NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Cave City, AR
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
6 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Cave City, Arkansas since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ike in 2008. Since 1950, 83 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 16 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 6
- Tornadoes
- 83
- EF3 or stronger
- 16
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
36 deaths in all
What the records show for Cave City
None of the 6 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Cave City; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, a tropical storm with 51 mph winds when its centre passed 5 miles away. The record near Cave City begins with an unnamed storm in 1906; the most recent system was Ike in 2008, a tropical storm 61 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 2 systems. Of the 6 systems, one has come since 2000. Cave City has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 46% of the 213 Arkansas cities on this site. The highest rating among the 83 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 6 times; the most recent, on March 14, 2025, came within 18 miles. The deadliest, an EF4 on February 5, 2008, killed 13 people. Of the 83, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 29 have come since 2000. March has had the most tornadoes, 19. Of the 213 Arkansas cities, 68% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Cave City. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 49 times since 1964, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Of the 213 Arkansas cities, 87% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Cave City.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Cave City
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | IkeSep 14 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 24 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 17 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 20 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormSep 21 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 28 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Cave City: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Cave City
By decade
- 2020s5(2 EF3+)
- 2010s3
- 2000s21(1 EF3+)
- 1990s18(4 EF3+)
- 1980s11(3 EF3+)
- 1970s7(1 EF3+)
- 1960s7(1 EF3+)
- 1950s11(4 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 5, 2008 | EF4 | 14 mi | 121.84 mi | 13 / 139 |
| Apr 14, 1996 | F4 | 20 mi | 44 mi | 7 / 35 |
| May 15, 1968 | F4 | 22 mi | 0.3 mi | 7 / 24 |
| Mar 15, 1984 | F4 | 21 mi | 41 mi | 2 / 13 |
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF4 | 18 mi | 115.95 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Dec 24, 1982 | F4 | 16 mi | 63 mi | 0 / 11 |
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF3 | in town | 80.97 mi | 3 / 0 |
| Nov 15, 1955 | F3 | 17 mi | 36.5 mi | 1 / 4 |
| Apr 2, 1950 | F3 | 23 mi | 2.5 mi | 1 / 8 |
| Jan 21, 1999 | F3 | 18 mi | 31 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 21, 1999 | F3 | 23 mi | 19 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 5, 1996 | F3 | 6 mi | 46.5 mi | 0 / 2 |
The strongest 12 of 83, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Cave City
The Storm Prediction Center has 49 hail reports within 10 miles of Cave City since 1964, made on 43 separate days. Of these, 31 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on March 30, 2025, the most recent report. May has the most reports, 15.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Cave City
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Evening Shade 1 NNE, AR, 10 miles northwest of Cave City at 514 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 67°F; January is the coolest, at 45°F and 24°F. May is the wettest at 5.6 inches of precipitation on average and June the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 51.4 inches over 75 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 64 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 98 nights a year. Snowfall averages 6.7 inches a year, most of it in February. That 51.4 inches is more than at 42 of the 95 Arkansas stations used on this site (44%). Batesville, 13 miles southwest, has its own station (Batesville L&D 1, AR): 50.9 inches a year, 0.5 less than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45 | 24 | 3.5 | 6 | 1.8 |
| Feb | 51 | 27 | 3.7 | 6 | 2.6 |
| Mar | 60 | 36 | 4.9 | 8 | 1.4 |
| Apr | 70 | 45 | 5.5 | 7 | 0.1 |
| May | 77 | 54 | 5.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 85 | 63 | 3.2 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 89 | 67 | 4.3 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 89 | 65 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 82 | 57 | 3.4 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 71 | 44 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.1 |
| Nov | 58 | 34 | 4.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 48 | 27 | 4.5 | 7 | 0.7 |
| Year | 69 | 45 | 51.4 | 75 | 6.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Evening Shade 1 NNE, AR (514 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Cave City
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 63 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Cave City: 41 thunderstorm wind reports, 14 flash floods, 6 heavy rain events and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $1.0 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on April 26, 2011. April has had the most flash floods, 5 of 14. Of the 212 Arkansas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 63 have had fewer than Cave City.
April 26, 2011: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Cave City — 1 killed, $125,000 damage.
NWS: “A house was destroyed and the 48 year-old woman inside was thrown out and killed. Trees and power lines in the area were blown down.”
August 3, 2011: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Cave City — $225,000 damage.
NWS: “Roofs were peeled off houses and sheds. A chicken house suffered major damage.”
April 26, 2011: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Cave City — $200,000 damage.
NWS: “A business that manufactures portable buildings had a number of the buildings damaged or destroyed. Power lines were blown down.”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Sharp County, which includes Cave City, has been named in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1969, 19 of them major disasters (by incident: 11 severe storms, 5 floods, 4 ice storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, on May 21, 2025. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Sharp County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes and strong wind; Relatively Low for inland flooding, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes and hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $15.7 million a year, the 31st highest of 75 Arkansas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $6.6 million (42%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Cave City
- Batesville, AR13 mi
- Newark, AR17 mi
- Ash Flat, AR21 mi
- Horseshoe Bend, AR22 mi
- Melbourne, AR23 mi
- Cherokee Village, AR23 mi
- Highland, AR24 mi
- Imboden, AR28 mi
- Newport, AR30 mi
- Hoxie, AR31 mi
- Salem, AR32 mi
- Mountain View, AR33 mi
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