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Tornado in Faulkner County, Arkansas
62 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.
Faulkner County, Arkansas, has 62 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 34 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 15 events against 19 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.4% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 9.6 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 27 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 8 at (E)F0, 22 at (E)F1, 18 at (E)F2, 12 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Faulkner County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 62 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.6 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 5.0 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 27 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
6Feb
5Mar
4Apr
13May
14Jun
2Jul
3Aug
0Sep
2Oct
2Nov
5Dec
6
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 62 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF4 | $210M | — | 12 | 167 | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $52M | — | 4 | 15 | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | 1 | 13 | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2001 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2001 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 7 | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | 7 | County |
| 23 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 2 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 37 | County |
| 7 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 15 | County |
| 11 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 19 Apr 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1965 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 6 | 200 | County |
| 14 Feb 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 12 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 12 | County |
| 6 May 1960 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 5 May 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jan 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 1959 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | 18 | County |
| 28 Jan 1956 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jan 1956 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | 12 | County |
| 21 Mar 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 6 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Faulkner County had?
62 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 Faulkner County?
20 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Faulkner County?
The tornado of 27 Apr 2014, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $210M; 12 deaths recorded.
How does Faulkner County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
9.6 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 62 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.