NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Perryville, 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 Perryville, Arkansas since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Laura in 2020. Since 1950, 98 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 15 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 6
- Tornadoes
- 98
- EF3 or stronger
- 15
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
48 deaths in all
What the records show for Perryville
None of the 6 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Perryville; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1865, a tropical storm with 46 mph winds when its centre passed 67 miles away. The record near Perryville begins with an unnamed storm in 1865; the most recent system was Laura in 2020, a tropical storm 44 miles away. Of the 6 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Perryville has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 46% of the 213 Arkansas cities on this site. The highest rating among the 98 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 3 times; the most recent, on April 27, 2014, came within 18 miles. Of the 98, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 51 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 22. The most recent tornado was on April 20, 2025. Of the 213 Arkansas cities, 51% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Perryville. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 68 times since 1959, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 213 Arkansas cities, 62% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Perryville.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Perryville
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | LauraAug 28 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2008 | IkeSep 14 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 24 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 20 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 24 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1865 | Unnamed 1865 stormSep 14 | 67 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 Perryville: 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 Perryville
By decade
- 2020s6
- 2010s15(2 EF3+)
- 2000s30(4 EF3+)
- 1990s4
- 1980s8(1 EF3+)
- 1970s18(2 EF3+)
- 1960s7(2 EF3+)
- 1950s10(4 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2014 | EF4 | 18 mi | 41.1 mi | 16 / 193 |
| Feb 5, 2008 | EF4 | 15 mi | 121.84 mi | 13 / 139 |
| Apr 10, 1965 | F4 | 24 mi | 4.7 mi | 6 / 200 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F3 | 25 mi | 3.5 mi | 2 / 37 |
| Apr 25, 2011 | EF3 | 17 mi | 16.78 mi | 1 / 20 |
| Nov 27, 2005 | F3 | 14 mi | 15 mi | 1 / 8 |
| May 6, 1960 | F3 | 17 mi | 26.7 mi | 1 / 30 |
| May 13, 1957 | F3 | 24 mi | 17.5 mi | 1 / 18 |
| Feb 14, 1956 | F3 | 16 mi | 33 mi | 1 / 5 |
| Nov 27, 2005 | F3 | 9 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 27, 2005 | F3 | 1 mi | 19 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 26, 1976 | F3 | 20 mi | 16.1 mi | 0 / 4 |
The strongest 12 of 98, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Perryville
The Storm Prediction Center has 68 hail reports within 10 miles of Perryville since 1959, made on 52 separate days. Of these, 42 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on May 21, 1996. The most recent report is from April 11, 2022. April has the most reports, 25.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Perryville
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Alum Fk, AR, 12 miles south of Perryville at 698 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 49°F and 29°F. April and May are the wettest at 5.8 inches of precipitation on average and January and August the driest at 3.9 inches; the year adds up to 58.4 inches over 76 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 50 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 69 nights a year. Snowfall averages 2.9 inches a year, most of it in February. That 58.4 inches is more than at 90 of the 95 Arkansas stations used on this site (95%). Bigelow, 14 miles east, has its own station (Conway, AR): 51.2 inches a year, 7.2 less than here, and a July average high of 92°F against 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49 | 29 | 3.9 | 6 | 0.9 |
| Feb | 54 | 32 | 4.6 | 7 | 1.4 |
| Mar | 62 | 40 | 5.4 | 8 | 0.3 |
| Apr | 71 | 48 | 5.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 78 | 58 | 5.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 85 | 66 | 4.4 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 90 | 70 | 4.4 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 90 | 69 | 3.9 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 83 | 62 | 4.5 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 73 | 50 | 4.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 61 | 39 | 5.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 51 | 32 | 5.3 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Year | 70 | 49 | 58.4 | 76 | 2.9 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Alum Fk, AR (698 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 Perryville
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 199 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Perryville: 97 thunderstorm wind reports, 77 floods, 16 flash floods, 8 heavy rain events and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.8 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on July 21, 2018. February has had the most flash floods, 4 of 16. Of the 212 Arkansas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 82 have had fewer than Perryville.
March 19, 2008: flood 6 miles from the centre of Perryville — $700,000 damage.
NWS: “Heavy rain caused the Fourche LaFave River near Houston to go above moderate flood level and crest at the 7th highest crest of record. Agricultural losses in winter wheat, sod, and livestock were noted.”
April 25, 2011: flood 8 miles from the centre of Perryville — $120,000 damage.
May 16, 2010: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of Perryville — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Many trees were blown down in the Thornburg Mountain area and five homes suffered minor damage at Big Rock Estates.”
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
Perry County, which includes Perryville, has been named in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1969, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 severe storms, 5 floods, 4 ice storms, 3 hurricanes). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on April 3, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Perry County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, strong wind, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $7.4 million a year, the 60th highest of 75 Arkansas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.7 million (50%), 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 Perryville
- Bigelow, AR14 mi
- Morrilton, AR15 mi
- Roland, AR19 mi
- Plumerville, AR19 mi
- Pottsville, AR21 mi
- Atkins, AR21 mi
- Ola, AR22 mi
- Hot Springs Village, AR22 mi
- Dardanelle, AR24 mi
- Mayflower, AR25 mi
- Conway, AR26 mi
- Russellville, AR27 mi
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