246
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
7
Direct injuries
$2.4M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Hempstead County, Arkansas: 246 recorded events between 1955 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 83. That places the county #708 nationally and #23 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Hempstead County, Arkansas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Hempstead County is the 1990s, when 62 of the county's 246 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Hempstead County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 44.2% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #708 for this hazard and #23 within Arkansas, putting it in the 77.6 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Hempstead County with 49 recorded events, while Dec is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 19, 1987 | 0 | 1 | 0 | $0 | |
| Jun 3, 2004 | HOPE | 60 | 0 | 2 | $300K |
| Jun 3, 2004 | HOPE | 60 | 0 | 2 | $60K |
| Jul 5, 2011 | HOPE | 53 | 0 | 1 | $15K |
| Jul 27, 1994 | Hope | 0 | 0 | 1 | $50K |
| May 17, 1986 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 2026 | JAKAJOINES | 52 | $0 |
| Apr 25, 2026 | CROSSROADS | 52 | $0 |
| Apr 25, 2026 | YANCY | 52 | $0 |
| Apr 24, 2026 | HOPE | 52 | $0 |
| Apr 24, 2026 | CAMP SPG | 52 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2026 | HOPE | 52 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2026 | MC CASKILL | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 8, 2025 | HOPE | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 8, 2025 | CROSSROADS | 52 | $0 |
| Apr 5, 2025 | HOPE | 52 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Hempstead County
- Hail 198
- Flash Flood 67
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
An NWS Storm Survey determined that damage was consistent with that of straight line wind gusts. Damage consisted with numerous trees snapped and/or uprooted from near Millwood Lake to near the community of Saratoga. Some structures also suffered damage mostly from fallen trees.
Numerous trees were uprooted and snapped across the southeast portions of town. Four vehicles were crushed and several homes were damaged in the Plainview and Gunter subdivisions. Trees were also uprooted on CR50, 116, 117, 132 and Hwy 4. A moving truck was also struck by a fallen tree but no injuries resulted.
Numerous trees were snapped in a forested area south of US 371 with trees facing northeast closer to the intersection of US 371 and Hempstead 290. Trees were snapped along Hempstead 347 near US 371 and facing northwest. A large oak tree fell on a home along Hempstead 347 punching a large hole in the southwest corner of the home. Further northwest, several pieces of tin were peeled from a chicken house |along Hempstead 348. South of US 371 and west of the downburst centerpoint,|an old pickup truck was picked up and thrown approximately 75 yards due west over a fence. Maximum envelope of wind damage was 1.25 miles.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Hempstead County, Arkansas?
246 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Hempstead County between 1955 and 2026, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Hempstead County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Hempstead County measured 83.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Hempstead County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Hempstead County, Arkansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/arkansas/hempstead-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.