Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, April 27 to 30, 2014

Hail up to nickel size fell in southwest Little Rock.

Penny size hail fell at the National Weather Service office.

Heavy rainfall during the early morning hours of the 27th caused the White River at Augusta to rise above flood stage during the late morning hours that day. Additional heavy rainfall through the evening hours on the 27th kept the river above flood stage into May.

Hail the size of golf balls, plus a few larger hailstones, covered the ground at Panther Bay Marina.

Nickel size hail fell at Flat Rock.

A road sign was blown down.

Hail the size of golf balls fell on Ross Creek Rd.

A tornado began west of the Ferndale area, near the Saline/Pulaski County line. This was the first of five tornadoes produced by the same supercell thunderstorm. According to the American Red Cross, 7 houses were destroyed, 24 had major damage, 9 houses and 1 mobile home had minor damage, and 76 houses were affected in Pulaski County. Three members of one family, a 48-year-old male, a 20-year-old female, and a 14-year-old female, were killed in a house on Deer Dr. Communities affected included Ferndale and Roland. The tornado crossed the eastern portion of Lake Maumelle. The tornado exited Pulaski County 1.6 miles northeast of Roland, as it crossed the Arkansas River, and entered Faulkner County 0.6 mile southwest of Palarm.

This tornado exited Pulaski County 1.6 miles northeast of Roland, while crossing the Arkansas River, and entered Faulkner County 0.6 mile southwest of Palarm. The tornado reached its maximum intensity of EF4 in Faulkner County. It tracked through the River Plantation subdivision and White City, then struck Mayflower, where residences and businesses were destroyed. The tornado then moved across Interstate 40 at Mayflower, throwing cars, trucks, and road construction equipment off the freeway. Traffic along the interstate was backed up for weeks following the tornado as motorists slowed to view the damage. Next, the tornado crossed a part of Lake Conway and moved across part of Camp Robinson, a National Guard facility, where the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission lost a clubhouse, shop, horse barn, residence, metal carports, shower house, and dog kennels. The tornado then continued on through Saltillo and then caused devastation to homes and businesses in Vilonia. About 400 people had taken shelter in a safe room at the Vilonia high school.

According to the American Red Cross, in Faulkner County, the tornado destroyed 261 houses and 121 mobile homes; caused major damage to 77 houses, 29 mobile homes, and 5 apartments; caused minor damage to 96 houses, 14 mobile homes, and 4 apartments; and affected 257 houses, 32 mobile homes, and 4 apartments. Hundreds of cars and pickup trucks were mangled along the path of the tornado.

In Mayflower, a home improvement store was badly damaged, and a vehicle repair shop, millwork company, construction company, electric substation, and church were destroyed. A recreational vehicle dealership and dozens of RVs were also destroyed. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission eventually removed 627 tons of tornado debris from Lake Conway. In Vilonia, the new intermediate school under construction was destroyed, as were nearly two dozen businesses along Main St. (U.S. 64B), including a dollar store, a strip mall, two auto repair shops, the old city hall, a gas station, a real estate office, an investment firm, an auto parts store, and a fried chicken restaurant.

There were 12 fatalities in Faulkner County. In the Mayflower area, a 72-year-old woman was killed in a house on Plantation Dr., a 51-year-old man was killed in a house on Fortner Dr., and an 82-year-old man was killed in a house on Dam Rd. The other 9 fatalities were all in the Vilonia area. These included: brothers 7- and 9-years-old in a house on Cody Ln., a 50-year-old woman in a vehicle on U.S. 64, a 52-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman in a house on Cemetery Rd., a 57-year-old man in a house on North St., a 31-year-old man in a house on Aspen Creek Dr., and a 22-year-old man in a house on Clover Ridge Dr. In addition, a woman who was injured in a mobile home on Ponderosa Dr. gave birth to a baby which died immediately. More than 150 people were treated at hospitals.

The tornado hit Vilonia three years and two days after a tornado had destroyed some of the same structures. The tornado exited Faulkner County 4.6 miles southeast of Naylor and entered White County 2.2 miles west-northwest of El Paso.

This tornado exited Faulkner County 4.6 miles southeast of Naylor and entered White County 2.2 miles west-northwest of El Paso. The tornado caused massive timber damage along Jack Williams Rd., then caused damage to residences on Arkansas 5 and El Paso Rd. In White County, two houses and a mobile home were destroyed, another house had major damage, two had minor damage, and one was affected. A 55-year-old woman was killed in a mobile home on El Paso Rd. and one other person was injured.

A falling tree damaged a house.

An EF2 tornado struck the area around Center Hill. This was the second of five tornadoes produced by the same supercell thunderstorm. According to the American Red Cross, 4 houses and 11 mobile homes were destroyed, 4 mobile homes suffered major damage, 5 houses and 3 mobile homes had minor damage, and 2 houses and 3 mobile homes were affected. Numerous trees were blown down, and vehicles and outbuildings were destroyed. One person was injured.

A house had damage to its roof and fascia.

According to the American Red Cross, two mobile homes were destroyed, two houses and one mobile home suffered major damage, six houses and two mobile homes had minor damage, and one house was affected. In addition, trees and power lines were blown down.

According to the American Red Cross, the tornado caused major damage to one mobile home, and minor damage to four houses. Most of the damage was due to falling trees. This was the third of five tornadoes produced by the same supercell thunderstorm.

A falling tree caused a large hole in the roof of a house.

An EF1 tornado caused major roof damage to a house and minor roof damage to a mobile home. Trees and power lines were blown down. This was the fourth of five tornadoes caused by the same supercell thunderstorm. The tornado exited White County 1.1 miles east-southeast of Midway and entered Jackson County 2.3 miles north of Denmark.

The roof of a house was damaged.

The tornado exited White County 1.1 miles east-southeast of Midway and entered Jackson County 2.3 miles north of Denmark. In Jackson County, two outbuildings were destroyed, there was roof damage to a house, and a barn was blown down. Trees and power lines were also blown down.

An EF1 tornado blew down trees and power lines. This was the fifth of five tornadoes produced by the same supercell thunderstorm.

Flash flooding struck several parts of Independence County, making numerous water rescues necessary. At least two feet of water covered Arkansas 233 at Moorefield, a mudslide occurred on Arkansas 25 near Brock Mountain, a car was under water at a convenience store in Pfeiffer, and a bridge was under water between Batesville and Moorefield on Arkansas 25 when a creek overflowed. County roads and bridges had considerable damage. A number of houses were damaged by floodwaters.

Large limbs were blown down.

Arkansas 69 was under water at Mt. Pleasant. County roads suffered damage.

County roads suffered considerable damage.

Flash flooding caused severe damage to roads and bridges.

Heavy rainfall on the 27th caused the Spring River at Hardy to rise above flood stage during the very early morning hours on the 28th. The river then fell back below flood stage during the afternoon hours that same day.

Trees were blown down.

Trees were blown down.

Heavy rainfall on the 27th caused the White River at Batesville to rise above flood stage during the early morning hours on the 28th, then fell back below flood stage during the late afternoon hours that same day.