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F4 tornado in Clay County, Arkansas

Tornado January 21, 1999 · Clay County, Arkansas

F4
Rating
16.0 mi
Path length
400 yd
Path width
$1.0M
Damage as recorded
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 400 yards (0.23 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F4 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F4 meant devastating damage: well-built houses levelled; the scale paired it with winds of 207–260 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.

What the National Weather Service wrote

The tornado started southeast of Knobel and tracked northeast. The most serious damage occurred early in the life of the tornado. Two homes were destroyed on County Road 238. Several other homes were damaged. Two trailer trucks were rolled over. As the tornado continued east it gradually diminished in intensity. Several trees and power lines were knocked down along the way.

Began near Knobel (36.2800, -90.5500).

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

19 more tornadoes the National Weather Service filed under this storm episode.

F3 St. Francis CountyF3 Lawrence CountyF2 Clay CountyF1 Greene CountyF1 Clay CountyF0 Cross CountyF0 Clay CountyF0 Lee CountyF0 St. Francis CountyF0 Lawrence CountyF0 St. Francis CountyF0 Lawrence CountyF0 Greene CountyF0 Craighead CountyF0 Craighead CountyF0 Craighead CountyF0 Craighead CountyF0 Craighead CountyF0 Mississippi County

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5685593. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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