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Tornado in Craighead County, Arkansas
54 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Craighead County, Arkansas, has 54 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 27 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.1% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 7.6 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 38 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 24 at (E)F0, 14 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 7 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Craighead County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 54 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.6 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.8 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 38 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
7Feb
1Mar
7Apr
14May
8Jun
0Jul
2Aug
6Sep
1Oct
1Nov
0Dec
7
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 54 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF3 | $4.0M | — | — | 8 | County |
| 2 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2020 | Tornado | EF3 | $300M | — | — | 22 | County |
| 17 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $100 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $100 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $10 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1997 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 19 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 24 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 24 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 14 Sep 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1973 | Tornado | F4 | $25K | — | 3 | 257 | County |
| 7 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1968 | Tornado | F4 | $25K | — | 34 | 350 | County |
| 25 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Craighead County had?
54 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Craighead County?
16 May 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Craighead County?
The tornado of 28 Mar 2020, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $300M.
How does Craighead County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
7.6 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 54 of the state's 2,565 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.