Tornadoes · United States

Tornadoes in Arkansas

2,090 tornadoes since 1950, an average of 27.5 a year, 14th of the 53 states and territories in the record. They have killed 415 people and injured 5,554. 31 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The United States rated tornadoes on Ted Fujita’s F scale until 31 January 2007 and on the Enhanced Fujita scale after it. Both run from 0 to 5, and both rate the damage rather than measure the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. F0 / EF040 to 72 mph on the F scale, 65 to 85 mph on the EF scale

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. F1 / EF173 to 112 mph on the F scale, 86 to 110 mph on the EF scale

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. F2 / EF2113 to 157 mph on the F scale, 111 to 135 mph on the EF scale

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. F3 / EF3158 to 206 mph on the F scale, 136 to 165 mph on the EF scale

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. F4 / EF4207 to 260 mph on the F scale, 166 to 200 mph on the EF scale

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. F5 / EF5261 to 318 mph on the F scale, over 200 mph on the EF scale

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The deadliest in Arkansas

  1. F4, White County, ArkansasMarch 21, 195250 killed, 325 injured
  2. F4, Jackson, Craighead and Mississippi counties, ArkansasMay 15, 196835 killed, 364 injured
  3. F4, Woodruff County, ArkansasMarch 21, 195229 killed, 180 injured
  4. EF4 Mayflower–Vilonia tornado, ArkansasApril 27, 201416 killed, 193 injured
  5. F4, Sebastian County, ArkansasApril 19, 196814 killed, 270 injured
  6. EF4 Atkins–Clinton tornado, ArkansasFebruary 5, 200813 killed, 139 injured
  7. F4, Saline County, ArkansasMarch 1, 199710 killed, 40 injured
  8. F3, Lonoke County, ArkansasMarch 21, 19529 killed, 9 injured
  9. EF4 Monette–Braggadocio tornado, Arkansas, Missouri and TennesseeDecember 10, 20218 killed, 14 injured
  10. F4, Stone and Izard counties, ArkansasApril 14, 19967 killed, 35 injured
  11. F4, Bradley County, ArkansasMarch 28, 19757 killed, 51 injured
  12. F4, Independence County, ArkansasMay 15, 19687 killed, 24 injured

The strongest

  1. EF4 Atkins–Clinton tornado, ArkansasFebruary 5, 2008EF4, 121.8 mi (196 km)
  2. EF4 Larkin tornado, Arkansas and MissouriMarch 14, 2025EF4, 116.0 mi (187 km)
  3. EF4 Monette–Braggadocio tornado, Arkansas, Missouri and TennesseeDecember 10, 2021EF4, 81.2 mi (131 km)
  4. F4, Sharp, Fulton, Oregon and Carter counties, Arkansas and MissouriDecember 24, 1982F4, 63.0 mi (101 km)
  5. F4, Woodruff, Jackson, Poinsett and Craighead counties, ArkansasMay 26, 1973F4, 54.8 mi (88 km)
  6. EF4 Etna–Centerpoint tornado, ArkansasMay 24, 2011EF4, 45.7 mi (74 km)
  7. F4, Sevier, Howard and Hempstead counties, ArkansasApril 2, 1982F4, 45.0 mi (72 km)
  8. F4, Stone and Izard counties, ArkansasApril 14, 1996F4, 44.0 mi (71 km)
  9. EF4 Mayflower–Vilonia tornado, ArkansasApril 27, 2014EF4, 41.1 mi (66 km)
  10. F4, Van Buren, Cleburne and Independence counties, ArkansasMarch 15, 1984F4, 41.0 mi (66 km)
  11. F4, Lincoln County, ArkansasApril 3, 1968F4, 33.7 mi (54 km)
  12. F4, Clark County, ArkansasMarch 1, 1997F4, 27.0 mi (43 km)

The longest paths

  1. EF4 Atkins–Clinton tornado, ArkansasFebruary 5, 2008121.8 mi (196 km)
  2. EF4 Larkin tornado, Arkansas and MissouriMarch 14, 2025116.0 mi (187 km)
  3. F2, Lonoke, Prairie, Woodruff and Cross counties, ArkansasFebruary 20, 1951112.8 mi (181 km)
  4. F2, Craighead, Mississippi, Dunklin, Pemiscot and New Madrid counties, Arkansas and MissouriMarch 20, 195589.4 mi (144 km)
  5. EF4 Monette–Braggadocio tornado, Arkansas, Missouri and TennesseeDecember 10, 202181.2 mi (131 km)
  6. EF3, Independence, Sharp, Lawrence and Randolph counties, ArkansasMarch 14, 202581.0 mi (130 km)
  7. F3, Randolph, Greene, Dunklin and Pemiscot counties, Arkansas and MissouriApril 2, 200677.0 mi (124 km)
  8. EF3 Wynne–Parkin tornado, Arkansas and TennesseeMarch 31, 202372.5 mi (117 km)
  9. F4, Sharp, Fulton, Oregon and Carter counties, Arkansas and MissouriDecember 24, 198263.0 mi (101 km)
  10. F3, Ouachita, Calhoun and Bradley counties, ArkansasApril 8, 197962.4 mi (100 km)
  11. F1, Searcy, Stone and Izard counties, ArkansasMay 14, 197462.0 mi (100 km)
  12. F4, Woodruff, Jackson, Poinsett and Craighead counties, ArkansasMay 26, 197354.8 mi (88 km)

The costliest

  1. EF3 Jonesboro tornado, ArkansasMarch 28, 2020$300 million
  2. EF4 Mayflower–Vilonia tornado, ArkansasApril 27, 2014$223 million
  3. EF3 Wynne–Parkin tornado, Arkansas and TennesseeMarch 31, 2023$151 million
  4. EF3, Polk County, ArkansasApril 9, 2009$130 million
  5. EF2, Pulaski County, ArkansasApril 25, 2011$125 million
  6. EF4 Atkins–Clinton tornado, ArkansasFebruary 5, 2008$119 million
  7. EF3 Little Rock tornado, ArkansasMarch 31, 2023$90 million
  8. F3, Randolph, Greene, Dunklin and Pemiscot counties, Arkansas and MissouriApril 2, 2006$86 million
  9. EF2, Benton County, ArkansasMay 26, 2024$80 million
  10. EF3, Arkansas County, ArkansasMay 10, 2008$75 million
  11. EF2, Pulaski and Faulkner counties, ArkansasApril 25, 2011$53 million
  12. EF1, Pulaski County, ArkansasApril 3, 2008$50 million

The biggest days in Arkansas

  1. January 21, 199951tornadoes
  2. November 27, 200538tornadoes
  3. March 1, 199733tornadoes
  4. December 18, 200229tornadoes
  5. May 16, 200327tornadoes
  6. April 25, 201118tornadoes
  7. September 24, 200518tornadoes
  8. December 24, 198217tornadoes
  9. May 26, 202416tornadoes
  10. November 4, 202216tornadoes
  11. October 29, 200916tornadoes
  12. March 12, 196116tornadoes

Every year

Every year of the published record, and above it the 20 tornado tracks surveyed in Arkansas so far in 2026. This year's figures are preliminary and are not in the totals above, which are SPC's published database.

YearTornadoesDeathsInjuriesF4 and above
2026 preliminary201
2025576272
202448518
202329489
20224012
2021328171
20204230
20192915
201834112
20173713
2016232
20152028
201420172001
201332218
2012193
20117212971
201031228
200943339
200880212251
20071640
2006232188
200569333
20044811
20036111
200233117
200139224
20003712
199910381761
1998352121
199745264295
1996289691
19952423
1994169
19931711
199241
19911314
19902028
1989186
1988126101
198726121
19863
19859316
1984237442
1983166
198276182222
19811010
1980221113
197941142
197844234
19772017
1976279124
1975218861
1974114114
19735053961
1972143
19711529
19701841
196921
196818657234
19671728
196652
19652462261
19642817
19632
196264
1961367109
196028158
19599346
19587
1957273301
195613119
195522233
195426136
195399
1952261127315
195127
195012249

Every county in Arkansas

A tornado is counted once for every county its path crossed, so these add up to more than 2,090. Each county has a page of its own: every tornado that crossed it, year by year.

CountyTornadoesDeaths
Pulaski County10144
Lonoke County8522
White County8075
Jackson County6048
Faulkner County6034
Benton County60
Mississippi County5754
Craighead County5746
Saline County5523
Arkansas County48
Poinsett County4812
Independence County4316
Hot Spring County41
Conway County4112
Union County403
Garland County402
Johnson County393
Ashley County393
Chicot County394
Woodruff County3836
Jefferson County381
Sebastian County3814
Prairie County3713
Washington County37
Greene County374
Clark County366
Polk County354
Yell County3413
Columbia County343
Van Buren County3411
Crawford County33
Franklin County336
Howard County3212
Hempstead County328
Cleburne County3011
Cross County299
Logan County295
Dallas County291
Pope County2817
Grant County272
Desha County27
Madison County272
Izard County267
Miller County26
Phillips County26
St. Francis County257
Clay County252
Lawrence County244
Randolph County245
Sharp County243
Stone County237
Nevada County231
Pike County23
Marion County2312
Baxter County2311
Ouachita County222
Fulton County225
Lincoln County225
Bradley County217
Drew County211
Monroe County21
Little River County201
Perry County19
Carroll County19
Crittenden County1910
Sevier County183
Calhoun County18
Searcy County17
Boone County175
Montgomery County16
Newton County161
Lafayette County16
Lee County13
Cleveland County11
Scott County7
Dunklin County611
Coahoma County4
Howell County34
Ozark County33
Pemiscot County310
Stone County3
New Madrid County21
Oregon County2
Ripley County2
McCurtain County2
Lauderdale County2
Bolivar County1
DeSoto County1
Tunica County1
Washington County1
Barry County1
Butler County1
Carter County1
Lake County18
Obion County18
Shelby County16
Tipton County14

Nearby

Warnings in force in ArkansasForecast for your townThe live radar over Arkansas

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.