NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Smackover, 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
11 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Smackover, Arkansas since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Laura in 2020. Since 1950, 78 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 9 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 11
- Tornadoes
- 78
- EF3 or stronger
- 9
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
5 deaths in all
What the records show for Smackover
None of the 11 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Smackover; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1909, a tropical storm with 63 mph winds when its centre passed 72 miles away. The record near Smackover begins with an unnamed storm in 1865; the most recent system was Laura in 2020, a tropical storm 1 mile away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 2 systems. Of the 11 systems, one has come since 2000. Smackover has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 92% of the 213 Arkansas cities on this site. The strongest of the 78 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on December 19, 1957; its path came within 20 miles, and it killed 2 people. The deadliest, an F3 on January 12, 2005, killed 2 people. Of the 78, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 43 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 20. The most recent tornado was on July 8, 2024. Of the 213 Arkansas cities, 72% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Smackover. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 50 times since 1958, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 213 Arkansas cities, 86% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Smackover.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Smackover
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | LauraAug 27 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1965 | BetsySep 11 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 28 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 24 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 22 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormSep 21 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1905 | Unnamed 1905 stormSep 30 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormJul 7 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormOct 13 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 23 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1865 | Unnamed 1865 stormSep 14 | 24 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 Smackover: 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 Smackover
By decade
- 2020s6
- 2010s10
- 2000s27(2 EF3+)
- 1990s9(2 EF3+)
- 1980s5(1 EF3+)
- 1970s12(2 EF3+)
- 1960s5
- 1950s4(2 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 19, 1957 | F4 | 20 mi | 17.7 mi | 2 / 9 |
| Jan 12, 2005 | F3 | 17 mi | 24 mi | 2 / 13 |
| Feb 24, 2007 | EF3 | 20 mi | 26 mi | 0 / 5 |
| May 4, 1999 | F3 | 20 mi | 9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 3, 1999 | F3 | 24 mi | 14.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 3, 1982 | F3 | 14 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Apr 8, 1979 | F3 | 16 mi | 62.4 mi | 0 / 18 |
| Mar 28, 1972 | F3 | 21 mi | 10.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1954 | F3 | 23 mi | 111.6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Dec 3, 1978 | F2 | 11 mi | 6.4 mi | 1 / 7 |
| Jun 18, 2023 | EF2 | 18 mi | 10.31 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 29, 2009 | EF2 | 23 mi | 25.86 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 78, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Smackover
The Storm Prediction Center has 50 hail reports within 10 miles of Smackover since 1958, made on 35 separate days. Of these, 35 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on March 13, 2016. The most recent report is from April 26, 2025. May has the most reports, 15.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Smackover
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is El Dorado S Ar Regional Airport, AR, 10 miles southwest of Smackover at 252 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 94°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 56°F and 34°F. December is the wettest at 5.6 inches of precipitation on average and September the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 52.1 inches over 70 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 43% of the year's precipitation (22.3 of 52.1 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 11 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (6); a normal September there has highs of 88°F and 3.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 88 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 53 nights a year. That 52.1 inches is more than at 54 of the 95 Arkansas stations used on this site (57%). Camden, 16 miles north, has its own station (Camden 1, AR): 53.2 inches a year, 1.1 more than here, and a July average high of 92°F against 94°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 34 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Feb | 60 | 37 | 4.5 | 6 |
| Mar | 69 | 44 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Apr | 76 | 51 | 5.4 | 7 |
| May | 84 | 61 | 4.8 | 7 |
| Jun | 91 | 68 | 3.9 | 6 |
| Jul | 94 | 71 | 3.4 | 6 |
| Aug | 94 | 70 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Sep | 88 | 63 | 3.2 | 4 |
| Oct | 78 | 52 | 4.6 | 5 |
| Nov | 66 | 42 | 3.8 | 6 |
| Dec | 58 | 36 | 5.6 | 6 |
| Year | 76 | 52 | 52.1 | 70 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at El Dorado S Ar Regional Airport, AR (252 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 Smackover
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 89 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Smackover: 46 thunderstorm wind reports, 31 flash floods, 10 floods and 2 heavy rain events. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on January 16, 2017. Of the 212 Arkansas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 158 have had fewer than Smackover.
May 4, 2009: flood 7 miles from the centre of Smackover — $600,000 damage.
NWS: “The stage at Camden remained above flood stage from the 4th of May into June. The crest of the river was the highest since flooding in 1990.”
September 17, 2009: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Smackover — $150,000 damage.
NWS: “S. Highway 278 between Locust Bayou and Hampton was closed due to flooding.”
October 9, 2009: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Smackover — $150,000 damage.
NWS: “Trees were down along Arkansas Highway 7 south of Camden. Five homes sustained 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
Flood insurance policyholders in Smackover's ZIP code 71762 have filed 20 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1986, and were paid $273,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 5% 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, 27 have fewer than Smackover.
Union County, which includes Smackover, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1968, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 floods, 5 severe 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 Union County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, strong wind, lightning and heat waves; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail and inland flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $12.6 million a year, the 38th highest of 75 Arkansas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $4.9 million (39%), 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 Smackover
- El Dorado, AR10 mi
- Camden, AR16 mi
- Hampton, AR19 mi
- Junction City, AR20 mi
- Bearden, AR27 mi
- Strong, AR27 mi
- Magnolia, AR28 mi
- Waldo, AR33 mi
- Haynesville, LA35 mi
- Bernice, LA36 mi
- Fordyce, AR38 mi
- Warren, AR42 mi
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