Tornado History
Craighead Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Craighead, Arkansas. The records below identify 54 tornadoes from 1955 through 2025, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $338.2M, with 38 deaths and 651 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
Key Tornado Facts for Craighead, Arkansas
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.8 tornadoes per year (1.9/yr in last decade)
April is the peak tornado month with 14 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F4 in Craighead, Arkansas with 34 deaths
1999 was the most active year with 7 tornadoes
The 2020s had the most tornado activity (17 events)
Longest tornado: 36.7 miles in Craighead, Arkansas
Widest tornado: 1,800.0 yards in Craighead, Arkansas
Most tornadoes in one day: 5 on Jan 21, 1999
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Craighead, Arkansas, April is the most active month with 14 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 1999 was the most active year with 7 recorded tornadoes.
Property Damage Trends
Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.
Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 2020 with at least $300.1M in NOAA-listed property damage.
Historical Track Sketch
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Craighead, Arkansas.
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Notable Tornado Records
The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.
| Date | Rating | Area | Length | Width | Deaths | Injuries | Min. property damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 1968 | F4 | Craighead, Arkansas | 12.6 mi | 167 yd | 34 | 350 | $25K |
| May 26, 1973 | F4 | Craighead, Arkansas | 13.8 mi | 300 yd | 3 | 257 | $25K |
| March 28, 2020 | EF3 | Craighead, Arkansas | 12.53 mi | 600 yd | 0 | 22 | $300.0M |
| April 3, 1984 | F3 | Craighead, Arkansas | 33 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $25.0M |
| April 2, 2025 | EF3 | Craighead, Arkansas | 21.98 mi | 1500 yd | 0 | 8 | $4.0M |
| December 10, 2021 | EF3 | Craighead, Arkansas | 17.68 mi | 1800 yd | 1 | 5 | $2.5M |
| April 7, 1972 | F3 | Craighead, Arkansas | 2 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| March 1, 1997 | F3 | Craighead, Arkansas | 5 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K |
| April 25, 1957 | F3 | Craighead, Arkansas | 0.5 mi | 313 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| August 13, 1978 | F2 | Craighead, Arkansas | 4.5 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M |
| April 2, 2025 | EF2 | Craighead, Arkansas | 14.45 mi | 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $750K |
| January 17, 1999 | F2 | Craighead, Arkansas | 11 mi | 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $150K |
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Source And Limits
Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.