The February 5, 2008 tornado

EF4Sharp, Conway, Van Buren, Stone, Izard, Yell and Pope counties, Arkansas

An EF4 tornado on a 121.8-mile path that killed 13 and injured 139. It was one of 62 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day, 7 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Watch how it happened Part of the outbreak of February 5, 2008: 62 tornadoes in 9 states

EF4 tornado · February 5, 2008

How it happened

Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.

About this replay

Local time (CST)—Historical replay — logged times

Distance—of 121.8 miles

Now in—

RatingEF4

Path milestones

Damage pathWidened for visibility; recorded maximum width 1,320 yards

TownsSized by population today; those within 3 miles flash as it passes

Counties on the pathLit as the tornado enters them

Source: Storm Prediction Center path, drawn through NOAA Storm Events county segments. Times as logged by the National Weather Service. Towns are today’s Census places.

The tornado

Rating: EF4; Enhanced Fujita scale
Path length: 121.8 mi; Width up to 1,320 yards
Killed: 13; Along the whole path
Injured: 139; Along the whole path
Date and time: Tuesday, February 5, 2008; 4:49 PM CST
That day: 62; tornadoes in the U.S.; every one, with a replay of the day

The National Weather Service account

Written by the local Weather Service office after its damage survey.

The tornado moved from Conway County, northeast of Cleveland, into Van Buren County, south-southeast of Beverage Town. A Red Cross survey indicated that 41 houses were destroyed, 26 suffered major damage, 29 had minor damage, and 30 others were affected. In addition, 21 mobile homes were destroyed, 4 suffered major damage, 2 had minor damage, and one other was affected. A boat factory was destroyed, and a church and a number of businesses were damaged. Three fatalities occurred: One in a house 3.2 miles south-southwest of Clinton, one at the boat factory in Clinton, and one in a mobile home 2.5 miles west of Shirley. The tornado continued into Stone County, south-southwest of Rushing.

The storm system that day

Early on the 5th, a strong storm system approached from the Plains. Ahead of the system, breezy southerly winds provided well above normal temperatures and abundant moisture. Warmth and moisture destabilized the atmosphere and fueled developing thunderstorms. A cold front moved across the state causing numerous severe storms and several tornadoes. One of the tornadoes tracked from Yell County to Sharp County, staying on the ground for 121.84 miles. This track length set a record for the longest tornado path ever recorded in Arkansas. The continuous track was confirmed by two National Weather Service meteorologists who flew the track with the Civil Air Patrol. The final track was based on ground surveys, the Civil Air Patrol flight, and an aerial mapping flight performed for the Arkansas Forestry Commission.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Counties on its path

Other notable tornadoes that day

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.