Stats
Path length: 121.84 miles
Width: 1320 yards
Fatalities: 13
Injuries: 139
Rating: EF4
County: Yell, Pope, Conway, Van Buren, Stone, Izard, Sharp
Tornado Path
Click Map To Enlarge
SPC coordinates: Start: 35.0975 / -93.0733 End: 36.2859 / -91.4714
Corrected Coordinates based on Satellite Imagery (This is what we have mapped, not the SPC Coordinates):
Start: 35.0975 / -93.0733 End: 36.290086/-91.477565
Veers in path: 35.174189/-92.982060, 35.297867/-92.834019, 35.463279/-92.612998, 35.599599/-92.428486, 35.714607/-92.274462, 36.045550/-91.826990, 36.261983,-91.527674
Note: Exact tornado path may not be straight and/or continuous.
Summary
The second-largest February tornado outbreak since 1950 occurred during the evening of February 5 and the early morning of February 6, 2008. The event began on Super Tuesday, while 24 U.S. states held primary elections and caucuses to select the presidential candidates for the upcoming presidential election. 87 tornadoes occurred in nine states, with 57 fatalities in four states. There were five violent EF4 tornadoes reported: 2 in Tennessee, 2 in Alabama, and 1 in Arkansas.
The GOES satellite infrared imagery of the storms that spawned the twisters via NOAA Visualizations
This summary looks at the long-track EF4 tornado that pushed through 7 counties in Arkansas on February 5, 2008. This is the longest tornado path on record (1950-current) in the state. Two National Weather Service meteorologists confirmed a continuous track. They flew the track with the Civil Air Patrol. The final track was based on ground surveys, the Civil Air Patrol flight, and an aerial mapping flight performed by the Arkansas Forestry Commission.
Here is a chart from the NWS Little Rock about this long-track record:
This tornado began two miles SSE of Neely in Yell County. Minor EF0 tree damage was recorded. It moved into the Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge in Pope County. Damage here increased to EF1 status. Trees were blown down on the southeast side of the refuge.
The tornado moved back into Yell County in the Carden Bottoms area. There was minor EF0 rated damage to two structures, and numerous trees were blown down. The tornado moved across the Arkansas River and SW of Atkins, back in Pope County.
The tornado strengthened in this area, and the width grew to 1050 yards. Per the Red Cross, 46 homes were destroyed, and 19 homes had major damage. Six mobile homes and several businesses were destroyed. Countless trees, power lines, and power poles were blown down. The tornado crossed I-40, and numerous cars were blown off the road.
A fatality occurred in Lucky Landing. A woman was thrown from her mobile home. On the east side of Atkins, Jimmy, Dana, and Emmy Cherry were killed in their destroyed home.
In the Happy Bend community, a man left his mobile home and took shelter in a large, metal, intermodal shipping container. The container was blown hundreds of yards into the woods, and the man was killed.
The tornado left Pope County and entered Conway County west of Hattieville. The tornado maintained EF3 strength in this county. Per FEMA, 56 residences (houses and mobile homes) suffered damage. 32 were destroyed. Numerous chicken houses were destroyed, and approximately 80,000 chickens were killed.
An elderly couple was killed SSW of Cleveland when their mobile home was destroyed.
The tornado moved into Van Buren County, SSE of Beverage Town. It strengthened to an EF4. Per the Red Cross, 41 houses and 21 mobile homes were destroyed. A boat factory in Clinton was demolished, and a church and several businesses had significant damage. There were three fatalities in this county. One person was killed in a home 3.2 miles SSW of Clinton, one died at the boat factory, and one person passed away in a mobile home near Shirley.
The tornado continued its long-track into Stone County, SW of Rushing. It maintained EF4 status. Per the Red Cross, 24 houses and 14 mobile homes were destroyed. There was major damage to businesses near the intersection of Arkansas Highways 5 and 14 on the SE side of Mountain View. A car dealership was destroyed. Some of the cars on the sales lot were thrown across the highway. One of the cars was lifted over a building and tossed into a ravine. A utility pole was pulled out of the ground, and then a large part of the pole was “jammed back into the ground with all the wires still attached.”
The Stone County Medical Center had extensive damage. Several doctors’ offices were destroyed. Major damage occurred at a fire station, body shop, paint shop, and car parts store.
One person was killed in a house east of the Highway 5/14 intersection.
This twister moved out of Stone County and into Izard County NW of Guion. Damage was found to be EF3. FEMA reported 43 residences (homes and mobile homes) were destroyed. A cattle farmer lost hundreds of cattle. There was a fatality in a mobile home in the Rose Trail ara, and another death occurred in a mobile home in Zion.
The tornado was close to coming to an end. It left Izard county and moved into Sharp County NW of Evening Shade. Damage in the county was still estimated at EF3. Per the Red Cross, 30 homes and 10 mobile homes were destroyed. About 40 businesses along US Highway 62/412 in Highland were damaged/destroyed. A church was also destroyed. The tornado ended NE of Highland.
Images from the NWS Little Rock Summary
The NWS in Little Rock encountered some interesting things during their survey and shared their stories on this page:
https://www.weather.gov/lzk/stories020508yr.htm
One example: A license plate was driven into a tree by a tornado (rated EF4) near Zion (Izard County) on 02/05/2008. The plate has been modified for privacy.
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