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Tornado in Perry County, Arkansas
19 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.
Perry County, Arkansas, has 19 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 12 different years.
March is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 7 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.7% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 3.4 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
By rating: 4 at (E)F0, 9 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Perry County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 19 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.4 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 19.1 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | March | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
4Apr
2May
4Jun
1Jul
0Aug
0Sep
4Oct
0Nov
3Dec
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 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $700K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F3 | $4.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Perry County had?
19 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 Perry County?
20 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Perry County?
The tornado of 27 Nov 2005, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $4.0M.
How does Perry County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
3.4 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 19 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.