EF2 Tornado — Calhoun, Arkansas

2009-10-29 · near East Camden, Calhoun, Arkansas

Event narrative

The tornado began in a wooded area of the Highland Industrial Park and then tore through the Arkansas Fire Training Academy. At the academy, the Apparatus Building was heavily damaged, walls were blown out of the Smoke Building, a large part of the roof was torn off the Administration and Classroom Building, and vehicles belonging to the students were tossed around and overturned. About 60 staff members and students were in the Administration and Classroom Building, but they were aware of the tornado warning that was in effect and had taken shelter in small, interior rooms. There were no injuries. Trees, power lines, and power poles were blown down. The tornado then continued into the Ouachita County portion of the Highland Industrial Park.

Wider weather episode

A large storm system in the Rockies headed through the Plains into the upper Midwest on the 29th. Rain increased ahead of the system, and became widespread in Arkansas. Meanwhile, a cold front arrived from the west. Because the system was so far to the north, it did not give the front much push. The front slowed down, which prolonged the rain. The result was widespread flash flooding, which gave way to areal flooding and river flooding. Winds changed direction and speed up through the atmosphere, a favorable condition for tornadoes. However, instability was sufficient only in southern Arkansas for the development of tornadoes.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.6446, -92.6805)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 196820. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.