EF1 tornado in Franklin County, Arkansas

This is the first of six segments of this tornado. The tornado developed just east of Highway 41 south of Branch where it snapped large tree limbs and caused minor damage to a home. The tornado moved northeast damaging at least one mobile home, snapping power poles, and snapping or uprooting large trees. Maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado based on this damage was about 105 mph. The tornado continued into Logan County, Arkansas.

Severe thunderstorms developed along a dry line over central Oklahoma during the afternoon hours. Very unstable air and strong wind shear east of the dry line supported supercell thunderstorm structures, which persisted as the storms moved into northwestern Arkansas late in the evening. These severe storms produced tornadoes, large hail, and damaging downburst wind across portions of northwestern Arkansas. One of the tornadoes was especially intense, resulting in considerable damage to several towns as well as three fatalities in Franklin County.