EF1 tornado in Cross County, Arkansas

A tornado moved northeast into Cross County from Woodruff County, Arkansas near Primrose, east of Highway 49. The tornado first tracked across open farm land. The tornado then damaged three homes and several outbuildings on US Highway 64. One home sustained major damage and a two-story barn was completely collapsed. The other two homes had minor damage. Several very large trees were also knocked down. Five power poles were also snapped along US Highway 64. The tornado then continued northeast across open farm land before snapping power lines along County Road 165 before lifting.

An upper level disturbance slowly approached the Mid-South during the evening of April 30th, 2010 as a cold front became stationary to the west. This pattern remained in place through the evening hours of May 2nd, 2010. South to southwest winds pumped warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and created a very unstable atmosphere. Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with the front during the early evening hours and moved east into Eastern Arkansas shortly before midnight. Additional thunderstorms occurred in association with the upper level disturbance. Due to the unstable atmosphere, thunderstorms quickly became severe producing large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding. The severe weather evolved into an outbreak by May 1st and 2nd. Historic rainfall and flash flooding in addition to large hail and damaging winds occurred during the early morning hours of May 1st with several tornadoes occurring during the afternoon hours of May 1st to early morning hours of May 2nd.