EF1 Tornado — Madison, Arkansas

2025-05-19 · near Hartwell, Madison, Arkansas

Event narrative

This tornado developed near Bohannon, west of CR 7645 and moved east-northeast across CR 7510 and CR 7855. It snapped and uprooted numerous trees, and destroyed outbuildings. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 95 to 105 mph.

Wider weather episode

Severe thunderstorms developed over central Oklahoma along and ahead of a dry line during the afternoon of the 19th, as an upper level disturbance approached the Southern Plains. These thunderstorms moved northeast off the dry line and across portions of northwestern Arkansas during the evening hours. The atmosphere east of the dry line across northwestern Arkansas became very unstable during the afternoon and evening, and this instability combined with strong deep-layer and low-level wind shear, resulted in the development of a severe squall line. Multiple tornadoes and large hail up to quarter size occurred with these thunderstorms across portions of northwestern Arkansas. Locally heavy rainfall also produced some flash flooding.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.0820, -93.8330)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1264156. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.