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Tornado in Lonoke County, Arkansas
89 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.
Lonoke County, Arkansas, has 89 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 41 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 26 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 30 events against 30 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.5% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 11.5 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 18 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 40 at (E)F1, 24 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Lonoke County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 89 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 11.5 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.9 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 18 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
7Feb
7Mar
11Apr
26May
10Jun
10Jul
1Aug
0Sep
5Oct
6Nov
3Dec
3
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 89 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | $4.3M | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $60K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.8M | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $20M | $50K | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $4.6M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $3.0M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 2 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 5 | County |
| 24 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Dec 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2001 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 24 Feb 2001 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2001 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 3 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1997 | Tornado | F2 | $150K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 7 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | 2 | 8 | County |
| 23 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 7 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 7 Jan 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 5 | 64 | County |
| 21 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 May 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 1952 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 9 | 9 | County |
| 21 Mar 1952 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | 2 | 6 | County |
| 20 Feb 1951 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lonoke County had?
89 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 Lonoke County?
12 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lonoke County?
The tornado of 29 Mar 1976, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 5 deaths recorded.
How does Lonoke County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
11.5 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 89 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.