Event narrative (NOAA)
The tornado moved into Craighead county and intensified as it crossed I-555, snapping utility poles along Highway 463 and derailing a train on Main Street just southeast of Bay, AR. The tornado snapped additional wooden utility poles along Highway 158 east of Bay and gained strength as it moved northeast. Several high-tension power line trusses were heavily damaged or destroyed north of County Road 672 and west of County Road 683. Significant damage to trees and a home was noted on County Roads 686 and 682, but the damage became more widespread as the tornado entered Lake City. Several homes suffered significant damage near the intersection of Highways 18 and 135. A few damage indicators in this area indicated high-end EF3 wind speeds of up to 160 mph, but most of the structures maintained
Other notable tornado events in Arkansas
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.