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Tornado in Lawrence County, Arkansas
24 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.
NCEI records 24 tornado events in Lawrence County, Arkansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 17 years.
March is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 2 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 4.1 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 13 at (E)F0, 3 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Lawrence County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 24 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.1 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 14.7 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | March | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
5Feb
0Mar
6Apr
5May
3Jun
1Jul
1Aug
0Sep
1Oct
1Nov
1Dec
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 24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $50 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $50 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $10 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1997 | Tornado | F3 | $500K | $1.1M | — | 2 | County |
| 5 Mar 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jan 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 1 | 3 | County |
| 29 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1955 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 9 | County |
| 30 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1952 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lawrence County had?
24 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 Lawrence County?
15 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lawrence County?
The tornado of 1 Mar 1997, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K and crop damage at $1.1M.
How does Lawrence County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
4.1 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 24 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.