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Tornado in Union County, Arkansas
45 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 45 tornado events in Union County, Arkansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.
April is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 18 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.8% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 4.3 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 12 at (E)F0, 19 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 4 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 | Union County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.3 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.7 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
6Feb
4Mar
5Apr
11May
3Jun
2Jul
1Aug
0Sep
4Oct
3Nov
2Dec
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 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $130K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 5 | County |
| 24 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2005 | Tornado | F3 | $3.0M | — | 2 | 13 | County |
| 29 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Dec 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | 7 | County |
| 3 Dec 1978 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 28 Mar 1972 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Nov 1961 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Feb 1950 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Union County had?
45 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 Union County?
18 Jun 2023 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Union County?
The tornado of 9 Mar 1992, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Union County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
4.3 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 45 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.