Lightning in Arkansas

Events

387

Deaths

22

Injuries

83

Damage

$28 million

• Tornadoes and Hail in Arkansas, February 5, 200814 deaths · 175 injured · $137 million · EF4 · 39 eventsEarly on the 5th, a strong storm system approached from the Plains. Ahead of the system, breezy southerly winds provided well above normal temperatures and abundant moisture. Warmth and moisture destabilized the atmosphere and fueled developing thunderstorms.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, April 30, 20102 deaths · 25 injured · $17 million · EF3 · 33 eventsMoisture from the Gulf of Mexico surged into Arkansas at the end of April, so conditions in the state became warm and humid. On the 30th, a strong area of low pressure aloft approached from the west, resulting in the development of thunderstorms.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Arkansas, January 8, 20081 death · 2 injured · $5.5 million · EF2 · 14 eventsSevere thunderstorms affected a large part of Arkansas on the 8th. There were a number of reports of wind damage and an isolated tornado.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, April 29 to 30, 20171 death · 1 injured · $2.4 million · EF1 · 89 eventsSevere thunderstorms and very heavy rainfall was noted on April 29-30, 2017. Major flooding was a result of the heavy rain.
• Lightning Strikes in Arkansas, December 20, 20072 deaths · $170,000 · 2 eventsAn upper level low pressure center moving across Arkansas brought numerous thunderstorms and locally heavy rain on the morning of the 20th.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Arkansas, June 5 to 9, 20141 death · 2 injured · $1.6 million · EF1 · 65 eventsA cold front wavered in Arkansas for several days from the 5th through the 9th. On several occasions, upper level low pressure systems moved through, sparking thunderstorms in the vicinity of the front. Some severe storms erupted each day, mainly producing damaging winds.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, April 10, 20136 injured · $7.0 million · EF2 · 33 eventsSevere storms developed ahead of an advancing cold front on the afternoon and evening of the 10th. A few tornadoes occurred, and there were also reports of large hail and damaging winds.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, May 1 to 2, 20101 death · $1.1 million · EF1 · 27 eventsWarm and humid conditions prevailed in Arkansas on the 1st. The approach of a cold front triggered the development of thunderstorms. Wind shear, a change in wind speed and direction with height, was not as favorable for the development of tornadoes as it was on April 30th.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Arkansas, May 4, 19991 injured · $118,000 · F3 · 17 eventsSummary of events for May 4 1999:Following a record tornado outbreak in Oklahoma on May 3-4, a significant severe weather outbreak affected northwest Arkansas on the morning and afternoon of May 4 as a vigorous upper level system continued to move slowly east.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Arkansas, August 1 to 2, 20121 death · $3.5 million · 65 kt wind · 8 eventsHigh pressure, which had been nearly stationary over Arkansas, shifted to the west, allowing areas of low pressure aloft to move southeastward into Arkansas periodically.
• Tornado and Hail in Arkansas, June 12, 20092 injured · $10 million · EF1 · 105 eventsA fast-moving line of thunderstorms, known as a derecho, rushed across Arkansas on the afternoon of the 12th. Widespread wind damage and one tornado resulted.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, August 29 to 31, 20123 injured · $30 million · 52 kt wind · 76 eventsAlthough Isaac was a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, it had weakened to a tropical depression by the time it reached Arkansas. Isaac passed through western Arkansas on the evening of the 30th and during the day on the 31st.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, June 9, 20081 death · $600,000 · 2.75 in hail · 17 eventsA large cluster of thunderstorms, known as a mesoscale convective system (MCS), developed near a cold front and swept across much of Arkansas during the afternoon and evening of the 9th.
• Lightning Strike in Arkansas, June 28, 19971 death · 12 injured · 1 eventA group of people were attending a picnic on the shore of Greers Ferry Lake at the Old Highway 25 Park. Lightning struck nearby and injured 12 people. One other person was killed as a result of being struck. The extent of injuries to the others struck consisted of burns.
• Tornado and Hail in Arkansas, March 14 to 15, 2008$2.0 million · EF2 · 48 eventsA storm system was in the Texas Panhandle during the early evening of the 14th. At the same time, a warm front lifted to the north ahead of the system. Strong to severe thunderstorms developed along and north of the front.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, May 5 to 7, 20093 injured · $7.3 million · EF1 · 60 eventsUnstable air, fronts meandering in the state, and areas of low pressure aloft contributed to severe weather, including a few tornadoes. At Arkansas Post (Arkansas County), the rain contributed to making it the wettest May ever recorded.
• Flash Flooding and Heat in Arkansas, July 15 to 17, 20101 death · $281,000 · 52 kt wind · 10 eventsThe approach of a weak cold front triggered thunderstorms with large amounts of lightning, along with isolated instances of severe weather and flash flooding on the 15th.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, May 22, 20081 death · 2 injured · $90,000 · 50 kt wind · 13 eventsA warm front advancing from Louisiana into Arkansas triggered thunderstorms in central and southern Arkansas on the afternoon and evening of the 22nd.
• Tornado and Damaging Wind in Arkansas, April 15, 20121 death · $65,000 · EF1 · 4 eventsWindy conditions prevailed ahead of an approaching cold front, with gusts of 30 to 40 mph common. As the front moved in, thunderstorms developed. Isolated severe weather, including one tornado, resulted.
• Lightning Strike in Arkansas, March 9, 20061 death · $100,000 · 1 eventLightning struck a home causing a fire to ignite. One male, age 83 was killed as a result of the house fire. House sustained considerable damage.
• Tornado and Hail in Arkansas, April 4, 20113 injured · $1.8 million · EF1 · 44 eventsA strong cold front pushed into Arkansas on the 4th. In advance of the front, warm, moist air was in place. The atmosphere was more unstable than it had been any time so far this year. As a result, severe thunderstorms erupted along and ahead of the cold front.
• Flash Flood and Hail in Arkansas, July 22, 20088 injured · $1.5 million · 1.75 in hail · 28 eventsA northwesterly wind flow aloft sent storms into Arkansas on the 22nd. The approach of a cold front and the hot, humid conditions over the state contributed to the severity of the storms.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, June 18, 2023$200,000 · EF2 · 33 eventsA cold front moving across Oklahoma toward Arkansas interacted with a stalled front across southern Arkansas.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Arkansas, April 3, 2007$2.5 million · 4.25 in hail · 70 eventsA strong cold front passing through Arkansas sparked the development of severe thunderstoms. There were numerous reports of large hail and a few reports of flash flooding.
• Flash Flood and Lightning Strikes in Arkansas, July 1, 20141 death · $25,000 · 3 eventsA cold front moved into Northeast Arkansas during the early evening hours of July 1st, 2014. Showers and thunderstorms developed ahead of the front. Lightning from the storms struck and killed a teenager and also produced a fire that damaged a municipal airport.

Lightning everywhereEvery kind of event in Arkansas

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.