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Tornado in Saline County, Arkansas
56 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.
Saline County, Arkansas, has 56 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 29 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 24 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.2% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 7.7 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 12 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 8 at (E)F0, 23 at (E)F1, 19 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Saline County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 56 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.7 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.5 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 12 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
4Mar
8Apr
15May
9Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
3Oct
4Nov
5Dec
7
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 56 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 |
| 14 Mar 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $600K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $3.0M | — | — | 8 | County |
| 10 Mar 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $875K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 10 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $5.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $5.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $10M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 11 | County |
| 18 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Dec 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2001 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 9 | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1997 | Tornado | F2 | $10M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1997 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 10 | 40 | County |
| 26 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 6 | County |
| 13 Nov 1993 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 1 | 28 | County |
| 25 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Nov 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 14 Mar 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | 7 | County |
| 26 May 1955 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 1952 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Saline County had?
56 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 Saline 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 Saline County?
The tornado of 2 Dec 1982, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 1 death recorded.
How does Saline County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
7.7 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 56 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.