EF2 Tornado — Marion, Arkansas

2024-05-26 · near Eros, Marion, Arkansas

Event narrative

The Boone-Marion County tornado continued into Marion County from Boone County, paralleling just south of US Highway 62, near Pyatt.

Marion County EM reported three fatalities from this tornado.

Extensive tree damage was observed across several county roads,

and a few mobile homes were tossed and destroyed on Marion County

Road 4010. After crossing Marion County Road 4010, the tornado

path width increased to its widest point, and likely maintained a

maximum path width of around 2000 yards for a few miles, via

satellite imagery, as it moved through the Crooked Creek Valley.

Extensive tree damage was observed along and around Crooked

Creek, and moderate damage to the second level of a tin home was

found as well. The tornado kept moving northeast, snapping most

trees in its path as it crossed Crooked Creek multiple times and

eventually, Marion County Road 4006, where it moved over the Snow

Access Campground Area. The tornado then crossed US Highway

62 again near the small municipality of Snow, causing minor to

moderate damage to a few homes around the area. As the tornado

crossed US Highway 62, the path width began to decrease, and it

began moving more eastward. Mainly tree damage was observed to

the north of US Highway 62, and eventually it crossed State

Highway 125, and Marion County Road 3032, where more

extensive tree damage was observed, and another mobile home,

which was untethered, was lofted and completely destroyed. The

tornado continued to move east-northeast, causing mostly tree

damage, before eventually dissipating to the northwest of Summit.

This tornado tracked across two counties and was rated an EF3 with maximum estimated wind speeds

of up to 145 mph.

Wider weather episode

A couple long-tracked supercells moved across the northern two to three rows of counties during the predawn hours of the Memorial Day weekend. These storms triggered numerous tornadoes, some of which strong and long-lived, in addition to widespread straight-line wind damage.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.2087, -92.8893)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1181746. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.