F2 Tornado — Prairie, Arkansas

2004-10-18 · near Fairmont, Prairie, Arkansas

Event narrative

The F2 tornado moved from Lonoke County into Prairie County about 6.1 miles west-southwest of the Fairmount Community. The tornado gained intensity as it tracked to the east-northeast and then to the east as it approached the Stuttgart Airport. The tornado continued to track to the east before lifting east-northeast of the town of Ulm. The maximum damage was observed at the airport where numerous planes were damaged or destroyed. Damage at the airport was estimated at just over 12 million dollars. Also, most of the hangers and other buildings on the airport property sustained damage. Elsewhere along the path of the tornado, many power poles were snapped off or blown down. Metal irrigation pipe was carried for a mile and deposited in the field. Numerous outbuildings and farm shops were destroyed or damaged. A combine was destroyed and another was badly damaged. A farm tractor was destroyed as well. In the town of Ulm, a number of trees had large limbs broken and there was minor damage to house roofs. Underpinning was also blown out from under several mobile homes. The tornado weakened considerably before reaching Ulm.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.5667, -91.7000)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5426201. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.