17 PM CST
Where: Sebastian County, Ft Chaffee
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.217, -94.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Sebastian

When: May 20, 7:25 PM CST
Where: Sebastian County, 1 mi S of Ft Smith
Property damage: $100
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.367, -94.417

Thunderstorm winds blew down several trees.

Tornado, Carroll

When: May 20, 7:25 PM CST
Where: Carroll County, 6 mi S of Eureka Spgs
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 36.317, -93.733

An F0 tornado briefly touched down six miles south of Eureka Springs. No damage was reported.

Tornado, Sebastian

When: May 20, 7:29 PM CST to 7:32 PM CST
Where: Sebastian County, 10 mi ENE of Greenwood
Rating: F0
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 35.267, -94.100

Brief tornado spin-up from updraft area that passed south of Fort Smith. Damage occurred on Fort Chaffee Military Reservation. Numerous trees were downed in an open field, but no structural damage to buildings was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Franklin

When: May 20, 7:40 PM CST
Where: Franklin County, 1 mi E of Charleston
Property damage: $100
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.300, -94.017

Thunderstorm winds blew down large tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When: May 20, 7:40 PM CST
Where: Madison County, 2 mi NE of Clifty
Property damage: $100
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.250, -93.767

Thunderstorms winds blew down a few trees.

Hail, Carroll

When: May 20, 7:45 PM CST
Where: Carroll County, 5 mi W of Berryville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.367, -93.650

Tornado, Franklin

When: May 20, 7:51 PM CST
Where: Franklin County, 4 mi S of Branch
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.250, -93.950

A F0 tornado briefly touched down four miles south of Branch. No damage was reported.

Hail, Franklin

When: May 20, 8:05 PM CST
Where: Franklin County, Branch
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.300, -93.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Sebastian

When: May 20, 8:30 PM CST
Where: Sebastian County, 6 mi S of Mansfield
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 34.983, -94.233

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When: May 20, 10:25 PM CST
Where: Crawford County, Kibler
Property damage: $100
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.433, -94.233

Thunderstorm winds blew large tree limbs down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sebastian

When: May 20, 10:44 PM CST
Where: Sebastian County, 1 mi SW of Ft Smith
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.367, -94.433

Hail, Sebastian

When: May 20, 10:44 PM CST
Where: Sebastian County, 1 mi SW of Ft Smith
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.367, -94.433

Flash Flood, Sebastian

When: May 20, 11:00 PM CST to 11:30 PM CST
Where: Sebastian County, Greenwood
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.199, -94.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused a few rural roads to be washed out near Greenwood.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arkansas in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Arkansas, 2001 Warnings in Arkansas, May 2001

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: 5246374, 5246375, 5246376, 5246466, 5246386, 5246377, 5246467, 5246469, 5246378, 5246380, 5246379, 5246468, 5246381, 5246382, 5246385, 5246383, 5246384, 5246465.