NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Quitman, 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
7 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Quitman, Arkansas since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Laura in 2020. Since 1950, 133 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 24 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 7
- Tornadoes
- 133
- EF3 or stronger
- 24
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
63 deaths in all
What the records show for Quitman
None of the 7 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Quitman; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, a tropical storm with 52 mph winds when its centre passed 47 miles away. The record near Quitman begins with an unnamed storm in 1879; the most recent system was Laura in 2020, a tropical storm 71 miles away. Of the 7 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Quitman has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 54% of the 213 Arkansas cities on this site. The highest rating among the 133 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 4 times; the most recent, on April 27, 2014, came within 19 miles. Of the 133, 12 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 68 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 28. The most recent tornado was on April 20, 2025. Quitman has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 77% of the 213 Arkansas cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 79 times since 1974, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 213 Arkansas cities, 51% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Quitman.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Quitman
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | LauraAug 28 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2008 | IkeSep 14 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 24 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 16 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 20 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormSep 21 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 24 | 73 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 Quitman: 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 Quitman
By decade
- 2020s5
- 2010s20(2 EF3+)
- 2000s43(5 EF3+)
- 1990s19(2 EF3+)
- 1980s8(6 EF3+)
- 1970s14(1 EF3+)
- 1960s12(2 EF3+)
- 1950s12(6 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2014 | EF4 | 19 mi | 41.1 mi | 16 / 193 |
| Feb 5, 2008 | EF4 | 17 mi | 121.84 mi | 13 / 139 |
| Apr 10, 1965 | F4 | 24 mi | 4.7 mi | 6 / 200 |
| Mar 15, 1984 | F4 | 14 mi | 41 mi | 2 / 13 |
| May 2, 2008 | EF3 | 8 mi | 45.3 mi | 5 / 24 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F3 | 22 mi | 3.5 mi | 2 / 37 |
| Apr 30, 2010 | EF3 | 23 mi | 20.28 mi | 1 / 15 |
| Nov 27, 2005 | F3 | 22 mi | 15 mi | 1 / 8 |
| Dec 18, 2002 | F3 | 14 mi | 9.8 mi | 1 / 13 |
| Nov 15, 1988 | F3 | 7 mi | 29 mi | 1 / 10 |
| Dec 24, 1982 | F3 | 13 mi | 16.5 mi | 1 / 7 |
| Mar 29, 1976 | F3 | 11 mi | 16.5 mi | 1 / 6 |
The strongest 12 of 133, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Quitman
The Storm Prediction Center has 79 hail reports within 10 miles of Quitman since 1974, made on 57 separate days. Of these, 36 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on August 1, 1985. The most recent report is from May 8, 2025. April has the most reports, 26.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Quitman
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Greers Ferry Dam, AR, 14 miles northeast of Quitman at 527 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 48°F and 28°F. May is the wettest at 5.7 inches of precipitation on average and June and September the driest at 3.7 inches; the year adds up to 53.4 inches over 70 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 54 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 74 nights a year. Snowfall averages 2.6 inches a year, most of it in March and December. That 53.4 inches is more than at 65 of the 95 Arkansas stations used on this site (68%). Greenbrier, 15 miles southwest, has its own station (Greenbrier, AR): 50.7 inches a year, 2.7 less than here, and a July average high of 92°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | 28 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.6 |
| Feb | 54 | 31 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.6 |
| Mar | 62 | 39 | 4.9 | 7 | 0.7 |
| Apr | 72 | 47 | 5.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 79 | 57 | 5.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 3.7 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 91 | 70 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 91 | 68 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 84 | 61 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 73 | 49 | 4.2 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 61 | 39 | 5.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 51 | 31 | 4.9 | 6 | 0.7 |
| Year | 71 | 49 | 53.4 | 70 | 2.6 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Greers Ferry Dam, AR (527 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 Quitman
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 86 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Quitman: 67 thunderstorm wind reports, 12 flash floods, 3 lightning strikes, 2 floods and 2 heavy rain events. They killed 0 people and injured 6, and the NWS estimated $5.7 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on March 2, 2023. Of the 212 Arkansas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 50 have had fewer than Quitman.
April 24, 2014: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Quitman — 6 injured.
NWS: “Six workers were injured by lightning at a gas well drilling site near Fairview Rd. and Herring Rd.”
December 24, 2009: flood 9 miles from the centre of Quitman — $2.0 million damage.
December 24, 2009: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Quitman — $2.0 million damage.
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
Cleburne County, which includes Quitman, has been named in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1976, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 12 severe storms, 3 ice storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 hurricanes). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on April 3, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Cleburne County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Low for hail and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $23.2 million a year, the 19th highest of 75 Arkansas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $11.1 million (48%), 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 Quitman
- Rose Bud, AR9 mi
- Greers Ferry, AR11 mi
- Heber Springs, AR12 mi
- Fairfield Bay, AR14 mi
- Greenbrier, AR15 mi
- Romance, AR16 mi
- Shirley, AR17 mi
- Clinton, AR20 mi
- Vilonia, AR21 mi
- Pangburn, AR22 mi
- Conway, AR26 mi
- Beebe, AR27 mi
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