EF3 Wynne–Parkin tornado, Arkansas and Tennessee, March 31, 2023

1. EF065 to 85 mph

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

2. EF186 to 110 mph

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

3. 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.

4. EF3136 to 165 mphthis tornado

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

5. EF4166 to 200 mph

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

6. 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.

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.

Rating

EF3

Date

March 31, 2023

Touchdown

4:30 PM CDT (21:30 UTC)

Lifted

5:54 PM CDT (22:54 UTC)

On the ground

84 minutes

Path length

72.5 miles (116.7 km)

Path width

1,600 yards (1463 m)

Deaths

4

Injuries

26

Property damage

$151 million

Counties

Cross, Crittenden, Mississippi and Tipton counties

Touchdown point

35.182, -90.961

Lift-off point

35.539, -89.755

Record number

2303311530-01

268 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS MEG, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF3. The highest wind the damage implies is 150 mph.

• Two empty rail cars moved.
• Steel garbage bin tossed 1200 feet to the NE
• Roof removed and some walls collapsed. Nearby trees uprooted. Trailer and vehicle moved.
• Power poles snapped with trees uprooted

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

A regional tornado outbreak occurred during the late afternoon of Friday, March 31, 2023, and continued into the early morning hours of Saturday, April 1, 2023. This outbreak covered portions of the Ohio Valley, and the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valleys, including a good portion of the Mid-South and stretching into the Tennessee Valley. On Friday, March 31, a surface low was located near La Crosse, WI, with a cold front stretching south into central/southwest Missouri, western Arkansas, and eastern Texas. Surface temperatures were mainly in the 70s to approaching 80 degrees with surface dewpoints in the lower to middle 60s, yielding Surface-Based CAPE (SBCAPE) values between 1500-2000 J/kg by Friday evening. Favorable upper-level divergence produced by the right entrance region of a 140-kt jet streak at 300 mb provided ample lift to produce strong to severe thunderstorms across the region. Directional and speed shear were impressive with 70-80 knots of Effective Bulk Shear present and 0-1 km Storm Relative Helicity values between 500-600 m2/s2, all more than enough for organized thunderstorms across the area. Discrete supercells started to develop across the Lower Mississippi Valley during the afternoon hours on March 31, 2023, eventually tracking into the Mid-South by late afternoon. The first supercell that developed in the Mid-South produced an EF-3 that caused major damage in Wynne, Arkansas. Tornadic supercells continued to produce significant tornado damage across the Mid-South into the early morning hours of April 1, 2023. The hardest hit areas besides Wynne, Arkansas included Covington, Tennessee, and McNairy County, Tennessee. Overall, 14 tornadoes occurred across the Mid-South along with several reports of wind damage and measured damaging wind speeds. Eighteen people in the Mid-South lost their lives in this outbreak.

A regional tornado outbreak occurred during the late afternoon of Friday, March 31, 2023, and continued into the early morning hours of Saturday, April 1, 2023. This outbreak covered portions of the Ohio Valley, and the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valleys, including a good portion of the Mid-South and stretching into the Tennessee Valley. On Friday, March 31, a surface low was located near La Crosse, WI, with a cold front stretching south into central/southwest Missouri, western Arkansas, and into eastern Texas. Surface temperatures were mainly in the 70s to approaching 80 degrees with surface dewpoints in the lower to middle 60s, yielding Surface-Based CAPE (SBCAPE) values between 1500-2000 J/kg by Friday evening. Favorable upper-level divergence produced by the right entrance region of a 140-kt jet streak at 300 mb provided ample lift to produce strong to severe thunderstorms across the region. Directional and speed shear were impressive with 70-80 knots of Effective Bulk Shear present and 0-1 km Storm Relative Helicity values between 500-600 m2/s2, all more than enough for organized thunderstorms across the area. Discrete supercells started to develop across the Lower Mississippi Valley during the afternoon hours on March 31, 2023, eventually tracking into the Mid-South by late afternoon. The first supercell that developed in the Mid-South produced an EF-3 that caused major damage in Wynne, Arkansas. Tornadic supercells continued to produce significant tornado damage across the Mid-South into the early morning hours of April 1, 2023. The hardest hit areas besides Wynne, Arkansas included Covington, Tennessee, and McNairy County, Tennessee. Overall, 14 tornadoes occurred across the Mid-South along with several reports of wind damage and measured damaging wind speeds. Eighteen people in the Mid-South lost their lives in this outbreak.

NWS meteorologists determined an EF-3 tornado touched down in western Cross County at 431 PM CDT on March 31 on County Road 537, just south of Highway 284. The tornado tracked to the east-northeast towards Wynne, AR where it crossed Highway 284 multiple times. EF-2 damage was observed north of Ellis Chapel and McElroy. Just east northeast of McElroy, significant EF-2 damage to the sewage treatment plant was noted where an 80-yard-long shed with a sturdy roofing structure of metal failed and became lofted. The roofing wadded up and destroyed two cinder block buildings before landing 100 yards away. The tornado strengthened to an EF-3 as it moved into the western section of Wynne, AR. The tornado then ravaged the center of Wynne, including the Wynne High School. Several one and two-family residences in Wynne were partially to completely destroyed. The tornado weakened as it moved away from Wynne and traveled to the north of Parkin, AR where EF-2 damage was observed. The tornado then crossed into Crittenden County. Peak winds in Cross County were estimated at 150 mph.

The tornado that caused EF-3 damage in Wynne, Arkansas moved into Crittenden County just north of Earle causing EF-2 damage along Watson Road. Between Earle, AR, and the Mississippi River, very few damage indicators aided in the observed strength as it traversed mostly farmland. There were between 20 to 30 center pivot irrigation systems that were overturned along this area. The tornado then tracked into the oxbows of the Mississippi River while crossing into Tipton County. Peak winds were estimated at 125 mph in Crittenden County.

The tornado that tracked through Wynne, Arkansas eventually moved from through the oxbows of the Mississippi River crossing between Tennessee and Arkansas a couple of times. Significant tree damage along the Mississippi River occurred.

The tornado that tracked through Wynne, Arkansas eventually moved from through the oxbows of the Mississippi River crossing between Tennessee and Arkansas a couple of times. Significant tree damage along the Mississippi River occurred.

The tornado that tracked through Wynne, Arkansas eventually moved from through the oxbows of the Mississippi River crossing between Tennessee and Arkansas a couple of times. Significant tree damage along the Mississippi River occurred. As the tornado passed over Corna Lake in Tipton County (the west side of the Mississippi River) and extreme southern Mississippi County, EF- 3 damage was observed. Peak winds were estimated at 145 mph in this part of Tipton County.

The tornado that tracked through Wynne, Arkansas eventually moved from through the oxbows of the Mississippi River crossing between Tennessee and Arkansas a couple of times. Significant tree damage along the Mississippi River occurred. As the tornado passed over Corna Lake in Tipton County (the west side of the Mississippi River) and extreme southern Mississippi County, EF- 3 damage was observed. The tornado then crossed the Mississippi River into Tipton County, Tennessee. Peak winds were estimated at 145 mph in Mississippi County.

The tornado that heavily damaged Wynne, Arkansas crossed the Mississippi River into Tipton County, Tennessee where it produced EF-2 damage across Wilder Farms. As the tornado climbed the Bluff, the tornado circulation began to weaken. From the top of the Bluff at the intersection of Pryor and Leach Roads to south of Burlison where the tornado appears to have lifted, EF-1 and EF-0 damage was observed. Peak winds from this tornado in Tipton County were estimated at 130 mph. It is important to note that as the long-tracked Wynne, Arkansas tornado was dissipating, the Covington, Tennessee tornado was on the ground approximately 3.5 miles away to the south.

The tornado developed along Highway 178 just northwest of Munford. A few fences were damaged in this area and small tree limbs were snapped. The tornado traveled east-northeast and damaged farm outbuildings along Beaver Road and then uprooted and snapped trees along Walker Field Road and Walker Field Lane. The tornado then crossed Cattle Branch Creek causing minor tree damage. The first structural damage occurred along Laxton Lane and Fite Road where houses had some minor roof damage. The tornado began to intensify as it crossed Akins Road and approached Marshall Drive. A few power poles were broken in this area. The first EF-3 damage occurred along Myron Creek Drive where significant structural damage occurred to a couple of well-built homes. The tornado crossed Indian Creek Canal and continued to cause major damage to homes and trees along Indian Creek Road and Wright Lane. The lone fatality of the tornado occurred in this area. The tornado continued east-northeast toward Highway 51, where it damaged trees and structures along Jack Bennett and Liberty Church Smith Road. The tornado widened to over one-half mile wide as it approached and crossed Highway 51. Several homes were completely destroyed in this area and dozens of homes had significant damage. Several businesses along Highway 51 suffered heavy damage. EF-3 damage was widespread in this area. Fifty-three power poles had to be replaced along Highway 51 south of Covington. The tornado then moved across the southern section of Covington. This area is mostly industrial and several businesses suffered significant damage along Highways 59 and 384. A metal truss tower was crumpled to the ground. The tornado damaged the middle and elementary schools along Mark Walker Jr. Drive where the elementary school suffered major damage to the gymnasium and several walls. The tornado then crossed South Main Street and Highway 179 damaging several more houses. Substantial damage was caused to several houses along Highway 54. One house was completely destroyed and a couple of large metal power poles were bent to the ground. The tornado widened to almost a mile as it tracked east-northeast just north of Highway 54. This area is rural and the last major structural damage in Tipton County was on Lindsey Road where a home suffered major roof damage. The strong tornado continued tracking east-northeast taking out several large metal power poles and snapping trees between farm fields. Several irrigation pivots were overturned and twisted. In total, over 500 structures were damaged in Tipton County, 82 of which were total losses. The tornado began to weaken across northeast Tipton County as it tracked toward the Hatchie River. The tornado continued into Haywood County. Peak winds in Tipton County were estimated at 150 mph.

The deaths

5 direct deaths are recorded for this tornado, each with what Storm Data knows of it.

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

16 minutes of warning. NWS MEG issued a tornado warning for this county at 21:14 UTC, 16 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 21:45 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 17:29 UTC and running to 02:49 UTC.

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a High Risk, with a 0.30 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 19:54 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.

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.

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 44 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 21:31 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.

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

The live radar over the trackEvery 2023 tornado in ArkansasEvery tornado in Arkansas since 1950Warnings in force in Arkansas nowThe forecast where you are

126 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

All 127 of them

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.

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