Tornadoes in Arkansas
The Storm Prediction Center records 2,163 tornadoes that touched Arkansas between 1950 and 2025, and 2,090 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 432 people and injured 5,853. The busiest month is April, with 499 tornadoes.
- 2,163tornadoes
- 432deaths
- 5,853injuries
- 416per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 75counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Arkansas's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 583 | 27% |
| F1 / EF1 | 886 | 41% |
| F2 / EF2 | 477 | 22% |
| F3 / EF3 | 169 | 8% |
| F4 / EF4 | 31 | 1% |
| F5 / EF5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown rating | 17 | <1% |
Arkansas tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1950.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 158 |
| 1960s | 170 |
| 1970s | 264 |
| 1980s | 198 |
| 1990s | 317 |
| 2000s | 463 |
| 2010s | 331 |
| 2020s | 262 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Arkansas was 1999, with 108.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 156 |
| Feb | 118 |
| Mar | 285 |
| Apr | 499 |
| May | 414 |
| Jun | 104 |
| Jul | 71 |
| Aug | 29 |
| Sep | 74 |
| Oct | 90 |
| Nov | 177 |
| Dec | 146 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Arkansas
- Searcy, Arkansas tornado21 March 1952, F4, 50 deaths, 325 injuries, 14.6 miles long
- Jonesboro, Arkansas tornado15 May 1968, F4, 35 deaths, 364 injuries, 20.9 miles long
- Cotton Plant, Arkansas tornado21 March 1952, F4, 29 deaths, 180 injuries, 13.1 miles long
- Maumelle, Arkansas tornado27 April 2014, EF4, 16 deaths, 193 injuries, 41.1 miles long
- Greenwood, Arkansas tornado19 April 1968, F4, 14 deaths, 270 injuries, 2 miles long
- Casa, Arkansas tornado5 February 2008, EF4, 13 deaths, 139 injuries, 121.8 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Arkansas
- Searcy, Arkansas tornado21 March 1952, F4, 50 deaths, 325 injuries, 14.6 miles long
- Jonesboro, Arkansas tornado15 May 1968, F4, 35 deaths, 364 injuries, 20.9 miles long
- Cotton Plant, Arkansas tornado21 March 1952, F4, 29 deaths, 180 injuries, 13.1 miles long
- Maumelle, Arkansas tornado27 April 2014, EF4, 16 deaths, 193 injuries, 41.1 miles long
- Greenwood, Arkansas tornado19 April 1968, F4, 14 deaths, 270 injuries, 2 miles long
- Casa, Arkansas tornado5 February 2008, EF4, 13 deaths, 139 injuries, 121.8 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Arkansas
- Arkansas tornado18 October 2025, EF1, 0.8 miles long
- Arkansas tornado18 June 2025, EF1, 2.3 miles long
- Arkansas tornado18 June 2025, EF1, 1.7 miles long
- Arkansas tornado18 June 2025, EF1, 3.2 miles long
- Arkansas tornado12 June 2025, Unknown rating, 0.4 miles long
Notable Arkansas tornadoes with their own pages
- Searcy, Arkansas tornado21 March 1952, F4, 50 deaths, 325 injuries, 14.6 miles long
- Jonesboro, Arkansas tornado15 May 1968, F4, 35 deaths, 364 injuries, 20.9 miles long
- Cotton Plant, Arkansas tornado21 March 1952, F4, 29 deaths, 180 injuries, 13.1 miles long
- Maumelle, Arkansas tornado27 April 2014, EF4, 16 deaths, 193 injuries, 41.1 miles long
- Greenwood, Arkansas tornado19 April 1968, F4, 14 deaths, 270 injuries, 2 miles long
- Casa, Arkansas tornado5 February 2008, EF4, 13 deaths, 139 injuries, 121.8 miles long
- Little Rock, Arkansas tornado1 March 1997, F4, 10 deaths, 40 injuries, 14 miles long
- Allport, Arkansas tornado21 March 1952, F3, 9 deaths, 9 injuries, 16.2 miles long
- Bay, Arkansas tornado10 December 2021, EF4, 8 deaths, 14 injuries, 81.2 miles long
- Leslie, Arkansas tornado14 April 1996, F4, 7 deaths, 35 injuries, 44 miles long
- Dierks, Arkansas tornado21 March 1952, F4, 7 deaths, 9 injuries, 13 miles long
- Warren, Arkansas tornado28 March 1975, F4, 7 deaths, 51 injuries, 5.4 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Arkansas counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 75 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.