NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Fouke, 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
10 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Fouke, Arkansas since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Laura in 2020. Since 1950, 102 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 6 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 10
- Tornadoes
- 102
- EF3 or stronger
- 6
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
5 deaths in all
What the records show for Fouke
None of the 10 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Fouke; the strongest was Laura in 2020, a tropical storm with 59 mph winds when its centre passed 60 miles away. The record near Fouke begins with an unnamed storm in 1865; the most recent system was Laura in 2020. The busiest decade was the 2000s, with 2 systems. Of the 10 systems, 4 have come since 2000. Fouke has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 88% of the 213 Arkansas cities on this site. The highest rating among the 102 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 6 times; the most recent, on April 9, 2009, came within 13 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on April 2, 1982, killed 5 people. Of the 102, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 53 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 38. The most recent tornado was on April 5, 2025. Fouke has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 52% of the 213 Arkansas cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 66 times since 1957, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 213 Arkansas cities, 64% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Fouke.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Fouke
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | LauraAug 27 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2019 | BarryJul 14 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2008 | IkeSep 14 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2005 | RitaSep 25 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 24 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 7 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormJul 7 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormOct 13 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 23 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1865 | Unnamed 1865 stormSep 14 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Fouke: 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 Fouke
By decade
- 2020s28
- 2010s9
- 2000s16(2 EF3+)
- 1990s14
- 1980s11(2 EF3+)
- 1970s13
- 1960s3
- 1950s8(2 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 1982 | F3 | 25 mi | 18 mi | 5 / 4 |
| Apr 9, 2009 | EF3 | 13 mi | 9.89 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 23, 2000 | F3 | 19 mi | 16 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 23, 1985 | F3 | 18 mi | 13 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1954 | F3 | 12 mi | 111.6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 30, 1954 | F3 | 3 mi | 86.3 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 5, 2025 | EF2 | 25 mi | 10.43 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 14, 2023 | EF2 | 14 mi | 8.92 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 9, 2009 | EF2 | 25 mi | 16.76 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 10, 2008 | EF2 | 24 mi | 5.54 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 14, 2003 | F2 | 15 mi | 78.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 23, 2000 | F2 | 22 mi | 14 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 102, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Fouke
The Storm Prediction Center has 66 hail reports within 10 miles of Fouke since 1957, made on 57 separate days. Of these, 47 were 1 inch across or larger, and 6 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.75 inches (baseball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently May 7, 1994. The most recent report is from March 31, 2023. April has the most reports, 16.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Fouke
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Texarkana Webb Field, AR, 15 miles northwest of Fouke at 361 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 72°F; January is the coolest, at 54°F and 35°F. May is the wettest at 5.1 inches of precipitation on average and August the driest at 3.0 inches; the year adds up to 48.9 inches over 66 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 46% of the year's precipitation (22.3 of 48.9 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 10 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (4); a normal September there has highs of 86°F and 3.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 83 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 37 nights a year. That 48.9 inches is more than at 18 of the 95 Arkansas stations used on this site (19%). Queen City, TX, 17 miles west, has its own station (Atlanta, TX): 50.5 inches a year, 1.6 more than here, and a July average high of 94°F against 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54 | 35 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Feb | 58 | 38 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Mar | 67 | 45 | 4.5 | 7 |
| Apr | 75 | 53 | 4.4 | 6 |
| May | 82 | 62 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Jun | 89 | 69 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Jul | 93 | 72 | 3.4 | 4 |
| Aug | 93 | 71 | 3.0 | 4 |
| Sep | 86 | 65 | 3.6 | 4 |
| Oct | 76 | 54 | 4.5 | 5 |
| Nov | 64 | 44 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Dec | 56 | 37 | 4.7 | 6 |
| Year | 74 | 54 | 48.9 | 66 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Texarkana Webb Field, AR (361 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 Fouke
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 70 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Fouke: 63 thunderstorm wind reports, 5 flash floods and 2 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $572,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on June 14, 2023. October has had the most flash floods, 2 of 5. Of the 212 Arkansas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 6 have had fewer than Fouke.
June 19, 2007: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Fouke — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “A lightning strike hit a home in Garland city burning the home to the ground. There were no residents home at the time.”
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
Miller County, which includes Fouke, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1968, 15 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 severe storms, 3 floods, 2 biological emergencies, 2 hurricanes). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, on May 21, 2025. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Miller County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hail and strong wind; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, lightning and heat waves; Relatively Low for inland flooding; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $20.3 million a year, the 24th highest of 75 Arkansas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $5.7 million (28%), 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 Fouke
- Texarkana, AR14 mi
- Queen City, TX17 mi
- Texarkana, TX18 mi
- Nash, TX20 mi
- Atlanta, TX22 mi
- Taylor, AR25 mi
- Plain Dealing, LA27 mi
- Maud, TX27 mi
- Hooks, TX28 mi
- Springhill, LA30 mi
- Vivian, LA30 mi
- Hope, AR31 mi
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