Fulton County, Arkansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 05049 · population 12,050 · 618 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 433 records for Fulton County, Arkansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 320 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (146 records). The deadliest single record is the April 2, 1982 tornado: 2 deaths and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1969, 26 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
- 433on 320 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 532 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $89Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 22strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 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 Fulton County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 146 since 1956. 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 | 146 | 100 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 4 | $2.0M | 56 of 75 |
| Hail | 88 | 70 | 1967-2026 | 0 | 0 | $112K | 55 of 75 |
| Winter storms | 85 | 83 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $71M | 7 of 75 |
| Floods | 40 | 35 | 1997-2025 | 1 | 0 | $12M | 47 of 75 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 19 | 1959-2024 | 4 | 28 | $2.5M | 55 of 75 |
| Drought | 10 | 10 | 2000-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 73 of 75 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 9 | 2007-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 75 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 6 | 2009-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 75 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 2007-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 64 of 75 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 2007-2013 | 0 | 0 | $483K | 33 of 75 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 2005-2012 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 34 of 75 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 75 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 47 of 75 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2012-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 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 Fulton County had?
NOAA records 22 tornadoes in Fulton County from 1959 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 4 deaths and 28 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 22 tornadoes whose track touched Fulton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 5 people, 4 of them in Fulton County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-04-02 18:20, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 1.5 mi | 2 |
| 2024-05-26 02:59, as SPC files it | Gassville | EF3 | 34.6 mi | 1 |
| 2001-02-24 16:46, as SPC files it | Salem | F2 | 8 mi | 1 |
| 1959-03-14 20:30, as SPC files it | KoshkonongCrossed AR, MO | F2 | 11 mi | 1 |
| 1982-12-24 17:00, as SPC files it | Van BurenCrossed AR, MO | F4 | 63 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Arkansas.
Every tornado record filed for Fulton County (22)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-26 | Wheeling, Fulton County | EF1 10.4 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-26 | Ruth, Fulton County | EF0 2.5 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-11-10 | Salem, Fulton County | F1 13.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-09-22 | Saddle, Fulton County | F2 5.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-03-12 | Byron, Fulton County | F0 1.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-11-27 | Agnos, Fulton County | F1 5.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-11-27 | Vidette, Fulton County | F1 1.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-11-05 | Moko, Fulton County | F1 5.4 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2003-04-20 | Vidette, Fulton County | F1 10 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-02-24 | Union, Fulton County | F2 8 mi x 300 yd | 1 | 3 | – |
| 2000-01-03 | Fryatt, Fulton County | F1 3.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-01-03 | Agnos, Fulton County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-04-03 | Mammoth Spg, Fulton County | F1 4.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 1991-03-21 | Fulton County | F1 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-06-06 | Fulton County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1984-04-03 | Fulton County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-12-24 | Fulton County | F4 15 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1982-04-02 | Fulton County | F3 1.5 mi x 880 yd | 2 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1979-04-11 | Fulton County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-06-24 | Fulton County | F2 6.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1968-05-15 | Fulton County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1959-03-14 | Fulton County | F2 3.6 mi x 417 yd | 1 | 15 | $25K 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 Fulton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 15, 2022 hail ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Four inch hail was estimated and windshields were broken.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1020106)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-27 | HailKittle, Fulton County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-16 | HailMammoth Spg, Fulton County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-16 | HailCamp, Fulton County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindVidette, Fulton County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-04 | HailSalem, Fulton County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormFulton County · forecast zone Fulton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-05 | Flash FloodMammoth Spg, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-04 | Flash FloodSalem, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-04 | FloodSturkie, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-18 | Winter StormFulton County · forecast zone Fulton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-09 | Winter StormFulton County · forecast zone Fulton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-26 | TornadoWheeling, Fulton County | EF1 10.4 mi x 500 yd | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-04-02 | TornadoFulton County | F3 1.5 mi x 880 yd | 2 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1959-03-14 | TornadoFulton County | F2 3.6 mi x 417 yd | 1 | 15 | $25K step |
| 2001-02-24 | TornadoUnion, Fulton County A strong tornado was spawned in southern Fulton County about 3 miles west of Union. The tornado moved quickly northeast, and caused considerable damage. Roofs were damaged at several homes, with a dairly barn heavily damaged. Three mobile homes were destroyed. In one of the mobile homes about 5.5 miles southwest of ... | F2 8 mi x 300 yd | 1 | 3 | – |
| 2012-03-20 | FloodFrench, Fulton County Heavy rain caused flooding along the South Fork of the Spring River. On the 24th at the Kia Kima Scout Reservation, a 4 year-old boy was helping clean up the area. According to news reports, a group of older boys left the clean-up site to return to the camping area. Sometime thereafter, the younger boy asked if he ... | 1 | 0 | $26K | |
| 1982-12-24 | TornadoFulton County | F4 15 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1986-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindFulton County | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 1999-04-03 | TornadoMammoth Spg, Fulton County A weak tornado was spawned in northeast Fulton County. The tornado developed about 3 miles southwest of Mammoth Spring and moved northeast. The tornado destroyed a mobile home and damaged another. A recreational vehicle was also badly damaged. Roof damage was also noted at a number of homes and a couple of ... | F1 4.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2005-11-05 | TornadoMoko, Fulton County A weak tornado touched down briefly in Fulton County, about 3 miles east of Moko. Estimated winds with the tornado were about 110 mph. A house had shingles off, a broken window and the porch was shifted.One person in the house sustained minor injuries from flying debris. Another house had broken windows and several ... | F1 5.4 mi x 250 yd | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-01 | FloodVidette, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | |
| 2011-04-26 | FloodVidette, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2013-12-05 | Winter StormFulton County · forecast zone Fulton | 0 | 0 | $950K | |
| 2016-05-09 | Thunderstorm WindSalem, Fulton County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $615K |
| 2007-01-13 | Flash FloodSalem, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | $441K | |
| 2012-12-09 | Thunderstorm WindGepp, Fulton County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $321K |
| 2012-12-25 | Winter StormFulton County · forecast zone Fulton | 0 | 0 | $257K | |
| 2012-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindFlint Springs, Fulton County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $129K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 2, 1982 (tornado, Fulton County, 2 killed); December 24, 1982 (tornado, Fulton County); March 21, 1991 (tornado, Fulton 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 Fulton 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 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 31 | 55 | 36 | 13 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 31 | 16 | 12 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 22 | 38 | 20 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 20 | 13 | 6 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 2 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 9 | 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 Fulton County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 36 · Feb 33 · Mar 42 · Apr 74 · May 62 · Jun 20 · Jul 35 · Aug 53 · Sep 15 · Oct 15 · Nov 19 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Fulton County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Fulton County: 20 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (12) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3636 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-05-21 | DR-4873 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2025-04-05 | EM-3627 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2024-05-30 | DR-4788 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-08-27 | EM-3541 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4518 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3461 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-06-15 | DR-4318 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-04-29 | DR-4174 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2014-01-06 | DR-4160 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011-05-02 | DR-1975 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated 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 |
| 2009-02-06 | DR-1819 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-01-28 | EM-3301 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-03-26 | DR-1751 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2006-04-12 | DR-1636 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2005-09-02 | EM-3215 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-06-06 | DR-1472 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2003-01-06 | DR-1450 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 2000-12-29 | DR-1354 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1991-05-30 | DR-907 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1982-12-13 | DR-673 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1982-04-23 | EM-3085 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1976-12-03 | EM-3019 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973-04-27 | DR-375 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-01-27 | DR-321 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-02-15 | DR-254 | 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 Fulton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 40 flood or flash flood records for Fulton County from 1997 to 2025, on 35 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Fulton County ranks 1558th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Ike | 2008-09-13 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.7 million on 61 claims filed in Fulton County; the most in one year was 19 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1989: 1 · 2006: 2 · 2008: 19 · 2009: 4 · 2011: 9 · 2015: 4 · 2017: 12 · 2021: 1 · 2025: 9; 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 Fulton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Fulton County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.4 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 | Very High | $2.3M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $335K | 2.7 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $710K | once in about 202 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $3K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $443K | 10 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.2M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $901K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $35K | 8.5 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Fulton 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 Fulton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Fulton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis