Tornado Outbreak of 2025

A violent storm system on March 14–15, 2025, spawned more than a dozen tornadoes in fourteen Arkansas counties, killing three people in Cushman (Independence County) and injuring thirty-two others.

An EF3 tornado started east of the White River in Independence County and destroyed several buildings in Cushman, where three women were killed on Claxton Loop; at least thirty buildings were damaged in Independence County. It continued to Cave City (Sharp and Independence Counties), where it caused heavy damage in the town’s commercial district and injured five people before dissipating near Corning (Clay County) at 10:48 p.m. after traveling through Randolph and Clay counties. Wind speeds reached 165 miles per hour in that storm.

There were two EF4 tornadoes caused by the storm system. An EF4 tornado that would see peak winds of 170 mph hit the ground southwest of Fifty-Six (Stone County) at 9:16 p.m., destroying several cabins before passing near Blanchard Springs Caverns, where a camper was injured, and crossing the White River and striking Jumbo (Izard County) and Larkin (Izard County) before lifting at 10:11 p.m. The twister was 1,000 yards wide and traveled 45.9 miles before lifting near Ash Flat (Sharp County).

Another EF4 tornado formed near Departee (Independence County) at 10:17 p.m. and reached peak winds of 190 miles per hour before dissipating twenty-three minutes later near Tuckerman (Jackson County). The storm reached a maximum width of a mile wide, and it was on the ground for 18.6 miles. Forty-three structures were damaged in Jackson County, and there were seven injuries.

A second EF3 tornado with winds reaching 155 mph formed near Williford (Sharp County) at 10:21 p.m. and was on the ground for 32.9 miles before crossing into Missouri near Maynard (Randolph County).

The storm spawned five EF2 tornadoes in Arkansas. An EF2 tornado formed near Knobel (Clay County) at 11:53 p.m. and traveled northeast for ten miles, causing minor damage before breaking up at 12:02 a.m. on March 15 near Hickoria (Clay County). An EF2 tornado with 120 mph winds hit Fitzhugh (Woodruff County) just before midnight and destroyed two homes and damaged one.

An EF2 tornado formed near Reyno (Randolph County) at 11:38 p.m. and reached peak winds of 120 mph and a width of 120 yards before breaking up near Corning at 11:51 p.m. after causing minor damage. An EF2 tornado formed at 12:22 a.m. on March 15 southwest of Paragould (Greene County) and hit peak winds of 125 mph. It was on the ground for 6.18 miles, uprooting trees and damaging buildings before dissipating at 12:34 a.m.

In southwestern Arkansas, an EF2 tornado formed near Gum Springs (Clark County) and was around 150 yards wide as it traveled 21.6 miles before lifting near Landers (Hot Spring County). Its winds reached 115 mph, and one building was heavily damaged. Another EF2 tornado touched down near Cale (Nevada County) at 10:55 p.m. and traveled 9.17 miles before lifting at White Oak Lake State Park near Bluff City (Nevada County) at 11:09 p.m. It reached speeds of 115 mph.

There were three EF1 tornadoes in the state during the outbreak. An EF1 tornado hit Gamaliel (Baxter County) at 8:30 p.m., damaging a fire station and post office before moving into Missouri and lifting six minutes later. An EF1 twister formed near Patmos (Hempstead County) at 10:09 p.m. and reached speeds of 100 mph during its 8.94-mile path before lifting at 10:28 p.m. after destroying a mobile home and injuring its two occupants. An EF1 tornado formed in Jefferson County at 11:43 p.m. and reached wind speeds of 100 mph before dissipating after less than a mile on the ground.

The wide-ranging storm system caused damage in at least eight states, spawning dust storms, wildfires, and at least ninety-six tornadoes. More than forty people died as a result of the storms nationwide.

On March 21, 2025, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders requested a federal major disaster declaration for Greene, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, Sharp, and Stone counties. On March 29, she expanded the request to include Clay, Nevada, and Woodruff counties. On April 15, the state Division of Emergency Management announced that the administration of President Donald Trump had denied the request. Sanders appealed the denial on April 18 (the state’s congressional delegation sent a letter of support), and on May 13 the administration approved individual assistance for the original counties but not for Clay, Nevada, and Woodruff.

For additional information:
Barrouquere, Brett. “Recovery from Twisters Likely to Be Slow, Costly.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, June 3, 2025, pp. 1A, 5A. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/jun/02/in-areas-of-arkansas-damaged-by-tornadoes/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

Bowden, Bill, “National Weather Service: Arkansas Hit by 12 Tornadoes over Weekend.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 19, 2025, p. 5B. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/mar/18/eleven-tornadoes-confirmed-in-arkansas-friday/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

Bowden, Bill, and Dale Ellis. “Storm Leaves 3 Dead, 32 Hurt.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 16, 2025, p. 1A, 9A. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/mar/15/storm-leaves-3-dead-32-hurt-in-arkansas/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

Earley, Neal. “Cities, Sanders Await Post-Disaster Aid.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, May 4, 2025, p. 1A, 8A. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/may/03/cities-sanders-await-post-disaster-aid/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

Flaherty, Joseph, and Amir Mahmoud. “Tornado Victims Identified as Details of Storms Emerge.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 18, 2025, p. 1A, 6A. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/mar/17/victims-of-independence-county-tornado-identified/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

Lancaster, Grant. “Sanders Seeks Major Disaster Declaration.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 23, 2025, p. 1B, 6B. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/mar/22/sanders-asks-trump-to-declare-major-disaster-in/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

———. “Sanders Seeks More Federal Storm Funds.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 30, 2025, p. 1B, 6B. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/mar/29/sanders-calls-for-more-federal-aid-after-march-14/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

Mancino, Parker, and Lena Miano. “Damage Points to EF Tornadoes.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 17, 2025, p. 1A, 3A. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/mar/16/damage-suggests-ef4-tornadoes-in-jackson-izard/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

McFadin, Daniel. “State Request for FEMA Individual Aid Is Denied.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 17, 2025, p. 2B. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/apr/16/arkansas-request-for-federal-assistance-related/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

Platt, Ainsley. “Cave City Locals Pick up Remains Following Storm.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 16, 2025, p. 9A. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/mar/15/cave-city-storm-leaves-critical-businesses/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

Powell, Phillip, Lucas Dufalla, Cassandra Stephenson, and Illan Ireland. “Uncertainty about Federal Disaster Aid Looms as Storms Roll In.” Arkansas Times, May 22, 2025. https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2025/05/22/uncertainty-about-federal-disaster-aid-looms-as-storms-roll-in (accessed August 27, 2025).

Snyder, Josh. “Sanders Appeals Rejection of Federal Relief after Storms.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 19, 2025, p. 1B, 2B. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/apr/18/sanders-appeals-to-trump-for-federal-aid-with/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

“Trump Approves Governor’s Request for Storm Assistance.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, May 14, 2025, pp. 1B, 2B. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/may/13/trump-administration-reverses-course-grants/ (accessed August 27, 2025).

Mark K. Christ
Little Rock, Arkansas