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Tornado in Jefferson County, Arkansas
37 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.
Jefferson County, Arkansas, has 37 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
January is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 4.2 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Jefferson County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 37 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.2 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 5.6 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | January | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
6Feb
1Mar
3Apr
5May
5Jun
0Jul
4Aug
1Sep
1Oct
1Nov
4Dec
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 37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | $3K | — | 9 | County |
| 13 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Dec 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $175K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $400K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 21 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $2.0M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1983 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 3 May 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Dec 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 16 Aug 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1968 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Dec 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 1 | 2 | County |
| 19 Feb 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Jefferson County had?
37 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 Jefferson County?
8 Jul 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Jefferson County?
The tornado of 14 May 1983, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Jefferson County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
4.2 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 37 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.