45
Recorded events
3
Direct deaths
30
Direct injuries
$36.9M
Property damage
Tornado in Union County, Arkansas: 45 recorded events between 1950 and 2023. The strongest on record measured F3. That places the county #479 nationally and #13 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Union County, Arkansas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Union County is the 2000s, when 15 of the county's 45 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 Union County archive, tornado makes up 8.7% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #479 for this hazard and #13 within Arkansas, putting it in the 83.2 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Apr is the peak month for tornado in Union County with 11 recorded events, while Aug 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.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-01-12 | EF3 | 24.0 mi | 900 yd | Touched down here |
| 1978-12-03 | EF3 | 60.0 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 2007-02-24 | EF3 | 26.0 mi | 250 yd | Touched down here |
| 1972-03-28 | EF3 | 10.4 mi | 880 yd | Touched down here |
| 1978-12-03 | EF2 | 6.4 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
| 2023-06-18 | EF2 | 10.3 mi | 1,320 yd | Touched down here |
| 2003-04-24 | EF2 | 16.7 mi | 125 yd | Touched down here |
| 2002-12-18 | EF2 | 20.2 mi | 110 yd | Crossed in |
| 1991-04-13 | EF2 | 2.0 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 1972-03-28 | EF2 | 5.4 mi | 880 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 13, 2005 | JUNCTION CITY | F3 | 2 | 13 | $3.0M |
| Dec 3, 1978 | F2 | 1 | 7 | $250K | |
| Feb 24, 2007 | JUNCTION CITY | EF3 | 0 | 5 | $0 |
| Mar 28, 1972 | F2 | 0 | 3 | $2.5M | |
| Mar 9, 1992 | F1 | 0 | 1 | $25.0M | |
| May 18, 1981 | F1 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 19, 2023 | WILMINGTON LNDG | EF2 | $2.0M |
| Jan 18, 2023 | GRIFFIN | EF1 | $130K |
| Jan 2, 2023 | NORPHLET | EF1 | $25K |
| Jun 7, 2021 | CALION | EFU | $0 |
| Apr 14, 2018 | KINARD | EF1 | $70K |
| Apr 14, 2018 | CATESVILLE | EF1 | $125K |
| Jan 22, 2017 | LAWSON | EF0 | $25K |
| Jan 22, 2017 | TRULL | EF1 | $10K |
| Apr 27, 2011 | BLANCHARD SPGS | EF1 | $20K |
| Apr 4, 2011 | NORPHLET | EF1 | $150K |
Other hazards here
More from Union County
- Thunderstorm Wind 228
- Hail 172
- Flash Flood 62
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The tornado snapped off many trees along a seven mile path starting 2 miles west of Junction City, Arkansas to 5 miles north northeast of Junction City, Arkansas. Several porches and awnings were destroyed in the town and there was roof damage throughout the north side of the city. Severe roof damage was reported to the Juncition City First United Methodist Church.
The National Weather Service conducted a storm survey in Union County Arkansas and concluded that storm damage was the result of an EF1 tornado. The tornado touched down at around 10:12 AM, in the town of Norphlet. An old gas station cover was blown down and several trees were snapped along Black street eastward across Hayes St. Some minor roof damage occurred to homes along Hayes street. The tornado continued eastward crossing N Tate Road where a carport collapsed on a vehicle and several trees were snapped or uprooted. The tornado continued along the south side of Tate Road snapping trees and peeling shingles from several homes. The tornado lifted east of a pasture where several hardwood and softwood trees were snapped or uprooted. A small metal outbuilding suffered structural damage as well. Maximum winds are estimated at 90-100 mph.
An EF-1 tornado, with estimated maximum winds around 110 mph, touched down along Highway 167 just north of Wingfield Lake Road and quickly intensified over the Faircrest community. The tornado reached its maximum intensity and width along Peace and Mount Union Roads. It uprooted and snapped numerous trees in this location and damaged the roofs of several homes. It also rolled and destroyed a travel trailer and did roof damage to a number of mobile homes as well. The tornado moved northeast and did sporadic tree damage along Iron Mountain Road before it crossed Bayou de Loutre. The tornado continued northeast and uprooted a few trees along Patterson Loop Road and Hibanks Road. The tornado then re-strengthened as it crossed Highway 82 and uprooted and snapped several trees near the Hope Landing organization just west of Spencer Lane. Minor tree damage was noted just north of this location before the tornado finally lifted.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Union County, Arkansas?
45 tornado events are recorded in Union County between 1950 and 2023, causing 3 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Union County?
The strongest tornado on record in Union County measured F3.
Where does the tornado data for Union 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
“Tornado in Union County, Arkansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/arkansas/union-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.