NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Harrison, 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
3 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Harrison, Arkansas since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ike in 2008. Since 1950, 48 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 6 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 3
- Tornadoes
- 48
- EF3 or stronger
- 6
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
12 deaths in all
What the records show for Harrison
None of the 3 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Harrison; the strongest was Ike in 2008, a tropical storm with 41 mph winds when its centre passed 13 miles away. The record near Harrison begins with an unnamed storm in 1902; the most recent system was Ike in 2008. Of the 213 Arkansas cities on this site, 77% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Harrison. The highest rating among the 48 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 6 times; the most recent, on May 26, 2024, came within 5 miles. Of the 48, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 25 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 14. The most recent tornado was on May 19, 2025. Of the 213 Arkansas cities, 99% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Harrison. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 118 times since 1967, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Harrison has more hail reports within 10 miles than 72% of the 213 Arkansas cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Harrison
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | IkeSep 14 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1961 | CarlaSep 13 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 28 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Harrison: 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 Harrison
By decade
- 2020s10(2 EF3+)
- 2010s9
- 2000s6
- 1990s8
- 1980s5(2 EF3+)
- 1970s2(1 EF3+)
- 1960s7(1 EF3+)
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 2024 | EF3 | 5 mi | 21.6 mi | 4 / 1 |
| Nov 18, 1985 | F3 | 24 mi | 34 mi | 3 / 16 |
| May 7, 1961 | F3 | 19 mi | 14.2 mi | 3 / 9 |
| May 26, 2024 | EF3 | 23 mi | 34.6 mi | 1 / 17 |
| Apr 20, 1973 | F3 | in town | 7.8 mi | 1 / 19 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F3 | 8 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Feb 16, 2023 | EF2 | 17 mi | 10.97 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 19, 2020 | EF2 | 11 mi | 12.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Mar 6, 2017 | EF2 | 17 mi | 36.64 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 22, 1996 | F2 | 20 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Mar 21, 1991 | F2 | 8 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 12 |
| Mar 26, 1983 | F2 | 14 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 48, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Harrison
The Storm Prediction Center has 118 hail reports within 10 miles of Harrison since 1967, made on 79 separate days. Of these, 69 were 1 inch across or larger, and 5 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.75 inches (baseball size), was reported on 3 days, most recently May 24, 2000. The most recent report is from March 30, 2025. April has the most reports, 35.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Harrison
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Harrison Boone Co Airport, AR, 4 miles northwest of Harrison at 1,374 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 68°F; January is the coolest, at 47°F and 27°F. April is the wettest at 5.0 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.4 inches; the year adds up to 44.6 inches over 69 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 41 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 76 nights a year. That 44.6 inches is more than at 1 of the 95 Arkansas stations used on this site (1%). Lead Hill, 16 miles northeast, has its own station (Lead Hill, AR): 47.6 inches a year, 3.0 more than here, and a July average high of 88°F against 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47 | 27 | 2.7 | 5 |
| Feb | 51 | 31 | 2.4 | 5 |
| Mar | 60 | 38 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Apr | 70 | 47 | 5.0 | 7 |
| May | 77 | 56 | 4.8 | 8 |
| Jun | 85 | 64 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Jul | 89 | 68 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Aug | 89 | 67 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Sep | 81 | 59 | 4.1 | 5 |
| Oct | 71 | 48 | 3.8 | 6 |
| Nov | 59 | 38 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Dec | 49 | 30 | 2.9 | 5 |
| Year | 69 | 48 | 44.6 | 69 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Harrison Boone Co Airport, AR (1,374 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 Harrison
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 116 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Harrison: 85 thunderstorm wind reports, 22 flash floods, 7 heavy rain events and 2 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.7 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on May 24, 2000. Of the 212 Arkansas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 121 have had fewer than Harrison.
April 25, 2011: flash flood 5 miles from the centre of Harrison — $1.0 million damage.
NWS: “Flash flooding occurred in Harrison. Numerous houses were flooded.”
June 23, 2008: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of Harrison — $250,000 damage.
NWS: “Many trees were down, with some falling on houses and vehicles. A number of power lines were blown down, as well.”
August 1, 2012: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of Harrison — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Part of the metal roof was blown off a business, the roof was taken off a pawn shop, power poles were snapped, and power lines and business signs 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
Flood insurance policyholders in Harrison's ZIP code 72601 have filed 32 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $485,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Mid-spring storms in 2011: 13 claims (41% of all) and $141,000. 75% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 103 Arkansas cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 48 have fewer than Harrison.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-spring storms2011 | 13 | $141,000 |
Boone County, which includes Harrison, has been named in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1969, 15 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 severe storms, 4 floods, 2 biological emergencies, 2 hurricanes). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, on May 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Boone County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $21.5 million a year, the 20th highest of 75 Arkansas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $6.5 million (30%), 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 Harrison
- Omaha, AR14 mi
- Lead Hill, AR16 mi
- Green Forest, AR18 mi
- Jasper, AR20 mi
- Yellville, AR22 mi
- Kirbyville, MO25 mi
- Hollister, MO26 mi
- Berryville, AR27 mi
- Flippin, AR29 mi
- Branson, MO30 mi
- Forsyth, MO32 mi
- Kimberling City, MO33 mi
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