F2 tornado in Independence County, Arkansas

Tornado March 1, 1997 · Independence County, Arkansas

Rating

43.0 mi

Whole path

880 yd

Path width

Deaths

Injuries

$38.0M

Damage as recorded

NOAA records this tornado county by county. Its path ran through White County → Jackson County → Independence County → Jackson County; the totals above are for the whole tornado.

EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 880 yards (0.50 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F2 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F2 meant considerable damage: roofs torn off well-built houses, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted; the scale paired it with winds of 113–157 mph, figures later judged too high, especially toward the top of the scale, and revised downward in the Enhanced Fujita scale. Ratings then, as now, came from the damage.

The wider storm

The Jackson County tornado moved into Independence County 7 miles south of Oil Trough at 331 pm CST. As the tornado tracked northeastward, it damaged several homes and downed a number of trees and power lines. The tornado exited Independence County 5.5 miles east-southeast of Oil Trough at 342 pm CST.

Began near Oil Trough (35.5300, -91.4700).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5600787. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

Tornadoes near your address

See every tornado that passed near a place you know, measured to its path.