NWS Little Rock, AR - The Tornado Outbreak of January 21-22, 1999

The busiest year on record for tornadoes in Arkansas was 1999. There were 107 tornadoes spawned. On January 21st/22nd of that year, the largest tornado outbreak in state history occurred.

There were 56 tornadoes counted, and they tended to spin up along the Interstate 30 and U.S. Highway 67/167 corridors (southwest through central into northeast sections of the state). Eight of these tornadoes were rated at least F3, with one tornado rated F4 (Clay County). In the Little Rock County Warning Area, there were 30 tornado tracks across 15 counties. The Little Rock office issued 48 tornado warnings, 80 severe thunderstorm warnings, and 22 flash flood warnings during the event. The tornadoes were responsible for 8 fatalities and 140 to 150 injuries.

In all, this outbreak featured a whopping 129 tornadoes in ten states including Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

With the exception of 2005 and 2013, baseball size or larger hail was observed in Arkansas at least once a year since 1980 (through 2022). Hail at least softball size occurred once every other year (22 of 43 years). As far as numbers of reports, of the roughly 6,063 instances of quarter size or larger hail, 2,537 were at least golf balls (41.8% of reports), 269 were at least baseballs (4.4% of reports), and 54 were at least softballs (0.9% of reports). The largest hailstones were five inches in diameter (slightly larger than a DVD) on January 21, 1999; April 2, 2006; and May 4, 2020.

Prior to this event, the largest tornado outbreak in Arkansas was 34 tornadoes on June 5, 1916. Some additional records included...

Another large January tornado outbreak occurred on the 12th of 2023. There were at least 38 tornadoes counted, with the most numerous and strongest of these in Alabama and Georgia. The deadliest tornado (rated EF3) had an 82 mile path and killed 7 people in Autauga County, AL.

From the 21st through the 23rd of 2017, there were 81 tornadoes in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. In Georgia, there was a state record 42 tornadoes during the event and 52 tornadoes for the month.

In 2008, 55 tornadoes tore through Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin on the 7th/8th. Three dozen of these tornadoes were in Missouri (mostly in the southwest part of the state). In Arkansas, forty homes were damaged by a tornado (rated EF2) at Appleton (Pope County) on the morning of the 8th. A mobile home was destroyed, and a man lost his life.

A girl's high school basketball game was played that evening at Beebe (White County). School officials were aware of the potential for severe storms, and paid close attention to warnings issued by the National Weather Service. The game was stopped at halftime. Two to three hundred people were in attendance, and had left by the time the tornado arrived a half hour later. The gym was destroyed.

Half of the tornadoes in the Little Rock County Warning Area were rated F2 or greater, and they caused extensive damage. One of these tracked from around Shannon Hills (Saline County) through Little Rock (Pulaski County), and hit a historic district in the city. Several homes built at the turn of the 20th century were heavily damaged. Even the Governor's mansion was not spared, with a tree falling on a fence around the property. A grocery store was ripped apart as well. Three people were killed in the area.

Two tornadoes (rated F2 and F3) had nearly parallel tracks and were only a couple of miles (and two hours) apart across northern White and southern Independence Counties. They affected the communities of Holly Springs and Sunnydale (both in northern White County), and also areas just south and southeast of Pleasant Plains and Rosie (both in southern Independence County). One person was killed near Pleasant Plains (Independence County). At Joy (White County), the volunteer fire station was damaged by a tornado (rated F2). Homes and businesses suffered mostly roof damage at Newark (Independence County) when a tornado (rated F2) roared through town. There were a lot of trees downed or snapped as well.