Cleveland County, Arkansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 05025 · population 7,546 · 598 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 365 records for Cleveland County, Arkansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 271 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (134 records). The most damaging was the September 2, 2008 tropical depression ($1.4 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1973, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 365on 271 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 03 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $13Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Cleveland County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 134 since 1978. The rank column places the county among Arkansas's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 134 | 95 | 1978-2026 | 0 | 1 | $2.4M | 59 of 75 |
| Hail | 82 | 64 | 1975-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 75 |
| Winter storms | 47 | 45 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $317K | 47 of 75 |
| Floods | 39 | 34 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | 45 of 75 |
| Drought | 17 | 17 | 2000-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 75 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 11 | 1953-2012 | 0 | 2 | $1.9M | 72 of 75 |
| Heat | 10 | 10 | 2007-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 75 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 8 | 2006-2013 | 0 | 0 | $515K | 17 of 75 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 6 | 2005-2020 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 2 of 75 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 2007-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 50 of 75 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2006-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 75 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 58 of 75 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 75 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Cleveland County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Cleveland County from 1953 to 2012, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 11 tornadoes whose track touched Cleveland County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Arkansas.
Every tornado record filed for Cleveland County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-01-22 | Kingsland, Cleveland County | EF2 7.36 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $129K |
| 2010-05-01 | Herbine, Cleveland County | EF1 0.46 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2008-03-14 | New Edinburg, Cleveland County | EF2 9.4 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2004-11-01 | Calmer, Cleveland County | F1 0.7 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-11-26 | Orlando, Cleveland County | F2 9.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-04-25 | Cleveland County | F2 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-05-03 | Cleveland County | F0 0.3 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-05-14 | Cleveland County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1960-05-06 | Cleveland County | F2 19.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-07-19 | Cleveland County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1953-01-07 | Cleveland County | F2 4.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Cleveland County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 29, 2013 thunderstorm wind ($317,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A microburst damaged three chicken houses, one severely, and two sheds. Several large pine trees were blown down.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 422690)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | HailRye, Cleveland County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindSaline, Cleveland County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindKingsland, Cleveland County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-30 | Thunderstorm WindHerbine, Cleveland County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindKedron, Cleveland County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-03 | HailStaves, Cleveland County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindRison, Cleveland County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindRison, Cleveland County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindKedron, Cleveland County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-01 | Thunderstorm WindRison, Cleveland County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-01 | HailWoodlawn, Cleveland County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-12 | Thunderstorm WindRison, Cleveland County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-01-07 | TornadoCleveland County | F2 4.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $3K step |
| 2000-05-12 | Thunderstorm WindRye, Cleveland County Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines near Rye. There was one injury reported. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-02 | Tropical DepressionCleveland County · forecast zone Cleveland | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2008-03-14 | TornadoNew Edinburg, Cleveland County | EF2 9.4 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2008-09-03 | FloodStaves, Cleveland County | 0 | 0 | $493K | |
| 2009-10-29 | Flash FloodStaves, Cleveland County | 0 | 0 | $447K | |
| 2009-12-24 | Flash FloodStaves, Cleveland County | 0 | 0 | $413K | |
| 2009-05-06 | FloodStaves, Cleveland County | 0 | 0 | $344K | |
| 2009-12-27 | FloodChowan, Cleveland County | 0 | 0 | $344K | |
| 2013-01-29 | Thunderstorm WindRye, Cleveland County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $317K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 6, 1960 (tornado, Cleveland County); April 25, 1982 (tornado, Cleveland County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Cleveland County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 37 | 45 | 22 | 15 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 32 | 14 | 6 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 26 | 8 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 25 | 7 | 5 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 16 | 0 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Cleveland County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 24 · Feb 30 · Mar 31 · Apr 48 · May 58 · Jun 42 · Jul 28 · Aug 30 · Sep 13 · Oct 20 · Nov 19 · Dec 22 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Cleveland County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Cleveland County: 15 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and hurricane (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3636 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-04-05 | EM-3627 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2023-04-04 | DR-4700 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-08-27 | EM-3541 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020-07-10 | DR-4556 | Tornado | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4518 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3461 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-05-06 | DR-4270 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-05-02 | DR-1975 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding |
| 2010-02-04 | DR-1872 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2009-12-03 | DR-1861 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2009-06-16 | DR-1845 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2008-09-18 | DR-1793 | Hurricane | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Hurricane Gustav |
| 2005-09-02 | EM-3215 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-03-13 | DR-1363 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2000-12-29 | DR-1354 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 2000-12-28 | EM-3159 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1997-04-14 | DR-1176 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms |
| 1994-02-28 | DR-1011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1991-05-30 | DR-907 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-04-27 | DR-375 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Cleveland County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 39 flood or flash flood records for Cleveland County from 1999 to 2023, on 34 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Cleveland County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Ike | 2008-09-13 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Gustav | 2008-09-02 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $58,000 on 4 claims filed in Cleveland County; the most in one year was 1 in 1981. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Cleveland County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cleveland County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.9 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $178K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $335K | once in about 313 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $262K | 19 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $113K | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $548K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $222K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $59K | 63 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $51K | once in about 42 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Cleveland County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in ArkansasEvery Arkansas tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in ArkansasThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Arkansas recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Cleveland CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Cleveland County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis