Hot Springs, AR Tornado History — 99 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Hot Springs, AR had?
Hot Springs has had 99 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 11 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Hot Springs?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Hot Springs was an EF1 on October 18, 2025.
When is tornado season in Hot Springs?
March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Hot Springs, with 21 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Hot Springs
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 33 total, averaging 1.6 per year over this window.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Hot Springs
8 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Hot Springs since 1950, across 3 events. 226 injuries have been reported across all events. 1997 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F4 on March 1, 1997, which caused 6 fatalities along a 27.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Hot Springs
About Tornadoes in Hot Springs
This overview was written July 28, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Hot Springs lies in the Ouachita Mountains of Garland County, Arkansas, where spring storm systems drawing Gulf moisture up across the ridges have produced some genuinely violent tornadoes. On March 1, 1997, an F4 tornado tore a 27-mile path through the area, killing six people and injuring 100; a second F4 tracked 24 miles that same day, injuring 11. On April 25, 2011, an EF3 carved a path of nearly 17 miles, killing one person, injuring 20, and causing $23 million in property damage, part of an afternoon that also brought destructive EF2 tornadoes to the area.
Spring has delivered other long-track storms as well — an F3 traveled 28.8 miles on May 26, 1955, and an EF2 on March 15, 2024 cut a swath 1,000 yards wide. But the threat around Hot Springs extends deep into the cool season. An outbreak on November 27, 2005 spawned an F3 with a 19-mile path alongside a family of weaker tornadoes, and December 1982 brought tornadoes on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th, including an F2 on Christmas Day. More recent cool-season touchdowns, like an EF1 on October 18, 2025, underline that residents here need to stay weather-aware well beyond the traditional spring months.