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Tornado in Monroe County, Arkansas
22 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.
Monroe County, Arkansas, has 22 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 16 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 8 events against 3 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 3.6 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
By rating: 6 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 5 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 | Monroe County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 22 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.6 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 32.9 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
4Mar
0Apr
4May
5Jun
0Jul
2Aug
1Sep
0Oct
1Nov
2Dec
1
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 22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 30 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Dec 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Nov 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1970 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 1965 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | 5 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Monroe County had?
22 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 Monroe County?
28 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Monroe County?
The tornado of 2 Jul 1994, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $5.0M.
How does Monroe County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
3.6 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 22 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.