Tornadoes · United States · Arkansas · 2017

EF1 tornado, Morning Star to Kensett, Arkansas, February 28, 2017

Name: EF1 tornado, Morning Star to Kensett, Arkansas, February 28, 2017
Start: 2017-03-01T01:03:00.000Z
End: 2017-03-01T01:05:00.000Z
Location: Morning Star to Kensett, Arkansas

From Morning Star to Kensett, this EF1 tornado ran 1.4 miles across White County on February 28, 2017, touching down at 7:03 PM CST and reaching 120 yards wide. It killed nobody and injured 4, and did $50,000 of property damage.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mph
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.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
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.
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 record

Rating: EF1
Date: February 28, 2017
Touchdown: 7:03 PM CST (01:03 UTC)
Lifted: 7:05 PM CST (01:05 UTC)
On the ground: 2 minutes
Path length: 1.4 miles (2.2 km)
Path width: 120 yards (110 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 4
Property damage: $50,000
County: White County
Touchdown point: 35.190, -91.730
Lift-off point: 35.202, -91.710
Record number: 1702281903-01

The damage survey

19 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS LZK, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 110 mph.

Large trunk snapped, fell into car, crushing and rolling it.
Tree trunk snapped onto house roof.
Sign post snapped at base.
Tree fell onto mobile home.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

What the Weather Service recorded

Two tornadoes were noted in White County on February 28, 2017.

This tornado was rated EF1 with winds estimated at 110 MPH. The tornado tracked 1.5 miles and had a width of 120 yards. There were four injuries.

This tornado was rated EF2 with winds estimated at 115 MPH. There was damage to several homes as well as small shops and outbuildings. Some homes had exterior walls collapsed.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Enhanced Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 00:57 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Little Rock, AR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Feb 28, 5:50 PM CST, 1 hour 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 28, 5:50 PM CST, 1 hour 13 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion...Update
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
550 PM CST Tue Feb 28 2017

.Aviation...

VFR flight conditions will start the forecast, with MVFR conditions
with strong to severe storms. Storms will affect most of central AR
this evening, and move northeast. Tuesday evening convection will be
more isolated and strong to severe, while tonight a cold front will
gradually push across the state and additional convection will be
seen along the cold front with also isolated strong to severe
storms. Used VCSH and VCTS in all Tafs. Winds will be south at 10 to
20 mph with some gusts to 30 mph. Behind the front, winds will shift
to the northwest. (59)

&&

.Prev Discussion.../ Issued 259 PM CST Tue Feb 28 2017/

.SHORT TERM...Tonight Through Thursday

Focus this afternoon is on the chances of showers and thunderstorms
for tonight. The latest sounding...18Z...indicates a strong cap at
about 3000 feet. The atmosphere will need a little more heating to
break this cap and allow thunderstorms develop. A strong jet streak
should come across the state around 03Z tonight and provide
additional lift. The enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms continues
for mainly the northern half of the area with a slight risk
elsewhere. The cold front in the plains will not move through the
state until after midnight. This will bring another chance of strong
thunderstorms. Large hail, storng winds and tornadoes are all
possible through the night. Expect the thunderstorms and cold front
to exit the eastern part of the state during Wednesday morning.
Gusty south winds will be ahead of the front and will turn to the
northwest behind the front and remain gusty. Will issue a Lake Wind
Advisory due to the strong winds.

All rain should be out of eastern Arkansas by noon Wednesday. Expect
winds to diminish through the afternoon as the gradient relaxes.
High temperatures Wednesday will be in the mid 50s to mid 70s...and
upper 50s to mid 60s for Thursday. &&

.LONG TERM...Thursday Night Through Tuesday

The period will begin with dry weather, and close to seasonal
temperatures. It may be cool enough for a freeze in parts of
northern Arkansas Friday morning. After that, a warming trend is
expected. This will happen as a large area of high pressure exits
toward the southeast United States, and winds around the high become
more southerly. As temperatures go up, a storm system will approach
from the Plains late in the weekend and early next week. That will
result in isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms Sunday and
Monday.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Batesville AR     58  62  34  61 /  70  60   0   0
Camden AR         62  70  37  64 /  60  40   0   0
Harrison AR       48  57  32  59 /  60  30   0   0
Hot Springs AR    58  66  35  63 /  60  30   0   0
Little Rock   AR  61  67  36  63 /  60  50   0   0
Monticello AR     65  74  38  64 /  70  60   0   0
Mount Ida AR      56  63  33  63 /  60  30   0   0
Mountain Home AR  52  59  32  60 /  70  40   0   0
Newport AR        59  64  35  61 /  80  60   0   0
Pine Bluff AR     63  70  37  63 /  70  50   0   0
Russellville AR   56  62  33  62 /  60  30   0   0
Searcy AR         60  66  35  62 /  70  50   0   0
Stuttgart AR      62  68  37  62 /  70  50   0   0
&&

.LZK Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
Lake Wind Advisory from 6 PM this evening to noon CST Wednesday
FOR Arkansas-Baxter-Boone-Bradley-Calhoun-Clark-Cleburne-
Cleveland-Conway-Dallas-Desha-Drew-Faulkner-Fulton-Garland-Grant-
Hot Spring-Independence-Izard-Jackson-Jefferson-Johnson-Lincoln-
Logan-Lonoke-Marion-Monroe-Montgomery-Newton-Ouachita-Perry-Pike-
Polk-Pope-Prairie-Pulaski-Saline-Scott-Searcy-Sharp-Stone-Van
Buren-White-Woodruff-Yell.

&&

Short Term...51 / Long Term...46

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 28, 4:50 PM CST, 2 hours 13 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...Update
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
450 PM CST Tue Feb 28 2017

ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-011115-
Boone-Marion-Baxter-Fulton-Sharp-Newton-Searcy-Stone-Izard-
Independence-Johnson-Pope-Van Buren-Cleburne-Jackson-Logan-Conway-
Faulkner-White-Woodruff-Scott-Yell-Perry-Polk-Montgomery-Garland-
Saline-Pulaski-Lonoke-Prairie-Monroe-Pike-Clark-Hot Spring-Grant-
Jefferson-Arkansas-Dallas-Cleveland-Lincoln-Desha-Ouachita-
Calhoun-Bradley-Drew-
450 PM CST Tue Feb 28 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a Large Part of Arkansas.

.DAY ONE...This Evening and Tonight

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will develop this evening and
become more numerous tonight. Isolated to scattered strong to severe
storms will be seen, with large hail, damaging winds and a few
isolated tornadoes possible. Isolated storms this evening will
transition to a line of storms later tonight as a cold front moves
into the state from the northwest. Damaging winds will be possible
along this line of storms, with hail and tornadoes a lesser threat
at that time. Isolated areas of heavy rain will also be possible
with localized flooding.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday Through Monday

The storm system and cold front will be pushing east of Arkansas on
Wednesday, and push the storms east of Arkansas. An isolated strong
to severe storm will be possible until the cold front pushes east of
Arkansas. Then high pressure will build into the area and bring
cooler and dry weather into the weekend.

.Spotter Information Statement...

Spotter Activation will be needed this evening and tonight.

&&

Visit NWS Little Rock on the web. Go to http://weather.gov/lzk.

59

In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 28, 5:39 PM CST, 1 hour 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
539 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0500 PM     TSTM WND DMG     HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE     34.67N  93.00W
02/28/2017                   GARLAND            AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN ON A HOUSE.

&&

EVENT NUMBER LZK1700053

JBH

Local storm report, Feb 28, 5:41 PM CST, 1 hour 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
541 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0540 PM     HAIL             WILLIAMS JUNCTION       34.88N  92.77W
02/28/2017  E1.00 INCH       PERRY              AR   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

EVENT NUMBER LZK1700054

JBH

Local storm report, Feb 28, 5:48 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
548 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0546 PM     HAIL             LITTLE ITALY            34.94N  92.59W
02/28/2017  E1.00 INCH       PERRY              AR   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

EVENT NUMBER LZK1700055

JBH

Local storm report, Feb 28, 5:49 PM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
549 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0549 PM     HAIL             MONNIE SPRINGS          34.92N  92.49W
02/28/2017  E1.50 INCH       PULASKI            AR   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

EVENT NUMBER LZK1700056

JBH

Local storm report, Feb 28, 5:59 PM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
559 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0555 PM     HAIL             MONNIE SPRINGS          34.92N  92.49W
02/28/2017  E4.50 INCH       PULASKI            AR   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

EVENT NUMBER LZK1700057

JBH

Local storm report, Feb 28, 6:23 PM CST, 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
623 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0615 PM     HAIL             VILONIA                 35.08N  92.21W
02/28/2017  E1.00 INCH       FAULKNER           AR   PUBLIC

&&

EVENT NUMBER LZK1700058

JBH

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Little Rock, AR (KBYH), 12:00Z

10.9 hours after it, 166 km from the path. March 1, 2017.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 937 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -13 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 1679 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 756 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 75 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 108 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: -0.1
Supercell composite: -0.4
0-3 km lapse rate: 6.2 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Searcy Municipal Airport (M07) (SRC), 2 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)	Temp (°F)	Dew point (°F)	Wind	Gust (kt)	Pressure (mb)	Weather
00:00 UTC

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 01:04 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

This ground now

The live radar over the track Every 2017 tornado in Arkansas Every tornado in Arkansas since 1950 Warnings in force in Arkansas now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of February 28, 2017

29 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
February 28	3:53 PM CST	EF0	Clinton, IA	0.0	25
February 28	4:12 PM CST	EF1	Stark, IL	5.5	100			$100,000
February 28	4:27 PM CST	EF0	LaSalle, IL	1.8	50
February 28	4:41 PM CST	EF3	LaSalle, IL	11.5	800	2	14
February 28	4:44 PM CST	EF1	Whiteside, IL	2.6	75
February 28	4:58 PM CST	EF1	LaSalle, IL	2.8	200
February 28	5:04 PM CST	EF0	Grundy, IL	1.2	200
February 28	5:07 PM CST	EF1	Ogle, IL	1.5	50
February 28	5:10 PM CST	EF0	Peoria, IL	0.1	25
February 28	5:15 PM CST	EF0	Peoria, IL	0.9	100			$75,000
February 28	5:26 PM CST	EF3	Marshall, IL	17.8	600			$2.0 million
February 28	5:52 PM CST	EF2	Livingston, IL	5.6	75
February 28	6:40 PM CST	EF1	Reynolds, MO	4.4	80
February 28	7:07 PM CST	EF2	White, AR	1.1	250		1	$70,000
February 28	7:16 PM CST	EF0	Madison, MO	4.4	50
February 28	7:51 PM CST	EF4	Perryville tornado, Missouri and Illinois	53.5	1,100	1	12	$15 million
February 28	8:54 PM EST	EF1	Berrien, MI	0.6	100
February 28	8:58 PM EST	EF1	Cass, MI	5.0	100
February 28	9:12 PM EST	EF1	Cass, MI	2.7	150
February 28	9:38 PM EST	EF1	Saint Joseph, MI	2.0	50
February 28	9:33 PM CST	EF1	Brown, IL	0.7	50		1
February 28	9:43 PM CST	EF1	Bureau, IL	2.3	50
February 28	9:55 PM CST	EF3	White, IL to IN	44.1	440	1	2	$5.7 million
February 28	10:35 PM CST	EF0	Calloway, KY	8.8	30			$70,000
February 28	10:37 PM CST	EF0	Crawford, KS	0.1	75			$50,000
February 28	10:43 PM CST	EF0	Crawford, KS	0.1	75			$10,000
February 28	10:44 PM CST	EF1	Williamson, IL	7.4	25			$6,000
February 28	12:03 AM EST	EF2	Dubois, IN	5.8	150			$350,000
February 28	11:28 PM CST	EF1	Trigg, KY	8.6	400			$300,000

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.