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Tornado in Cross County, Arkansas
28 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.
Cross County, Arkansas, has 28 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 20 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 4.5 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 9 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 10 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Cross County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 28 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.5 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 16.8 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 9 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
1Mar
6Apr
4May
7Jun
2Jul
2Aug
1Sep
0Oct
0Nov
2Dec
0
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 28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF3 | $150M | — | 4 | 26 | County |
| 27 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F3 | $5.0M | — | — | 5 | County |
| 9 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F3 | $1.0M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 9 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $50 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1997 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1997 | Tornado | F3 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1978 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 8 | County |
| 27 Nov 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 1952 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | 4 | 5 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Cross County had?
28 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 Cross County?
5 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Cross County?
The tornado of 31 Mar 2023, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $150M; 4 deaths recorded.
How does Cross County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
4.5 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 28 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.