Newton County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Arkansas Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Newton County is lower than Arkansas average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Newton County is much lower than Arkansas average and is higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #41
| Newton County | 0.15 |
| Arkansas | 0.57 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Newton County | 0.0000 |
| Arkansas | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #72
| Newton County | 147.94 |
| Arkansas | 272.21 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 17,697 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Newton County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 0 | Cold: | 21 | Dense Fog: | 0 | Drought: | 19 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 2,167 | Hail: | 7,399 | Heat: | 31 | Heavy Snow: | 29 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 28 | Landslide: | 1 | Strong Wind: | 29 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 7,472 | Tropical Storm: | 1 | Wildfire: | 9 | Winter Storm: | 55 | Winter Weather: | 39 |
| Other: | 397 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Newton County.
Historical Earthquake Events
A total of 1 historical earthquake event that had a recorded magnitude of 3.5 or above found in or near Newton County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Depth (km) | Latitude | Longitude |
| 8.7 | 1985-09-06 | 3.8 | 10 | 35.81 | -93.12 |
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 82 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Newton County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 8.3 | 2001-11-23 | 2 | 35°48'N / 93°21'W | 35°50'N / 93°16'W | 18.50 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Newton |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado touched down in Newton County, tracking from 3.2 miles south-southwest of Swain to 4.5 miles east-southeast of Jasper. The thunderstorm that produced this tornado was the same storm that dropped a tornado over Johnson and southern Newton Counties a little earlier that evening. Significant damage occurred to an Inn and restaurant on Highway 7 in the Gum Springs community, or about 5 miles south-southeast of Jasper. The restaurant on the upper floor of the structure was destroyed. The roof was blown to the northwest, ending up across the highway from the building. The rear wall of the building went in the opposite direction, landing on a slope below the building. The tornado also damaged several houses and destroyed a number of outbuildings. Hundreds of trees were also blown down the entire path of the tornado. | |||||||||||
| 10.5 | 1962-03-20 | 2 | 36°01'N / 93°21'W | 0.50 Mile | 300 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Newton | |
| 13.1 | 1982-12-02 | 2 | 35°50'N / 93°06'W | 36°06'N / 92°53'W | 19.00 Miles | 220 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Clark |
| 16.3 | 2001-11-23 | 2 | 35°43'N / 93°25'W | 35°45'N / 93°24'W | 1.80 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Newton |
| Brief Description: The F2 tornado over Johnson County crossed into Newton County about 4.5 miles southeast of Fallsville. The tornado continued to track to the northeast for 1.8 miles, before lifting 4.5 miles east-southeast of Fallsville. Since the tornado tracked across a national forest, damage along the path of the tornado consisted of numerous downed trees. | |||||||||||
| 19.4 | 1974-06-06 | 3 | 35°40'N / 93°32'W | 35°43'N / 93°20'W | 11.70 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Johnson |
| 20.7 | 1991-03-21 | 2 | 36°08'N / 93°01'W | 36°10'N / 92°58'W | 4.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 12 | 2.5M | 0 | Boone |
| 20.8 | 1973-04-20 | 3 | 36°09'N / 93°09'W | 36°15'N / 93°05'W | 7.80 Miles | 500 Yards | 1 | 19 | 2.5M | 0 | Boone |
| 23.7 | 1971-05-23 | 2 | 35°42'N / 93°41'W | 35°42'N / 93°25'W | 14.90 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Johnson |
| 24.1 | 1985-11-18 | 2 | 35°28'N / 93°28'W | 35°41'N / 93°12'W | 18.00 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Johnson |
| 24.7 | 1961-05-08 | 2 | 36°02'N / 92°48'W | 1.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Searcy | |
| 24.8 | 1982-12-02 | 2 | 36°06'N / 92°53'W | 36°09'N / 92°50'W | 5.00 Miles | 220 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Dallas |
| 24.9 | 1983-05-14 | 2 | 35°38'N / 93°30'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Johnson | |
| 25.2 | 1988-11-15 | 2 | 35°26'N / 93°25'W | 35°40'N / 93°10'W | 16.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 9 | 2.5M | 0 | Johnson |
| 25.6 | 1996-04-21 | 3 | 35°46'N / 93°46'W | 35°56'N / 93°34'W | 15.00 Miles | 1050 Yards | 2 | 6 | 1.0M | 0 | Madison |
| Brief Description: M37MH, M10MH | |||||||||||
| 25.9 | 1960-05-18 | 2 | 35°32'N / 93°20'W | 35°33'N / 93°16'W | 3.80 Miles | 1760 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Johnson |
| 27.6 | 1961-05-07 | 2 | 36°04'N / 92°52'W | 36°07'N / 92°41'W | 10.80 Miles | 333 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Searcy |
| 27.8 | 1983-03-26 | 2 | 36°11'N / 92°51'W | 2.00 Miles | 293 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Marion | |
| 28.1 | 2001-11-23 | 2 | 35°31'N / 93°43'W | 35°45'N / 93°27'W | 22.70 Miles | 500 Yards | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Johnson |
| Brief Description: An F2 tornado that developed over Franklin County, moved into Johnson County about 3 miles west-southwest of Hunt, on Highway 352. The tornado moved northeastward, passing just northwest of Hunt. The tornado continued on across a portion of Horsehead Lake, tracked several miles east of Catalpa and then crossed into Newton County about one mile west of Salus. The tornado killed a woman in a mobile home on County Road 272, about 1.5 miles northwest of Hunt. Two other people inside the mobile home sustained minor injuries. Two additional injuries occurred on County Road 29, about 1.5 miles north of Hunt, when two people were inside a chicken house when it was destroyed. Six chicken houses were destroyed at this location. Three of the chicken houses contained about 120 thousand chickens, many of which were killed. Other damage in Johnson County included more than a dozen barns destroyed, several mobile homes destroyed, several homes with major damage and a number of homes with lesser damage. A number of vehicles were destroyed and many others were damaged. Many outbuildings were destroyed and thousands of trees were blown down. | |||||||||||
| 28.4 | 1961-03-12 | 2 | 35°45'N / 92°51'W | 35°55'N / 92°35'W | 18.80 Miles | 833 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Searcy |
| 30.5 | 1982-04-02 | 3 | 36°19'N / 93°00'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 5 | 2.5M | 0 | Boone | |
| 31.8 | 1982-12-02 | 2 | 36°09'N / 92°50'W | 36°18'N / 92°46'W | 10.00 Miles | 220 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Hot Spring |
| 32.1 | 1961-05-05 | 2 | 35°27'N / 93°08'W | 1.00 Mile | 50 Yards | 1 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Pope | |
| 32.3 | 1961-03-12 | 2 | 35°28'N / 93°48'W | 35°38'N / 93°22'W | 26.90 Miles | 17 Yards | 1 | 14 | 250K | 0 | Johnson |
| 32.3 | 1960-04-14 | 3 | 35°28'N / 93°24'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Johnson | |
| 32.5 | 1957-01-22 | 2 | 35°33'N / 93°40'W | 35°34'N / 93°32'W | 7.40 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Johnson |
| 32.9 | 1961-03-12 | 2 | 36°16'N / 93°14'W | 36°30'N / 93°03'W | 19.00 Miles | 333 Yards | 0 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Boone |
| 33.1 | 1954-02-15 | 3 | 35°29'N / 93°29'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 24 | 250K | 0 | Johnson | |
| 33.9 | 1980-04-07 | 3 | 35°27'N / 93°30'W | 35°29'N / 93°27'W | 3.60 Miles | 1707 Yards | 0 | 76 | 2.5M | 0 | Johnson |
| 33.9 | 1973-05-07 | 2 | 35°54'N / 92°38'W | 35°54'N / 92°35'W | 2.70 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Searcy |
| 34.0 | 1955-04-04 | 2 | 36°20'N / 93°36'W | 36°21'N / 93°25'W | 10.20 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Carroll |
| 34.2 | 1961-05-07 | 3 | 36°07'N / 92°47'W | 36°18'N / 92°40'W | 14.20 Miles | 1760 Yards | 3 | 9 | 2.5M | 0 | Marion |
| 34.4 | 1958-04-03 | 2 | 35°54'N / 92°36'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Searcy | |||
| 35.2 | 1973-05-26 | 2 | 36°20'N / 93°34'W | 2.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Carroll | |
| 36.1 | 1960-05-05 | 2 | 36°07'N / 93°55'W | 36°09'N / 93°41'W | 13.20 Miles | 167 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Madison |
| 36.7 | 1999-03-05 | 2 | 35°27'N / 93°36'W | 35°27'N / 93°29'W | 7.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Johnson |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado was spawned in southern Johnson County. Toward the town of Hartman, the tornado heavily damaged or destroyed a couple of barns. Farther northeast toward Clarksville, every piece of tin was removed from a chicken house. Chickens were thrown from the house and from nearby houses. Up to 10,000 chickens were lost in the storm. Numerous trees were also downed. The tornado tracked about 7 miles before dissipating just southwest of Clarksville | |||||||||||
| 37.0 | 1962-03-20 | 2 | 36°09'N / 93°53'W | 36°07'N / 93°45'W | 7.80 Miles | 417 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Madison |
| 37.9 | 1965-03-16 | 2 | 35°27'N / 93°35'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Johnson | |||
| 38.1 | 1953-03-14 | 3 | 35°19'N / 93°15'W | 35°24'N / 93°07'W | 9.50 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 7 | 3K | 0 | Pope |
| 38.9 | 1955-11-15 | 2 | 36°03'N / 94°00'W | 36°08'N / 93°45'W | 15.00 Miles | 220 Yards | 0 | 1 | 3K | 0 | Washington |
| 39.2 | 1960-05-05 | 2 | 35°21'N / 93°20'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Johnson | |
| 39.7 | 1982-12-23 | 3 | 35°32'N / 92°39'W | 35°43'N / 92°33'W | 14.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Saline |
| 39.7 | 1973-04-20 | 2 | 35°23'N / 93°30'W | 1.50 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Logan | |
| 40.0 | 1996-04-22 | 2 | 36°13'N / 92°44'W | 36°19'N / 92°34'W | 12.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 6 | 1.0M | 0 | Marion |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down 3 1/2 miles southwest of Yellville. It moved north-northeastward, passing just to the north of the town of Summit. The tornado then began moving in more of a northeasterly direction, passing just to the north of Flippin and then lifted 4 miles north-northeast of Flippin. A number of homes and some businesses sustained damage along the tornado's path. Several trailers were either damaged or destroyed. 6 people sustained minor injuries. A number of trees and power lines were also blown down. Initial estimates place the amount of damage at $1,000,000. | |||||||||||
| 40.3 | 1955-11-02 | 2 | 35°39'N / 92°50'W | 35°40'N / 92°18'W | 29.90 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 5 | 25K | 0 | Van Buren |
| 40.4 | 2008-01-08 | 2 | 35°21'N / 93°00'W | 35°24'N / 92°51'W | 10.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 1 | 1 | 3.5M | 0K | Pope |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado touched down in central Pope County and tracked to the northeast. The Pope County Office of Emergency Management reported that 42 residential structures were affected. Of these, seven were destroyed, six had minor damage, and the rest had moderate to heavy damage. In addition, six chicken houses, two barns, and a number of outbuildings were destroyed, a travel trailer and motor home were overturned, and hundreds of trees were blown down. A 61 year-old man was killed and his wife was injured when their double-wide mobile home was destroyed on Simba Road, about 1.4 miles south-southeast of Appleton. Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe declared Pope County a state disaster area. The tornado continued into Conway County. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Severe thunderstorms affected a large part of Arkansas on the 8th. There were a number of reports of wind damage and an isolated tornado. | |||||||||||
| 41.1 | 1997-03-01 | 2 | 35°23'N / 92°51'W | 35°28'N / 92°44'W | 8.00 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 1 | 500K | 0 | Conway |
| Brief Description: The Pope County tornado moved into Conway County about 2 miles west-southwest of Jerusalem at 338 pm CST and traveled northeastward. The tornado affected the northern and western parts of Jerusalem. West of town, a hog farm and tin shed were destroyed and a number of trees were blown down. As the tornado moved north of Jerusalem, a trailer was overturned and destroyed. One person in the trailer was injured. Thereafter, numerous trees were downed as the tornado moved through the Ozark National Forest. Damage along the tornado path was consistent with an F2 rating. | |||||||||||
| 41.3 | 2008-01-08 | 2 | 35°24'N / 92°51'W | 35°27'N / 92°43'W | 8.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 1 | 1.8M | 0K | Conway |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado from Pope County moved into northwestern Conway County. According to the Conway County Office of Emergency Management, three homes were destroyed, and 12 others suffered damage ranging from light to heavy. One woman was injured in a mobile home. Ten other structures, such as chicken houses and barns, were destroyed; 13 such structures were damaged. A church, which had stood for more than 100 years, was destroyed and an adjacent cemetery was damaged. Three natural gas well sites were damaged but there was no release of gas. The tornado moved into the Ozark National Forest, where hundreds of trees were blown down. Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe declared Conway County a state disaster area. The tornado continued into Van Buren County. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Severe thunderstorms affected a large part of Arkansas on the 8th. There were a number of reports of wind damage and an isolated tornado. | |||||||||||
| 42.0 | 1999-04-26 | 2 | 35°17'N / 93°08'W | 35°20'N / 93°04'W | 6.50 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado was spawned in southern Pope County. The tornado developed near Russellville and moved northeast. The tornado destroyed a concrete block building, and two people were injured inside. An apartment complex lost its roof, some storage buildings were heavily damaged, 15 homes suffered structural damage, and 50 homes had minor damage...mostly to roof shingles. A number of chicken houses sustained damage as well, and trees and power lines were blown down. The tornado dissipated about 5 miles northeast of Russellville. | |||||||||||
| 42.2 | 1953-03-14 | 3 | 35°17'N / 93°17'W | 35°19'N / 93°15'W | 2.70 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Yell |
| 42.4 | 1982-12-02 | 3 | 35°38'N / 92°35'W | 35°47'N / 92°25'W | 12.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Van Buren |
| 42.4 | 1985-11-18 | 3 | 36°11'N / 92°40'W | 36°18'N / 92°29'W | 13.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 3 | 13 | 25.0M | 0 | Marion |
| 42.6 | 1961-03-12 | 2 | 35°27'N / 93°45'W | 35°28'N / 93°43'W | 1.90 Miles | 17 Yards | 0 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Franklin |
| 42.8 | 2010-04-30 | 3 | 35°27'N / 92°43'W | 35°37'N / 92°30'W | 16.00 Miles | 700 Yards | 1 | 15 | 4.0M | 0K | Van Buren |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This tornado exited Conway County north of Cleveland and entered Van Buren County south-southeast of Liberty Springs. The tornado, rated EF3 in Van Buren County, caused extensive damage to the town of Scotland, especially in areas along Lo Gap Road. A 67 year-old woman was killed when she was thrown from her home. Approximately 15 others were injured. A damage assessment by the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management indicated 13 homes (including houses and mobile homes) destroyed, 3 homes with major damage, 7 homes with minor damage, and 11 homes affected. In addition, Scotland's community center was destroyed, and barns, outbuildings, and a gas well were damaged. Thousands of trees and numerous power lines were blown down. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico surged into Arkansas at the end of April, so conditions in the state became warm and humid. On the 30th, a strong area of low pressure aloft approached from the west, resulting in the development of thunderstorms. Wind shear, a change in wind direction and speed with height, was present. This created a favorable environment for the formation of tornadoes. | |||||||||||
| 43.1 | 1997-03-01 | 2 | 35°26'N / 92°43'W | 35°27'N / 92°42'W | 2.00 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 100K | 0 | Van Buren |
| Brief Description: The Conway County tornado moved into Van Buren County about 8 miles southwest of Scotland at 348 pm CST. The tornado traveled about 2 miles through the Ozark National Forest before lifting. Based on surveys of the timber damage, the tornado remained at F2 strength before it dissipated. | |||||||||||
| 43.2 | 1975-02-22 | 2 | 35°13'N / 93°07'W | 35°23'N / 92°58'W | 14.30 Miles | 80 Yards | 0 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Pope |
| 43.7 | 1971-12-14 | 3 | 36°15'N / 92°36'W | 36°18'N / 92°33'W | 4.50 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 8 | 250K | 0 | Marion |
| 44.0 | 1953-05-10 | 2 | 35°16'N / 93°10'W | 35°17'N / 93°08'W | 2.30 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Pope |
| 44.1 | 1953-03-14 | 3 | 35°13'N / 93°57'W | 35°33'N / 93°22'W | 40.10 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Logan |
| 44.3 | 1957-05-11 | 2 | 35°19'N / 93°31'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Logan | |||
| 44.5 | 1970-09-04 | 2 | 35°19'N / 93°08'W | 35°15'N / 92°56'W | 12.30 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 5 | 250K | 0 | Pope |
| 45.1 | 1979-06-28 | 2 | 35°37'N / 92°35'W | 35°28'N / 92°31'W | 11.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Van Buren |
| 45.4 | 1966-04-20 | 2 | 36°24'N / 93°45'W | 36°26'N / 93°43'W | 2.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Carroll |
| 45.8 | 1973-03-13 | 2 | 36°34'N / 93°20'W | 2.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Stone | |
| 45.9 | 2005-09-24 | 2 | 35°23'N / 92°42'W | 35°23'N / 92°44'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Conway |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado briefly touched down in northern Conway County. The tornado moved to the northwest around the remnants of Hurricane Rita. Estimated winds with the tornado were about 125 mph. All of the damage observed was on a hilltop. A double-wide mobile home, which had been tied down with tie-down straps, was destroyed. The home was blown across the highway, with much of the debris striking a church. The church itself had considerable damage. A sport utility vehicle also sustained some damage. The tornado was on the ground for about one mile before dissipating. | |||||||||||
| 46.0 | 1978-05-07 | 2 | 35°16'N / 93°09'W | 35°15'N / 92°56'W | 12.30 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Pope |
| 46.2 | 1999-02-06 | 2 | 35°14'N / 93°04'W | 35°18'N / 92°55'W | 8.00 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado was spawned in southern Pope County about 1 mile southwest of Pottsville. As the tornado moved northeast, it damaged or destroyed several mobile homes and caused roof damage to houses. Several campers, boat sheds and storage buildings also sustained some damage. Most of the damage was along or near Highway 247 just south of Pottsville. Farther northeast, not as much damage was noted. Some trees were downed and the roof of a barn was damaged north of Atkins on Highway 105. A tree fell on a mobile home as well in the same area. | |||||||||||
| 46.5 | 1954-04-30 | 3 | 36°02'N / 94°03'W | 36°06'N / 94°00'W | 5.40 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Washington |
| 46.7 | 2008-02-05 | 3 | 35°16'N / 92°51'W | 35°27'N / 92°37'W | 18.00 Miles | 1320 Yards | 2 | 5 | 14.5M | 0K | Conway |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado moved out of Pope County, northeast of Atkins, into Conway County, west of Hattieville. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 56 residences (both houses and mobile homes) suffered damage. Altogether, 32 residences were destroyed, 6 had major damage, and 18 had minor damage. Several chicken houses were destroyed, and approximately 80,000 chickens were killed. Numerous trees, power lines, and power poles were blown down. An elderly couple was killed about 3.2 miles south-southwest of Cleveland when their mobile home was destroyed. The tornado then moved into Van Buren County, south-southeast of Beverage Town. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Early on the 5th, a strong storm system approached from the Plains. Ahead of the system, breezy southerly winds provided well above normal temperatures and abundant moisture. Warmth and moisture destabilized the atmosphere and fueled developing thunderstorms. A cold front moved across the state causing numerous severe storms and several tornadoes. One of the tornadoes tracked from Yell County to Sharp County, staying on the ground for 121.84 miles. This track length set a record for the longest tornado path ever recorded in Arkansas. The continuous track was confirmed by two National Weather Service meteorologists who flew the track with the Civil Air Patrol. The final track was based on ground surveys, the Civil Air Patrol flight, and an aerial mapping flight performed for the Arkansas Forestry Commission. | |||||||||||
| 46.7 | 1955-03-20 | 2 | 35°17'N / 93°44'W | 35°22'N / 93°32'W | 12.60 Miles | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Logan |
| 47.6 | 1973-05-26 | 2 | 36°25'N / 93°50'W | 36°26'N / 93°44'W | 5.60 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Benton |
| 47.8 | 1956-02-14 | 3 | 35°21'N / 92°51'W | 35°24'N / 92°30'W | 20.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 1 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Conway |
| 48.6 | 2008-02-05 | 2 | 36°16'N / 92°31'W | 36°19'N / 92°27'W | 5.00 Miles | 880 Yards | 1 | 35 | 15.8M | 0K | Baxter |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado moved from Marion County, north-northeast of Rea Valley, into Baxter County, just east-southeast of Cotter. A survey by the Red Cross indicated 21 houses were destroyed, 23 suffered major damage, 35 had minor damage, and 147 others were affected. In addition, 9 mobile homes were destroyed, 12 suffered major damage, 10 had minor damage, and 10 others were affected. One fatality occurred in a mobile home park. Most of the residential structures were in the area around Gassville. A number of businesses in Gassville, along U.S. Highway 62/412, were damaged. Numerous trees, power lines, and power poles were blown down. The tornado dissipated before reaching Mountain Home. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Early on the 5th, a strong storm system approached from the Plains. Ahead of the system, breezy southerly winds provided well above normal temperatures and abundant moisture. Warmth and moisture destabilized the atmosphere and fueled developing thunderstorms. A cold front moved across the state causing numerous severe storms and several tornadoes. One of the tornadoes tracked from Yell County to Sharp County, staying on the ground for 121.84 miles. This track length set a record for the longest tornado path ever recorded in Arkansas. The continuous track was confirmed by two National Weather Service meteorologists who flew the track with the Civil Air Patrol. The final track was based on ground surveys, the Civil Air Patrol flight, and an aerial mapping flight performed for the Arkansas Forestry Commission. | |||||||||||
| 48.7 | 1999-03-05 | 3 | 35°29'N / 92°37'W | 35°31'N / 92°24'W | 10.00 Miles | 350 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Van Buren |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado was spawned in southern Van Buren County to the southeast of a dissipating tornado near Scotland. The former tornado moved through Culpepper and toward Choctaw, causing extensive property damage. Perhaps the worst damage was along County Road 6. In all, about a dozen houses and half a dozen mobile homes were heavily damaged or destroyed. There was also extensive tree damage. As the tornado moved northeast, it weakened by the time it reached Choctaw. Mostly roof damage was noted in town. The tornado was on the ground for 10 miles before dissipating. | |||||||||||
| 48.8 | 2006-01-12 | 2 | 35°12'N / 93°08'W | 35°13'N / 93°06'W | 1.70 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado moved out of Yell County and into Pope County about 5.3 miles south of Russellville. Winds were estimated around 140 mph. The tornado downed a number of trees and power lines. Several houses sustained roof damage. The tornado dissipated roughly 5.5 miles south-southeast of Russellville. | |||||||||||
| 48.8 | 1996-04-21 | 2 | 35°37'N / 94°02'W | 35°39'N / 94°00'W | 3.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 2 | 500K | 0 | Franklin |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down just to the southwest of Fern. It moved northeastward, through the town of Fern, where 7 homes were destroyed and a number of other buildings were damaged. The tornado continued moving northeastward and lifted 3 miles northeast of Fern. A number of trees were blown down along the tornado's path. 2 people sustained minor injuries from the storm. Initial estimates place the amount of damage at around $500,000. | |||||||||||
| 49.1 | 2008-02-05 | 4 | 35°27'N / 92°37'W | 35°42'N / 92°16'W | 26.00 Miles | 1170 Yards | 3 | 77 | 22.8M | 0K | Van Buren |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado moved from Conway County, northeast of Cleveland, into Van Buren County, south-southeast of Beverage Town. A Red Cross survey indicated that 41 houses were destroyed, 26 suffered major damage, 29 had minor damage, and 30 others were affected. In addition, 21 mobile homes were destroyed, 4 suffered major damage, 2 had minor damage, and one other was affected. A boat factory was destroyed, and a church and a number of businesses were damaged. Three fatalities occurred: One in a house 3.2 miles south-southwest of Clinton, one at the boat factory in Clinton, and one in a mobile home 2.5 miles west of Shirley. The tornado continued into Stone County, south-southwest of Rushing. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Early on the 5th, a strong storm system approached from the Plains. Ahead of the system, breezy southerly winds provided well above normal temperatures and abundant moisture. Warmth and moisture destabilized the atmosphere and fueled developing thunderstorms. A cold front moved across the state causing numerous severe storms and several tornadoes. One of the tornadoes tracked from Yell County to Sharp County, staying on the ground for 121.84 miles. This track length set a record for the longest tornado path ever recorded in Arkansas. The continuous track was confirmed by two National Weather Service meteorologists who flew the track with the Civil Air Patrol. The final track was based on ground surveys, the Civil Air Patrol flight, and an aerial mapping flight performed for the Arkansas Forestry Commission. | |||||||||||
| 49.5 | 1960-05-05 | 2 | 35°49'N / 94°12'W | 36°00'N / 94°00'W | 16.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Washington |
| 49.6 | 1956-02-14 | 2 | 35°18'N / 92°45'W | 2.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Conway | |
| 49.6 | 1979-04-11 | 2 | 35°16'N / 92°48'W | 35°19'N / 92°44'W | 5.40 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Conway |
| 49.6 | 1982-12-02 | 3 | 35°47'N / 92°25'W | 35°53'N / 92°15'W | 11.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Stone |
| 49.7 | 1982-12-23 | 2 | 35°19'N / 93°43'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Logan | |
| 50.0 | 2008-04-10 | 2 | 36°00'N / 94°06'W | 36°02'N / 94°06'W | 3.00 Miles | 600 Yards | 0 | 0 | 125K | 0K | Washington |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: An NWS storm survey determined that a strong tornado caused major damage to a permanent home, damaged several other homes, caused extensive tree damage, and snapped power poles. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Severe thunderstorms occurred across Northwest Arkansas during the evening and early morning hours on the 9th and 10th. | |||||||||||
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.