Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, April 24 to 30, 2011

Hail fell at Mount Magazine.

Trees were blown down on Arkansas Highway 95.

Greenridge Rd. was impassable due to high water.

A tree was blown down onto a house. Numerous county roads were blocked by fallen trees.

Four power poles and a large pine tree were blown down along Arkansas Highway 7.

Several trees were blown down.

A tornado blew down numerous trees and power lines. The tornado exited Polk County east-northeast of Opal and entered Montgomery County southwest of Pine Ridge.

This tornado exited Polk County east-northeast of Opal and entered Montgomery County southwest of Pine Ridge. In Montgomery County, numerous trees and some power lines were blown down.

Rainfall measured 1.22 inches in 46 minutes.

Flash flooding occurred in Harrison. Numerous houses were flooded. The intersection of U.S. Highway 62 and 65 flooded, as did Arkansas Highway 7 south of Harrison.

A funnel cloud was reported just north of Kirby.

Several streams went out of their banks after 2 3/4 inches of rain fell between 4:30 and 5:30 PM CDT.

Thousands of trees were blown down on land belonging to private timber companies. An old house suffered severe damage, another house had its garage destroyed, and several outbuildings were damaged. The track of this tornado was close to Main Haul Rd. The tornado exited Garland County north-northeast of Beaudry and entered Saline County west-northwest of Electric.

The tornado blew down trees. The tornado exited Pike County north-northeast of Rosboro and moved into Clark County north-northwest of Amity.

This tornado exited Garland County north-northeast of Beaudry and entered Saline County west-northwest of Electric. Hundreds of trees were blown down on land belonging to a private timber company. Most of the tree damage was noted just north of Weyerhaeuser 24000 Rd.

Trees were blown down on Arkansas Highway 182.

A tree fell on a car.

This tornado exited Pike County north-northeast of Rosboro and moved into Clark County north-northwest of Amity. In Clark County, numerous trees were blown down. The tornado exited Clark County west-northwest of Elm and moved into Montgomery County east-southeast of Welsh.

A tornado exited Clark County west-northwest of Elm and entered Montgomery County east-southeast of Welsh. In Montgomery County, the tornado knocked down trees, power lines, and power poles, took the roof off of a barn, and caused a tree to fall on a house. The tornado exited Montgomery County east-northeast of Welsh and entered Hot Spring County west-southwest of Bonnerdale.

This tornado moved out of Montgomery County east-northeast of Welsh and entered Hot Spring County west-southwest of Bonnerdale. In Hot Spring County, the tornado blew down trees and damaged outbuildings. The tornado exited Hot Spring County north-northwest of Bonnerdale and entered Garland County south-southwest of Meyers.

This tornado exited Hot Spring County north-northwest of Bonnerdale and entered Garland County south-southwest of Meyers. In Garland County, some trees were blown down.

A funnel cloud was reported near Royal.

A tornado affected the area around Old Dallas Rd. and the Sunshine community. A Red Cross survey indicated 1 house and 8 mobile homes were destroyed, 4 houses and 4 mobile homes suffered major damage, and 19 houses and 9 mobile homes had minor damage. Numerous outbuildings were destroyed. A travel trailer was pushed onto a car. Hundreds of trees were blown down or snapped off, and numerous power lines were blown down.

The tornado removed part of the second floor from a house, and damaged barns and outbuildings. Numerous trees were blown down, with trees landing on a house, a mobile home, and a vehicle.

Flash flooding closed several roads around Ash Flat.

The driver of a feed truck exited his vehicle at a low-water crossing to remove a large log that was in the road at Casa-Aplin Rd. and Deer Run Ln. While he was outside his truck, he was swept away by high water. The incident occurred around 8:00 PM CDT on the 25th, but the accident was not discovered until around 8:00 AM CDT on the 26th.

This tornado affected areas around the Bear community, Brady Mountain Rd., the eastern end of Lake Ouachita, and Lake Ouachita State Park. A Red Cross survey indicated approximately 1 house destroyed, 4 houses and 3 mobile homes with major damage, 16 houses and 9 mobile homes with minor damage, and 3 houses and 1 mobile home affected. A large metal building that once housed a golf academy sustained severe damage, with the roof torn off and metal girders twisted. A camping trailer was blown into a field and destroyed. Several outbuildings were destroyed. Hundreds of trees were knocked down or snapped off. Numerous power lines were blown down. Considerable damage occurred at Lake Ouachita State Park. A portion of the tornado's track was determined during an aerial survey by the Arkansas Forestry Commission.

A state trooper observed water across Arkansas Highway 8 in three places near Caddo Gap. Water was about to enter a house.

Winds were 58 mph with gusts to 68 mph. Some small trees were knocked over.

A tree was blown down, blocking U.S. Highway 70.

A funnel cloud was observed near Piney.

Homes were destroyed in the Walnut Valley, Ozark Lithia, Ranch Estates, and Mountain Valley areas. Church buildings and the Teen Challenge building on Arkansas Highway 7 were badly damaged. Vehicles were piled up in the parking lot of the church. An 8-month old baby was killed in the Walnut Valley area. A Red Cross survey indicated approximately 25 houses and 21 mobile homes were destroyed, 22 houses and 5 mobile homes suffered severe damage, 18 houses and 4 mobile homes had minor damage, and 5 houses and 2 mobile homes were affected. A two-story house had its top floor removed. Several outbuildings and a well-constructed barn were destroyed. A portion of the tornado's track was determined during an aerial survey by the Arkansas Forestry Commission. This tornado exited Garland County northwest of the incorporated portion of Fountain Lake and entered Saline County in Hot Springs Village.

People camping had to be rescued. Two camping trailers and three trucks floated away. The fire department rescuers became surrounded by high water. No injuries were reported. Severe flash flooding also occurred on Big Mazarn Creek and Meyers Creek.

This tornado exited Garland County northwest of the incorporated portion of Fountain Lake and entered Saline County in Hot Springs Village. Thousands of trees were blown down in Hot Springs Village, with more than 100 houses suffering damage from the falling trees. A cell phone tower was also blown down. Power outages were widespread. Boats and docks were destroyed on Lake Balboa.

The worst damage from this tornado occurred at Heifer International's ranch. Several buildings had their roofs torn off and thrown into adjacent fields and several hay barns were destroyed. No animals at the ranch were harmed. Otherwise, several houses had major roof damage and some other houses had lesser amounts of roof damage. Dozens of trees were snapped off or blown over. Several vehicles were badly damaged by falling trees. Barns and outbuildings were damaged. A number of power lines were blown down.

The tornado blew down numerous trees, one of which fell on the cab of a tractor-trailer.

Trees were blown down.

A swift-water rescue was necessary in the Bonnerdale area.

Trees were blown down onto houses.

Law enforcement estimated winds at 70 mph.

Trees were blown down.

This was the beginning of the tornado that was destined to cause major damage in Vilonia. In this section of Pulaski County, most of the damage consisted of trees being blown down. In addition, four large power transmission towers near the Arkansas River were destroyed. The tornado exited Pulaski County 1.31 miles northeast of Natural Steps and continued into Faulkner County 2.42 miles south of Palarm.

This tornado occurred west of Lake Maumelle, in the area around Arkansas Highway 10 and Bringle Creek Rd. The tornado blew down many trees, with one tree falling on a vehicle and another on a farm tractor. Fences were knocked down and outbuildings were damaged.

A tree fell on a house on Fairplay Rd.

Very strong winds passed through the area while search and rescue was ongoing due to a tornado less than two hours earlier.

Widespread flooding occurred in Morrilton.

Some houses were damaged in the Friendship area.

This tornado exited Pulaski County 1.31 miles northeast of Natural Steps and moved into Faulkner County 2.42 miles south of Palarm. It crossed a tiny, peninsula-shaped area of Faulkner County adjacent to the Arkansas River. This section of Faulkner County is uninhabited, so damage was limited to some trees being blown down. The tornado then exited Faulkner County 2.06 miles south of Palarm and entered another section of Pulaski County 1.93 miles northeast of Natural Steps.

A tree fell on a mobile home.

This tornado exited Faulkner County 2.06 miles south of Palarm and re-entered Pulaski County 1.93 miles northeast of Natural Steps. In Pulaski County, the tornado badly damaged a small church, blew a tree down into a house, and knocked down numerous trees. The tornado crossed Interstate 40 in extreme northern Pulaski County. It exited Pulaski County north-northwest of Morgan and re-entered Faulkner County east-southeast of Mayflower.

This tornado knocked down or snapped numerous trees and a few power lines. Several houses had roof damage from falling trees. One house had a gutter ripped off and one of the eaves damaged by a falling tree.

This tornado exited Pulaski County north-northwest of Morgan and re-entered Faulkner County east-southeast of Mayflower. In Faulkner County, it first moved through the northwest part of Camp Joseph T. Robinson, a National Guard facility. Thousands of trees were blown down in the area of Arkansas Highway 89 and Clinton Rd. In addition, numerous power lines were blown down and some homes and outbuildings were damaged. Similar damage occurred as the tornado continued moving to the northeast. At the Black Oak Ranch Estates mobile home park, numerous mobile homes were destroyed and four people were killed. Two of the victims, a 63 year-old man and a 55 year-old man, were in separate mobile homes. The other two victims, a man and his wife, both 45 years-old, had left their mobile home and taken shelter in a large, metal, intermodal shipping container. The tornado carried the container approximately 150 yards, depositing it on the bank of a pond. The tornado next moved through Vilonia, causing damage to residences over a large part of the town. Businesses along U.S. Highway 64 were also damaged. Also on the highway, two tractor-trailers overturned, with one of them spilling its load of food products. After leaving Vilonia, the tornado continued on to the northeast. Additional trees were blown down, and houses and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed. The Red Cross indicated that approximately 34 houses and 62 mobile homes were destroyed, 91 houses and 41 mobile homes suffered major damage, 145 houses and 43 mobile homes had minor damage, and 53 houses and 38 mobile homes were affected. The tornado then exited Faulkner County south of Mount Vernon and moved into White County west of Hammonsville.

Trees were blown down onto houses in Alexander.

A tree fell on a house.

Trees and power lines were blown down in Cabot.

Trees and power lines were blown down in Cammack Village.

The tornado exited Faulkner County south of Mount Vernon and entered White County west of Hammonsville. In White County, the tornado knocked trees down onto houses, damaged the roofs of houses, destroyed barns and outbuildings, overturned a recreational vehicle and the trailer portion of a tractor-trailer, and blew down hundreds of trees. The tornado finally dissipated north of Joy, after having remained on the ground for more than 50 miles.

The weather observer at Little Rock Air Force Base observed a funnel cloud.

Two large trees blew down, knocking down power lines. Siding and underpinning on mobile homes were damaged.

Trees were blown down in the Lakewood area of North Little Rock.

An amateur radio operator estimated winds of 60 mph at Chenal Pkwy. and Wellington Hills Rd.

Most of this tornado's path was through Little Rock Air Force Base. At least five C-130 aircraft were damaged, three of them severely. A number of buildings in the base shopping area and flight line area suffered damage, including having roofs torn off. The fire station had its roof taken off and its doors buckled. Altogether, more than 20 tons of sheet metal from roofs and buildings was recovered for recycling. Cars were overturned in the parking lot of the Base Exchange. More than 135 houses in the base housing area were damaged or destroyed. A toilet from a house in the base housing area was found lodged in the roof of the Base Exchange shopping center, more than 1/2 mile away. Four people were injured at the air base. North Pulaski High School also suffered damage. The auditorium had its roof torn off and one wall collapsed. A wall of the chemistry building collapsed, weakening the roof of a building that housed 15 classrooms.

Trees were blown down onto houses.

Trees and power lines were blown down, and there was some structural damage.

A tornado blew down a few trees and took much of the roof off of a barn. The tornado exited Pulaski County east-southeast of Wampoo and moved into Lonoke County west of the England Flying Service Airport.

This tornado exited Pulaski County east-southeast of Wampoo and entered Lonoke County west of the England Flying Service Airport. In Lonoke County, a number of power poles were snapped off, a farm fertilizer truck was flipped on its side, a grain trailer was tipped over, and some barns and outbuildings were damaged. In the city of England, falling trees damaged the roofs of several houses.

Street flooding occurred throughout Sherwood.

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Some of the trees landed on houses. Additionally, some houses had roof damage.

A mobile home was knocked off its foundation, shingles were blown off a few houses, and numerous trees were blown down.

The tornado knocked down or snapped off hundreds of trees. Many houses suffered roof damage, primarily from falling trees. Damage to roofs also occurred at the Beebe schools. Roofs were blown off several outbuildings, a few cars were crushed by falling trees, and quite a few power lines were blown down. The greatest amount of damage occurred in Beebe.

Trees were blown down on McCrory. Some roofs were damaged by the falling trees.

Many streets and county roads were flooded. Approximately 20 people were evacuated from low-lying areas.

As a result of heavy rains, releases from Remmel Dam were periodically increased from the evening of the 25th into the morning of the 26th. Flows from the dam eventually exceeded 56,000 cubic feet per second. Lowland flooding resulted. Some roads flooded as well.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred. On the night of the 29th, Arkansas Highway 10 was closed due to flooding about 4 miles west of Interstate 430.

Widespread areal flooding occurred. Part of Arkansas Highway 216 was closed from the afternoon of the 27th through the end of the month.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred. Part of Arkansas Highway 36 was closed from the morning of the 30th through the end of the month.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred. Portions of Arkansas Highways 14, 37, and 69 were closed from the 26th through the end of the month.

Widespread areal flooding occurred. On the 27th, a Missouri and Northern Arkansas train derailed after hitting a track washout near Twin Creek. The locomotive and one car fell into the White River.

Widespread areal flooding occurred. A portion of Arkansas Highway 14 was closed from the afternoon of the 26th through the end of the month. Part of Arkansas Highway 224 was closed from the morning of the 27th through the end of the month. Parts of Arkansas Highways 37, 69, and 226 were closed from the morning of the 28th through the end of the month.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred. Part of Arkansas Highway 7 was closed from the morning of the 28th through the end of the month.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred. Nineteen homes in Gould were damaged.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred. A portion of Arkansas Highway 17 was closed from the afternoon of the 30th through the end of the month.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred.

Widespread areal flooding occurred. Part of Arkansas Highway 33 was closed by flooding on the evening of the 30th.

A tornado destroyed grain bins, overturned irrigation pivots, and tore much of the roof off of a large farm shop. A tractor-trailer truck on U.S. Highway 165 was overturned. Power poles were broken and trees were blown down. One tree fell into a house.

Hail the size of pennies fell at Remount Rd. and Spriggs Rd.

A tree fell on a car at Arkansas Tech University.

A power line was blown down, causing outages in St. Charles.

Water was over several roads in Greenbrier.

Trees were blown down and the roof of one house was damaged. This tornado tracked across much of the same area that the Vilonia tornado had crossed the previous day. The tornado exited Faulkner County 2 miles south of Mount Vernon and moved into White County 3.99 miles west-northwest of Hammonsville.

This tornado exited Faulkner County 2 miles south of Mount Vernon and entered White County 3.99 miles west-northwest of Hammonsville. In White County, only some tree damage was noted. This tornado tracked across much of the same area that the Vilonia tornado had crossed the previous day.

Trees were blown down.

A house had its porch and part of its roof blown off. Much of the roof was blown off a mobile home. Trees were blown down.

Trees were blown down.

Trees were blown down.

A car was swept off the Springfield Bridge. Both occupants of the car were rescued.

A house was destroyed and the 48 year-old woman inside was thrown out and killed. Trees and power lines in the area were blown down.

A business that manufactures portable buildings had a number of the buildings damaged or destroyed. Power lines were blown down.

One house was destroyed, and a house and business sustained major damage. Trees and power lines were blown down. Power was knocked out to the entire town.

A tree fell on a trailer.

Trees and power lines were blown down along U.S. Highway 167.

Many trees were blown down, one of which fell on a house, and another of which crushed a shed. The roof was blown off a barn, a livestock trailer was rolled against a pick-up truck, a pontoon boat was overturned, and a travel trailer was moved. Another travel trailer being used as a residence was overturned and destroyed.