Searcy, AR Tornado History — 136 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Searcy, AR had?
Searcy has had 136 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 24 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Searcy?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Searcy was an EF1 on April 20, 2025.
When is tornado season in Searcy?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Searcy, with 27 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 Searcy
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 34 total, averaging 1.7 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Searcy since December 29, 2025
These is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Searcy. 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 Searcy
104 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Searcy since 1950, across 18 events. 1,287 injuries have been reported across all events. 1952 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F4 on March 21, 1952, which caused 50 fatalities along a 14.6-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Searcy
About Tornadoes in Searcy
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.
Searcy, the White County seat on the Little Red River in central Arkansas, lies in a part of the Mid-South whose tornado history holds both springtime and deep-winter disasters.
On March 21, 1952, an F4 tornado carved a 14.6-mile path through the area, killing 50 people and injuring 325. On May 27, 1973, another F4 tracked 54.8 miles across the region, killing 3 people and injuring 289 more.
Spring has stayed dangerous in the modern era. On April 25, 2011, an EF2 up to 2,900 yards wide killed 4 people along a 51.32-mile track. On April 28, 2014, an EF4 cut a 41.1-mile path, killing 16 people and injuring 193. On March 31, 2023, an EF3 injured 54 people and caused $90 million in property damage along a 34.23-mile path.
Cold-season tornadoes are part of the local story as well. F3 tornadoes struck on both December 24 and December 25, 1982, with the December 25 storm killing one person along a 15-mile path. A two-day outbreak on January 21 and 22, 1999, brought tornadoes in the depth of winter, including an F3 on January 22 that injured 29 people. Activity continues into the present: on March 15, 2025, an EF2 tracked 5 miles near the city.