EF3 Tornado — Washington, Arkansas

2022-03-30 · near Johnson, Washington, Arkansas

Event narrative

This tornado developed south of Joyce Boulevard and east of Steele Boulevard, southwest of the Northwest Arkansas Mall. The tornado damaged businesses, blew down trees, rolled a van, and then moved across the western portion of the mall. As it moved north-northeast from near the mall, the tornado blew down a cellular phone tower, and destroyed a building near Main Drive. As it continued north-northeast, it damaged numerous homes and businesses, and blew down numerous trees. Major portions of the roofs of several homes were blown off on Pagosa Street, and a vehicle was flipped over in a driveway. The tornado then destroyed the gymnasium at George Elementary School, which was a metal building structure. A home just north of the gym was severely damaged, and a couple nearby large, wooden electrical poles were snapped. A large, metal building structure was destroyed as the tornado neared Highway 412, with several other businesses nearby severely damaged. A hangar was destroyed and other buildings were damaged on the east side of the Springdale Airport. Minor damage to trees and to the roofs of homes continued until the tornado neared Emma Avenue, where it appeared to dissipate. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 135 to 145 mph. Debris from the tornado was carried into Benton County. This tornado injured seven people, and damaged or destroyed at least 135 homes, and damaged or destroyed at least 40 businesses.

Wider weather episode

Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across western Oklahoma during the evening of the 29th, along and ahead of a dry line. The storms moved east across northwestern Arkansas during the early morning hours of the 30th. Weak instability combined with very strong low level wind shear to create an environment that supported intense low level circulations in the thunderstorms. One thunderstorm produced a strong tornado that produced severe damage across portions of Johnson and Springdale, Arkansas.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.1220, -94.1560)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1011491. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.