EF1 Tornado — Saline, Arkansas

2008-04-03 · near Slocomb, Saline, Arkansas

Event narrative

A tornado began west of Haskell and continued on to just west of Benton. The tornado destroyed nine houses and three mobile homes, caused major damage to approximately 16 houses and one mobile home, and minor damage to approximately 40 houses and one mobile home. One house that was under construction had all its framing completed and was ready for shingles to be put on. The tornado blew all the framing lumber down a hillside, but the concrete safe room that had been constructed remained intact. Many power lines and some power poles were blown down. Thousands of trees were blown down.

Wider weather episode

The event began with a warm front moving north from the Gulf Coast region on the 3rd. The front was followed by above normal temperatures and abundant moisture. There was plenty of fuel for developing thunderstorms. A large area of showers and thunderstorms developed near the stalled front in northern and western Arkansas during the evening of the 3rd.

During the early morning hours of the 4th, it became a heavy rain event.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.5085, -92.7397)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 92006. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.