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Tornado in Washington County, Arkansas
53 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.
Washington County, Arkansas, has 53 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 33 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.1% of the 2,565 tornado events recorded in Arkansas; its 5.6 per 100 square miles compares with 4.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 5 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 10 at (E)F0, 24 at (E)F1, 12 at (E)F2, 7 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Washington County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 53 | 2,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.6 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.1 | 8.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 5 | 413 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
0Mar
5Apr
13May
18Jun
4Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
4Nov
4Dec
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 53 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF3 | $20M | — | — | 7 | County |
| 15 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | $300K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF3 | $1.5M | — | 4 | 7 | County |
| 13 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Oct 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Oct 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 20 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 19 Nov 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 44 | County |
| 5 May 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Nov 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 30 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 30 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Washington County had?
53 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 Washington County?
14 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Washington County?
The tornado of 30 Mar 2022, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $20M.
How does Washington County compare with Arkansas for tornado?
5.6 events per 100 square miles against 4.9 statewide; the county holds 53 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.