Tornadoes and Hail in Arkansas, April 8 to 9, 2009

A tornado moved out of Le Flore County, Oklahoma, and entered Polk County, Arkansas, just north of where Oklahoma Highway 63 becomes Arkansas Highway 8 at the state line. A vacation home was destroyed and a 5th-wheel camping trailer was overturned. Hundreds of trees were knocked down in the Ouachita National Forest. Much of the track of the tornado through the forest was inaccessible by road, so aerial imagery from a flyover by the USDA Forest Service was used to determine this portion of the track.

A tornado began to the west-southwest of Mena, then tracked through the northwest side of Mena. According to the Polk County Judge, 165 houses were destroyed, 701 houses had major damage, and more than 11,000 trees were blown down. The Polk County Courthouse, county jail, Mena City Hall, and the police and fire departments were damaged in downtown Mena, as were several businesses. Mena Middle School, also located downtown, was structurally damaged beyond repair. A nursing home was also damaged. Most of the city lost electricity. The tornado then tracked to the northeast, badly damaging several industrial buildings. There was considerable roof damage at Rich Mountain Community College, and lesser damage to the hospital. As the tornado continued to the northeast, a tractor dealership was destroyed. A number of rural residences and farms were damaged as the tornado moved out into rural Polk County. North of Ink, damage was noted along Polk 74 and Polk 71; these same areas had been damaged by a tornado on October 6, 2008. Three fatalities occurred on the northwest side of Mena. One was a woman at a Masonic Lodge, and the others were a man and woman at separate residences.

Apple sized hail fell in southwest Mena.

This tornado moved out of Howard County, and entered Pike County southwest of New Hope. Hundreds of trees were knocked down or snapped off in the forest, primarily on private timber company land.

Trees were knocked down, all of which were on private timber company land.

Trees were down on Ada Valley Road.

Trees and power poles were down. Metal roofing was removed and a trailer was overturned in Morrilton.

A tree was down on U.S. Highway 270 in Crystal Springs.

A tree was down on U.S. Highway 270 one mile west of Crystal Springs.

Trees were down across the area.

A roof was blown off a house.

A roof was blown off a house.

A communication tower was snapped in half in Hot Springs Village.

Trees were down across the area.

Large limbs broke off of trees in the area.

Trees and power lines were down across Clinton.

Trees were down in the area. A roof was blown off a barn. Siding was damaged on a house.

A large tree was down in a yard. Numerous large limbs were down.

Trees were down across the area.

Police officers observed a funnel cloud over the southwest part of Diamondhead.

One business had a section of its roof peeled back. A fence around a football field has a 12 foot section blown down. A roof was blown off a dugout at the baseball complex. Twelve trees in the area were blown down. A car dealership had minor damage to their awning.

A commercial boat dock was destroyed. A number of boats were under the debris and one boat flipped over in the water at Shiloh Marina.

A tree was down on a roof on Weddingford Road. A pine tree fell in front of a home on West Searcy. A tree was down on the roof of a carport on West Walnut. Several trees were down across the city.

A roof on a house was damaged in El Paso.

Trees were down across County Road 69. A house lost its shingles.

Tree limbs were down across the area.

A tree fell across U.S. Highway 63.

Two houses were damaged in the area.

Many power lines were down. At least one house was damaged.

A tree was down at the corner of 8th and Main Street. A large oak tree was uprooted at a cemetery damaging several headstones. Another tree was down on U.S. Highway 167 near Main Street. Another one had to be cut from across Arkansas Highway 106 on Ruddell Hill. A large cedar tree was uprooted at Boswell St. A large plate glass window was blown out of an antique store on Main St. A large oak tree fell across two vehicles and a porch on Franklin St.

A tree was down on Steed Road.

Trees were down over several parts of town. Limbs were severed and roofs were damaged. A vehicle and home were damaged when a pine tree fell over. Several fences in the area were damaged.

A mobile home was overturned, injuring one person, and another mobile home was damaged. Approximately 15 large trees were blown down.

Trees were down across the area.

A large shed shifted on its foundation. A metal roof on a house sustained damage.