Tornadoes Near Fort Smith, AR
172 tornadoes have been recorded within 30 miles of Fort Smith, AR since 1950, 18 of them rated F3 or stronger. The closest came within 0 miles. Every track below is drawn from the National Weather Service damage survey record.
No recorded tornadoes within 30 miles. Try a wider radius.
Track data from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, covering every confirmed US tornado from 1950 onward. For the events with a full damage survey, see the storm archive.
Has a tornado ever hit Fort Smith?
Yes. 172 tornadoes have been recorded within 30 miles of Fort Smith, AR since 1950. The closest passed within 0 miles on May 18, 2019, rated EF1.
What was the strongest tornado near Fort Smith?
The strongest on record nearby was the F5 of March 26, 1976, which came within 10 miles and carved a track 11.9 miles long. 18 of the 172 tornadoes recorded near Fort Smith were rated F3 or stronger.
What is the deadliest tornado near Fort Smith?
The deadliest nearby was the F4 of May 5, 1960, which killed 16 people and passed within 26.2 miles. Across the whole 30 mile radius, recorded tornadoes have killed 56 and injured 700 since 1950.
When is tornado season in Fort Smith?
The record does not describe a season so much as a pattern: the 2010s were the most active decade near Fort Smith, AR, with 43 tornadoes recorded. Counts have risen across the country over time partly because detection and reporting improved, not only because more tornadoes occurred, so older decades are undercounted rather than genuinely quiet.
Tornadoes Near Fort Smith by Decade
Counts cover a 30 mile radius around the centre of Fort Smith, AR and come from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. This is a historical record and not a warning service.