States › Arkansas › Lincoln County › Tornado
Tornado in Lincoln County, Arkansas
21 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 21 tornado events in Lincoln County, Arkansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 14 years.
May is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 7 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 3.8 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 5 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 7 at (E)F0, 9 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Lincoln County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 21 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.8 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 16.1 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 5 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
2Mar
3Apr
3May
4Jun
1Jul
1Aug
0Sep
0Oct
1Nov
1Dec
4
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 21 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 Jan 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 24 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 26 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 23 Dec 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Dec 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1968 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | 5 | 16 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lincoln County had?
21 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 Lincoln County?
5 Jan 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lincoln County?
The tornado of 10 Apr 2013, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Lincoln County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
3.8 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 21 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.