Jonesboro, AR Tornado History — 134 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Jonesboro, AR had?
Jonesboro has had 134 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 19 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Jonesboro?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Jonesboro was an EF1 on May 16, 2025.
When is tornado season in Jonesboro?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Jonesboro, with 29 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 Jonesboro
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 47 total, averaging 2.4 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Jonesboro since December 29, 2025
These are 6 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.
Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.
Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.
Within 25 miles of Jonesboro. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
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 Jonesboro
59 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Jonesboro since 1950, across 10 events. 953 injuries have been reported across all events. 1968 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F4 on May 15, 1968, which caused 35 fatalities along a 20.9-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Jonesboro
About Tornadoes in Jonesboro
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.
Jonesboro sits on Crowley's Ridge in Craighead County, where the ridge rises out of the flat Delta farmland of northeast Arkansas — open country that spring storm systems have crossed with devastating effect.
On May 16, 1968, an F4 tornado cut a 20.9-mile path through the area, killing 35 people and injuring 364. Five years later, on May 27, 1973, another F4 stayed on the ground for 54.8 miles, killing 3 and injuring 289. And on March 16, 1984, an F4 killed 5 along a 26-mile track through the region.
The threat here is not confined to spring. Tornadoes touched down around Jonesboro on January 17 and again on January 22, 1999, including an F3 that traveled 31 miles, and on the night of December 11, 2021, an EF4 tracked 81.17 miles at up to 1,800 yards wide, killing 8 and injuring 14.
Recent seasons have kept that history current. On March 28, 2020, an EF3 carved a 12.53-mile path through the Jonesboro area, injuring 22 and causing $300 million in property damage. On April 2, 2025, an EF3 tracked 24.18 miles and injured 8, part of a stretch of active spring weather that also brought an EF2 through the area on March 15, 2025.