F2 tornado in Polk County, Arkansas

An F2 tornado touched down in Polk County and traveled approximately 20 miles before it lifted. Even though the tornado was not on the ground continuously, it still managed to cause extensive damage to several towns along its path. The tornado initially touched down approximately 2.50 miles west of Cove, along Highway 4. The storm passed through Cove where it damaged and destroyed several homes and businesses. The tornado then struck the Hatfield area where it destroyed or damaged a number of homes. The tornado continued moving northeastward and struck the southwest part of Mena. In Mena, a large number of homes and businesses sustained damage. Most of the buildings that were struck were either destroyed or received major damage. Eleven people in Mena were treated for minor injuries. A local park in Mena lost a number of large trees. Some of these trees were over 100 years old. A number of buildings in Mena were damaged as a result of trees falling on the structures. The tornado finally lifted about three miles northeast of Mena, in the community of Hillcrest, where it destroyed a few mobile homes and damaged several others. Initial estimates placed the damage at over $6 million.