Tornadoes · United States · Arkansas · 2017

EF1 tornado, Rhondo to Austin, Arkansas, March 1, 2017

Name: EF1 tornado, Rhondo to Austin, Arkansas, March 1, 2017
Start: 2017-03-01T08:16:00.000Z
End: 2017-03-01T08:17:00.000Z
Location: Rhondo to Austin, Arkansas

From Rhondo to Austin, this EF1 tornado ran 1.0 miles across Conway County on March 1, 2017, touching down at 2:16 AM CST and reaching 250 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $30,000 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: March 1, 2017
Touchdown: 2:16 AM CST (08:16 UTC)
Lifted: 2:17 AM CST (08:17 UTC)
On the ground: 1 minutes
Path length: 1.0 miles (1.6 km)
Path width: 250 yards (229 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $30,000
County: Conway County
Touchdown point: 35.437, -92.624
Lift-off point: 35.446, -92.610
Record number: 1703010216-01

The damage survey

18 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 100 mph.

Trunk snapped... but other trees standing in the area.
damage on either side of a barn appears to converge to a line indicating tornado damage vs. straight line wind
debris launched into ground
Debris was tumbled and relofted leaving deep impact strikes but with debris sent well downwind.

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

A strong storm system brought a line of thunderstorms with several tornadoes on March 1, 2017.

The survey team found uplift of door into an outbuilding, that caused significant damage to the roof. Another outbuilding sustained significant damage and was pushed off its foundation. Additionally, several trees were uprooted.

Survey team found partial damage to a roof and a few barns destroyed.

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 General Thunderstorms Risk. The outlook in force was issued at 05:42 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 Mar 1, 12:05 AM CST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 1, 12:05 AM CST, 2 hours 11 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
1205 AM CST Wed Mar 1 2017

.UPDATE...

Updated to add TOR Watch 50 to the forecast...as well as to adjust
forecast for near term trends in temps/dewpts/winds...and
POPs/WX. Have also updated to include the 06Z aviation discussion
below...

&&

.AVIATION...

VFR flight conditions will start the forecast for most terminals,
with MVFR conditions with strong to severe storms overnight.
Storms will start in northwest AR after midnight, then move
southeast overnight as a cold front east to central and
southeastern AR. Isolated strong to severe storms will be
possible, with strong winds the main threat. The cold front will
move out to the state by midday Wednesday. Used VCSH and VCTS in
all Tafs. Winds will be south to southwest at 10 to 20 mph with
some gusts to 25 mph. Behind the front, winds will shift to the
northwest and remain elevated.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...(ISSUED 845 PM CST Tue Feb 28 2017)

Discussion...

Evening convection over central and northern AR continues to move
northeast while slowly weakening as it move out of the CWA. This was
the first round, while the cold front and upper system will move
through AR later after midnight. Current timing is around midnight
to 3am into northwest AR, 3am to 6am central and LIT, then 6am to
9am over eastern AR. As mentioned, these storms will mainly be
along a line ahead of the cold front, with strong damaging winds the
main threat, while large hail and an isolated tornado a lower
threat. Winds will remain elevated overnight, and switch to the
northwest behind the front. Lows tonight will be mild over central
and southern areas with the cold front, while over northern AR
around normal values. Latest update removed some tornado watch areas
to the southwest, while keeping it in the north to northeast. Late
evening update will fine tune pops and severe storm threat. (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.

&&

.LZK Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
Lake Wind Advisory until noon CST today 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.

&&

Aviation...62

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 1, 1:00 AM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...Update
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
100 AM CST Wed Mar 1 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-
100 AM CST Wed Mar 1 2017

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

.DAY ONE...Tonight

A cold front will continue to push into the state during the
overnight hours. A line of strong to severe thunderstorms will
develop in advance of this front during the overnight hours.

These storms will be accompanied by gusty and damaging winds in
excess of 60 mph and large hail. A tornado is also possible with any
of the stronger storms.

.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

Special weather statement, Feb 28, 8:40 PM CST, 5 hours 36 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
840 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017

ARZ014-015-010315-
Stone AR-Izard AR-
840 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL STONE...NORTHWESTERN
INDEPENDENCE...IZARD...SOUTHEASTERN FULTON AND SOUTHWESTERN SHARP
COUNTIES UNTIL 915 PM CST...

At 840 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Mountain View, moving northeast at 55 mph.

Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
this storm.

Locations impacted include...
Mountain View...                  Melbourne...
Horseshoe Bend...                 Mount Pleasant...
Franklin...                       Brandenberg...
Croker...                         Lone Star...
Gid...                            Herpel...
Stella...                         Lunenburg...
Myron...                          Lacrosse...
Blanchard Springs Campground...   Guion...
Allison...                        Hanover...
Mt Olive in Izard County...       Zion...

A tornado watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CST for north central
Arkansas.

LAT...LON 3621 9169 3621 9167 3601 9168 3600 9171
      3594 9171 3594 9176 3589 9183 3576 9226
      3592 9233 3626 9175 3625 9169
TIME...MOT...LOC 0240Z 237DEG 47KT 3589 9219

Cavanaugh

Special weather statement, Feb 28, 9:40 PM CST, 4 hours 36 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
940 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017

ARZ007-010400-
Sharp AR-
940 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EAST CENTRAL SHARP COUNTY UNTIL
1000 PM CST...

At 940 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Ravenden, or 11 miles east of Cherokee Village, moving northeast at
60 mph.

Dime size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this
storm.

Locations impacted include...
Highland in Sharp County...       Williford...
Armstrong...                      Ozark Acres...
Sitka...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

&&

A tornado watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CST for north central
Arkansas.

LAT...LON 3637 9128 3633 9128 3633 9126 3625 9126
      3624 9133 3623 9133 3623 9135 3613 9135
      3611 9139 3627 9151 3640 9130
TIME...MOT...LOC 0340Z 238DEG 53KT 3624 9137

226

Special weather statement, Mar 1, 1:47 AM CST, 29 minutes before

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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.

Springfield, MO (KSGF), 00:00Z

8.3 hours before the tornado, 194 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: 1117 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -52 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 813 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 931 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 65 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 341 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 315 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 2.3
Supercell composite: 8.2
0-3 km lapse rate: 6.7 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Clinton (CCA), 23 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), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 08:15 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 March 1, 2017

38 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
March 1	12:30 AM CST	EF0	Dallas, MO	1.0	100		$25,000
March 1	12:35 AM CST	EF1	Butler, KY	0.8	90		$50,000
March 1	1:29 AM CST	EF1	Johnson, AR	0.1	200		$20,000
March 1	2:31 AM EST	EF0	Highland, OH	6.9	250		$30,000
March 1	2:40 AM EST	EF0	Highland, OH	4.5	100		$10,000
March 1	2:18 AM CST	EF0	Conway, AR	1.1	50		$40,000
March 1	2:33 AM CST	EF1	Cleburne, AR	3.9	250		$20,000
March 1	3:38 AM EST	EF1	Clermont, OH	6.4	150		$400,000
March 1	3:13 AM CST	EF1	Jackson, AR	4.2	200		$30,000
March 1	3:20 AM CST	EF1	Jackson, AR	1.6	125		$100,000
March 1	5:00 AM EST	EF2	Daviess, IN	0.1	30		$40,000
March 1	5:05 AM EST	EF2	Daviess, IN	1.5	30		$65,000
March 1	4:08 AM CST	EF0	Jackson, IL	4.1	25		$2,000
March 1	5:10 AM EST	EF1	Daviess, IN	0.0	30		$35,000
March 1	5:30 AM EST	EF1	Lawrence, IN	0.2	40		$22,000
March 1	5:37 AM EST	EF2	Lawrence, IN	0.7	25	1	$175,000
March 1	4:40 AM CST	EF1	Mississippi, MO	15.2	200		$400,000
March 1	5:41 AM EST	EF1	Washington, IN	5.8	100		$150,000
March 1	5:45 AM EST	EF2	Jackson, IN	0.3	50		$45,000
March 1	4:51 AM CST	EF0	Dyer, TN	3.7	50		$50,000
March 1	6:04 AM EST	EF1	Clark, IN	0.3	20		$200,000
March 1	6:05 AM EST	EF1	Scott, IN	2.1	125	10	$250,000
March 1	5:25 AM CST	EF2	Graves, KY	1.6	200		$170,000
March 1	6:36 AM EST	EF1	Henry, KY	1.1	200		$100,000
March 1	7:03 AM EST	EF0	Hamilton, OH	1.1	350		$250,000
March 1	7:39 AM EST	EF1	Highland, OH	2.2	150		$50,000
March 1	6:57 AM CST	EF1	Logan, KY	1.6	75		$100,000
March 1	7:00 AM CST	EF1	Williamson, TN	10.5	250		$7.3 million
March 1	8:16 AM EST	EF1	Pike, OH	0.6	125		$30,000
March 1	7:17 AM CST	EF0	Davidson, TN	3.1	100		$55,000
March 1	7:24 AM CST	EF1	Warren, KY	2.6	125		$250,000
March 1	7:37 AM CST	EF0	Wilson, TN	3.3	100		$15,000
March 1	7:40 AM CST	EF1	Wilson, TN	7.2	200		$110,000
March 1	7:51 AM CST	EF1	Smith, TN	3.9	200		$40,000
March 1	8:04 AM CST	EF1	Putnam, TN	7.6	150		$25,000
March 1	9:07 AM EST	EF1	Meigs, OH	0.1	300		$80,000
March 1	8:35 AM CST	EF1	Putnam, TN	0.1	90		$10,000
March 1	4:27 PM EST	EF1	Murray, GA	2.9	150		$100,000

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.