EF3 Tornado — Baxter, Arkansas

2024-05-26 · near Buffalo, Baxter, Arkansas

Event narrative

The Briarcliff Tornado continued in Baxter County from Marion County and

moved through a small residential area along the White River,

pulling siding and shingles off houses in addition to causing

significant tree damage. The tornado continued eastward, further

expanding in width, and reached a maximum width of up to 1 mile

wide, crossing mostly rural areas and causing significant tree

damage, passing across Wild Hog Mountain, and crossing Shipps

Ferry Road and Round Rock Trail. As it approached the Arkana and

Norfork Village area, the path width contracted slightly, and

large swaths of trees were found uprooted and snapped as it

crossed the White River briefly once again north of Hwy 341 at

Riverside Dr. The tornado continued northeast towards Briarcliff,

where mostly tree damage was observed to the west of Highway 5.

As the tornado crossed the highway, widespread tree damage became

prevalent, with most trees snapped at their trunks. A few

structures were severely damaged, including a home, and a metal

shop building. The tornado also impacted a local RV/trailer

camping park, where five fifth-wheel recreation trailers were

tossed and completely destroyed. One fatality was reported out of

this area as well. The tornado also moved over a 350 kV

transmission line that intersected Hwy 5, snapping several wooden

two-poled line towers, and bending two steel two-poled line

towers to the ground, indicative of EF2 wind speeds. After

crossing Hwy 5, the tornado moved into the Briarcliff residential

area, encountering significant topography. 17 injuries were

reported within the Briarcliff community. The tornado path width

expanded again, reaching a width of up to 1 mile wide for a short

duration as it moved through Briarcliff. Significant tree damage

was observed over a large portion of the roads in the area, and

via satellite imagery. A few homes sustained moderate damage,

likely exacerbated by debris and projectiles. The Briarcliff City

Hall building, which sat on top of a hill on Scenic Drive,

sustained significant structural damage, with most of the second

level of the building destroyed, indicative of EF3 wind speeds of

up to 140 mph. The tornado then continued to move northeast,

moving over several hills on the east side of Briarcliff. A two-

story home located off of the Shoal Creek tributary sustained

significant roof damage with most of the structure pulled off to

the wall plates, and all the surrounding trees to the east

uprooted from the road to the waterline. The tornado then crossed

the lake, and struck a few peninsulas, where more significant

tree damage was observed. After crossing Norfork Lake, the

tornado continued northeast on the north side of the lake, moving

over mostly rural areas, eventually crossing over the Holiday

Hills Resort Area on Baxter County Road 149. A few buildings

sustained minor roof damage, and a smaller cabin building had the

roof structure pulled off with a few exterior walls collapsed.

Most trees around the resort were uprooted as well. The tornado

then kept moving northeast into Fulton County.

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 → (36.1986, -92.4803)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1181781. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.