Tornadoes in Independence County, Arkansas

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.

Tornadoes

43

Deaths

16

Injuries

81

F4 and above

3

Worst on record

F4, May 15, 1968

1. F4, Independence County, ArkansasMay 15, 19687 killed, 24 injured
2. EF3, Independence, Sharp, Lawrence and Randolph counties, ArkansasMarch 14, 20253 killed
3. F4, Van Buren, Cleburne and Independence counties, ArkansasMarch 15, 19842 killed, 13 injured
4. F2, Independence and White counties, ArkansasMay 6, 19612 killed, 6 injured
5. F3, Cleburne and Independence counties, ArkansasNovember 15, 19551 killed, 4 injured
6. F2, White and Independence counties, ArkansasJanuary 21, 19991 killed, 3 injured

1. F4, Van Buren, Cleburne and Independence counties, ArkansasMarch 15, 1984F4, 41.0 mi (66 km)
2. EF4 Diaz tornado, ArkansasMarch 14, 2025EF4, 18.5 mi (30 km)
3. F4, Independence County, ArkansasMay 15, 1968F4, 0.3 mi (0 km)
4. EF3, Independence, Sharp, Lawrence and Randolph counties, ArkansasMarch 14, 2025EF3, 81.0 mi (130 km)
5. F3, Cleburne and Independence counties, ArkansasNovember 15, 1955F3, 36.5 mi (59 km)
6. F3, Independence, Jackson and Lawrence counties, ArkansasJanuary 21, 1999F3, 31.0 mi (50 km)
7. F3, White and Independence counties, ArkansasJanuary 21, 1999F3, 19.0 mi (31 km)
8. F3, Independence County, ArkansasApril 19, 1973F3, 1.0 mi (2 km)
9. F2, Independence County, ArkansasJanuary 21, 1999F2, 20.0 mi (32 km)
10. F2, Cleburne and Independence counties, ArkansasMarch 22, 1991F2, 15.0 mi (24 km)

Warnings in force in Independence CountyThe forecast for Independence CountyThe live radar over Independence CountyEvery county in Arkansas

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.