Tornadoes · United States · Arkansas
Tornadoes in White County, Arkansas
81 tornadoes have crossed White County since 1950, 1 of them surveyed so far this year and still preliminary, 3rd of the 75 counties in Arkansas with a tornado on record, an average of 1.1 a year. They have killed 75 people and injured 686. 2 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Now
- Tornadoes
- 81
- Deaths
- 75
- Injuries
- 686
- F4 and above
- 2
- Worst on record
- F4, March 21, 1952
The deadliest in White County
- F4, White County, ArkansasMarch 21, 1952
- EF4 Mayflower–Vilonia tornado, ArkansasApril 27, 2014
- F3, White County, ArkansasJanuary 21, 1999
- F2, Independence and White counties, ArkansasMay 6, 1961
- F2, White County, ArkansasJanuary 21, 1999
- F2, White County, ArkansasNovember 24, 1973
- F2, White and Independence counties, ArkansasJanuary 21, 1999
- F3, Faulkner and White counties, ArkansasMarch 14, 1959
The strongest
- EF4 Mayflower–Vilonia tornado, ArkansasApril 27, 2014
- F4, White County, ArkansasMarch 21, 1952
- F3, Woodruff, White and Cross counties, ArkansasMay 4, 2003
- F3, Faulkner, Lonoke and White counties, ArkansasMay 4, 2003
- F3, Faulkner, White and Cleburne counties, ArkansasDecember 2, 1982
- F3, Faulkner, White and Cleburne counties, ArkansasDecember 2, 1982
- F3, Faulkner and White counties, ArkansasJanuary 28, 1956
- F3, White and Independence counties, ArkansasJanuary 21, 1999
- F3, Faulkner and White counties, ArkansasMarch 14, 1959
- F3, White County, ArkansasMarch 1, 1997
Every year with a tornado
The 30 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in White County. Each year links to every tornado in Arkansas that year.
Every tornado that crossed White County
81 tornadoes, newest first. The 1 at the top is this year's, from the surveying office rather than SPC's published database, and its rating is marked as preliminary.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 27, 2026 | 7:52 PM CDT | EF1 | Cleburne | 1.4 | 100 | |||
| April 20, 2025 | 6:55 PM CDT | EF1 | Faulkner | 14.2 | 500 | |||
| November 15, 2020 | 1:15 AM CST | EF1 | White | 2.0 | 150 | 4 | $40,000 | |
| April 13, 2018 | 10:13 PM CDT | EF0 | White | 0.1 | 80 | $2,000 | ||
| April 29, 2017 | 12:37 AM CDT | EF1 | White | 5.9 | 100 | $80,000 | ||
| February 28, 2017 | 7:07 PM CST | EF2 | White | 1.1 | 250 | 1 | $70,000 | |
| February 28, 2017 | 7:03 PM CST | EF1 | White | 1.4 | 120 | 4 | $50,000 | |
| April 27, 2014 | 8:43 PM CDT | EF1 | White | 5.3 | 100 | $110,000 | ||
| April 27, 2014 | 8:38 PM CDT | EF0 | White | 1.6 | 250 | $100,000 | ||
| April 27, 2014 | 8:16 PM CDT | EF2 | White | 7.3 | 880 | 1 | $1.4 million | |
| April 27, 2014 | 7:06 PM CDT | EF4 | Mayflower–Vilonia tornado | 41.1 | 1,320 | 16 | 193 | $223 million |
| April 26, 2011 | 6:32 PM CDT | EF1 | Faulkner | 12.9 | 200 | $40,000 | ||
| April 25, 2011 | 8:24 PM CDT | EF1 | White | 8.9 | 100 | $1.0 million | ||
| April 30, 2010 | 9:55 PM CDT | EF1 | White | 2.4 | 150 | $200,000 | ||
| April 30, 2010 | 8:35 PM CDT | EF2 | Pulaski | 34.7 | 1,000 | $5.2 million | ||
| March 10, 2010 | 8:53 PM CST | EF1 | White | 2.9 | 100 | $50,000 | ||
| March 10, 2010 | 8:19 PM CST | EF1 | White | 13.2 | 400 | 2 | $950,000 | |
| May 10, 2008 | 7:42 PM CDT | EF0 | White | 0.0 | 8 | |||
| May 10, 2008 | 7:14 PM CDT | EF1 | White | 9.2 | 350 | $25,000 | ||
| April 3, 2008 | 11:57 PM CDT | EF1 | White | 0.9 | 75 | $25,000 | ||
| April 3, 2008 | 10:42 PM CDT | EF1 | White | 13.2 | 300 | $35,000 | ||
| February 5, 2008 | 7:05 PM CST | EF1 | Faulkner | 5.5 | 100 | $140,000 | ||
| April 2, 2006 | 6:00 PM CDT | F2 | White | 6.3 | 100 | |||
| November 27, 2005 | 8:44 PM CST | F1 | White | 2.0 | 30 | |||
| September 24, 2005 | 7:33 PM CDT | F2 | White | 9.0 | 150 | |||
| May 16, 2003 | 5:29 PM CDT | F2 | White | 5.0 | 150 | |||
| May 16, 2003 | 5:20 PM CDT | F1 | White | 4.5 | 100 | |||
| May 16, 2003 | 5:06 PM CDT | F1 | White | 5.5 | 80 | |||
| May 16, 2003 | 4:43 PM CDT | F2 | White | 5.0 | 150 | |||
| May 16, 2003 | 4:35 PM CDT | F1 | White | 4.5 | 100 | |||
| May 16, 2003 | 4:25 PM CDT | F1 | Faulkner | 6.0 | 100 | |||
| May 16, 2003 | 2:47 PM CDT | F1 | Jackson | 5.0 | 100 | |||
| May 4, 2003 | 8:55 PM CDT | F3 | Woodruff | 43.0 | 300 | 4 | $1.0 million | |
| May 4, 2003 | 7:52 PM CDT | F3 | Faulkner | 34.9 | 500 | 5 | ||
| December 18, 2002 | 4:05 PM CST | F0 | White | 4.0 | 25 | |||
| December 18, 2002 | 3:50 PM CST | F1 | Faulkner | 9.1 | 100 | |||
| December 7, 2001 | 7:53 PM CST | F0 | White | 6.0 | 25 | |||
| November 24, 2001 | 1:25 AM CST | F2 | White | 5.5 | 880 | 3 | ||
| May 20, 2001 | 7:55 PM CDT | F0 | White | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| February 24, 2001 | 4:27 PM CST | F1 | White | 3.5 | 40 | |||
| February 24, 2001 | 4:14 PM CST | F1 | White | 7.0 | 100 | |||
| February 24, 2001 | 4:06 PM CST | F2 | Lonoke | 8.0 | 300 | |||
| February 6, 1999 | 11:05 PM CST | F1 | White | 1.0 | 100 | |||
| January 21, 1999 | 7:25 PM CST | F3 | White | 8.0 | 1,000 | 2 | 29 | |
| January 21, 1999 | 6:54 PM CST | F1 | White | 10.0 | 117 | |||
| January 21, 1999 | 6:38 PM CST | F1 | White | 1.0 | 0 | |||
| January 21, 1999 | 6:20 PM CST | F2 | White | 11.0 | 350 | 1 | 3 | |
| January 21, 1999 | 5:47 PM CST | F2 | White | 10.0 | 300 | |||
| January 21, 1999 | 5:38 PM CST | F1 | White | 1.0 | 100 | |||
| January 21, 1999 | 4:49 PM CST | F1 | Faulkner | 16.0 | 0 | |||
| January 21, 1999 | 4:46 PM CST | F2 | White | 16.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| January 21, 1999 | 4:38 PM CST | F3 | White | 19.0 | 700 | 2 | ||
| January 21, 1999 | 3:57 PM CST | F2 | Faulkner | 8.0 | 250 | 7 | ||
| March 1, 1997 | 3:23 PM CST | F2 | White | 4.0 | 150 | 14 | ||
| March 1, 1997 | 2:39 PM CST | F3 | White | 13.0 | 100 | 5 | ||
| March 6, 1992 | 3:36 PM CST | F1 | White | 45.0 | 200 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| June 4, 1989 | 5:37 PM CDT | F0 | White | 1.5 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| June 2, 1989 | 7:43 PM CDT | F0 | White | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| June 2, 1989 | 7:42 PM CDT | F0 | White | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| June 2, 1989 | 7:18 PM CDT | F0 | Jackson | 3.0 | 13 | |||
| December 24, 1982 | 11:50 PM CST | F0 | Woodruff | 3.5 | 250 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| December 23, 1982 | 8:00 PM CST | F2 | Faulkner | 16.0 | 77 | 7 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| December 2, 1982 | 5:10 PM CST | F3 | Faulkner | 32.0 | 300 | 7 | $500,000 to $5 million | |
| December 2, 1982 | 3:50 PM CST | F3 | Faulkner | 24.0 | 350 | 3 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| April 7, 1980 | 9:00 PM CST | F1 | White | 2.8 | 77 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 7, 1980 | 6:30 PM CST | F2 | Pulaski | 37.5 | 1,320 | 15 | $500,000 to $5 million | |
| April 11, 1979 | 3:50 PM CST | F1 | White | 6.5 | 100 | $50 to $500 | ||
| April 24, 1976 | 5:50 PM CST | F0 | White | 0.5 | 20 | |||
| June 16, 1975 | 3:30 PM CDT | F1 | White | 8.5 | 20 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| November 24, 1973 | 8:30 PM CST | F1 | White | 0.1 | 10 | 4 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| November 24, 1973 | 8:00 PM CST | F2 | White | 1.3 | 100 | 1 | 8 | $50,000 to $500,000 |
| April 30, 1970 | 9:20 PM CDT | F2 | White | 1.3 | 200 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 6, 1961 | 12:30 AM GMT-5 | F2 | Independence | 1.5 | 300 | 2 | 6 | $50,000 to $500,000 |
| March 12, 1961 | 6:00 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Pulaski | 34.2 | 417 | 12 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| May 6, 1960 | 3:00 PM GMT-5 | F2 | White | 14.6 | 500 | 3 | $500,000 to $5 million | |
| February 4, 1960 | 7:15 PM GMT-6 | F1 | White | 6.4 | 83 | 2 | $5,000 to $50,000 | |
| March 14, 1959 | 9:15 PM GMT-6 | F3 | Faulkner | 18.0 | 33 | 1 | 3 | $50,000 to $500,000 |
| February 16, 1956 | 12:00 PM GMT-6 | F0 | White | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| February 15, 1956 | 12:30 AM GMT-6 | F2 | White | 1.0 | 100 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| January 28, 1956 | 9:30 PM GMT-6 | F3 | Faulkner | 23.0 | 150 | 12 | $5,000 to $50,000 | |
| March 21, 1952 | 4:50 PM GMT-6 | F4 | White | 14.6 | 1,760 | 50 | 325 | $500,000 to $5 million |
Nearby
Warnings in force in White CountyThe forecast for White CountyThe live radar over White CountyEvery county in 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.