Newton County, Arkansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 05101 · population 7,210 · 821 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 535 records for Newton County, Arkansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 371 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (152 records). The deadliest single record is the February 19, 2002 lightning: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 30 declarations naming the county since 1969, 28 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
- 535on 371 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 27 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $20Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 30latest 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 Newton County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 152 since 1967. 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 | 152 | 107 | 1967-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 71 of 75 |
| Hail | 142 | 103 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 47 of 75 |
| Winter storms | 129 | 108 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $1.7M | 9 of 75 |
| Floods | 39 | 33 | 1999-2024 | 1 | 0 | $13M | 70 of 75 |
| Drought | 17 | 17 | 2000-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 64 of 75 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 15 | 1961-2024 | 0 | 3 | $1.5M | 73 of 75 |
| Heat | 9 | 9 | 2007-2012 | 0 | 2 | – | 66 of 75 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 6 | 2013-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 75 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 7 | 2007-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 75 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 2007-2013 | 0 | 0 | $483K | 49 of 75 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 2005-2012 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 46 of 75 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 75 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 1 | 1 | – | 65 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 Newton County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in Newton County from 1961 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 3 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Newton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 0 of them in Newton County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-11-23 19:36, as SPC files it | Wiederkehr | F2 | 31.5 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Arkansas.
Every tornado record filed for Newton County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-04 | Fallsville, Newton County | EFU 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-02-16 | Fallsville, Newton County | EF1 3.4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $194K |
| 2022-05-21 | Mossville, Newton County | EF0 1.04 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-03-06 | Mossville, Newton County | EF2 25.95 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 1 | $241K |
| 2014-09-17 | Mt Hersey, Newton County | EF0 2.32 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2011-04-23 | Arbaugh, Newton County | EF1 28.02 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 2009-05-01 | Walnut, Newton County | EF0 0.66 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2006-04-06 | Marble Falls, Newton County | F0 1.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-11-23 | Swain, Newton County | F2 18.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-11-23 | Fallsville, Newton County | F2 1.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-11-10 | Jasper, Newton County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-06-07 | Mt. Judea-, Newton County | F1 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1994-04-11 | Low Gap, Newton County | F0 0.2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 1991-03-21 | Newton County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-03-20 | Newton County | F2 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1961-03-12 | Newton County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Newton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 16, 2023 tornado ($194,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
This tornado touched down approximately one mile north of the community of Fallsville, AR along the ridgeline north of town where it began to track northeastward. Damage consisted of many trees that were snapped or uprooted along with several outbuildings/barns that were damaged or completely destroyed along its path. A few homes had minor structural damage. The tornado lifted just west of Arkansas State Highway 21 after tracking 3.4 miles.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1081382)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-28 | HailHasty, Newton County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | HailJasper, Newton County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormNewton County · forecast zone Newton County Lower Elevations | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormNewton County · forecast zone Newton County Higher Elevations | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-04 | Winter WeatherNewton County · forecast zone Newton County Lower Elevations | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindLurton, Newton County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-18 | Winter StormNewton County · forecast zone Newton County Lower Elevations | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-18 | Winter StormNewton County · forecast zone Newton County Higher Elevations | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-10 | Winter WeatherNewton County · forecast zone Newton County Higher Elevations | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-10 | Winter WeatherNewton County · forecast zone Newton County Lower Elevations | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-09 | Winter StormNewton County · forecast zone Newton County Higher Elevations | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-09 | Winter StormNewton County · forecast zone Newton County Lower Elevations | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-02-19 | LightningBen Hur, Newton County Two men were unloading wood from a truck at a campsite when lightning struck. One man was killed by the lightning strike and the other suffered burns. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2011-05-24 | FloodGeorge, Newton County Heavy rain produced flooding along the Buffalo National River. A 21 year-old man swimming in the river at Blue Hole (between Hasty and Piercetown) drowned on the evening of the 24th. He had swum across the river and was swimming back across when the current carried him away. His body was recovered five days later. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-07-21 | HeatNewton County · forecast zone Newton Two Youth Conservation Corps workers, females 15 and 16 years old, were overcome by heat while working on the Hemmed-in-Hollow Trail in the Ponca Wilderness of the Buffalo National River. The incident occurred near California Point. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1962-03-20 | TornadoNewton County | F2 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 2017-03-06 | TornadoMossville, Newton County An EF-2 tornado cut a 36.7 mile path across Newton and Searcy counties. The damage included trees being uprooted and snapped. Several residences were damaged. The post office at Parthenon was destroyed. Maximum winds with this tornado were 120 mph. This tornado touched down north of Mossville in Newton County, and ... | EF2 25.95 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 1 | $241K |
| 2014-03-16 | Winter WeatherNewton County · forecast zone Newton On the 16th, rain fell over much of Arkansas. A cold front moved into the state at late morning and the colder air behind the front changed the rain to snow over parts of northern Arkansas on the afternoon of the 16th. Accumulations were generally in the 1 to 3 inch range, but in Boone County, Harrison reported 5 ... | 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 | FloodCompton, Newton County | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | |
| 2011-04-26 | FloodCompton, Newton County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 1994-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindDogpatch, Newton County | 0 | 0 | $995K | |
| 2009-10-29 | Flash FloodCompton, Newton County | 0 | 0 | $963K | |
| 2011-04-23 | TornadoArbaugh, Newton County | EF1 28.02 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 2008-09-13 | Tropical StormNewton County · forecast zone Newton | 0 | 0 | $651K | |
| 2002-12-03 | Winter StormNewton County · forecast zone Newton | 0 | 0 | $476K | |
| 2006-12-30 | FloodJasper, Newton County | 0 | 0 | $406K |
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: March 20, 1962 (tornado, Newton County); March 21, 1991 (tornado, Newton 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 Newton 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 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 46 | 48 | 33 | 8 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 46 | 44 | 21 | 20 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 28 | 45 | 51 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 22 | 10 | 6 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 16 | 0 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
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 Newton County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 53 · Feb 56 · Mar 74 · Apr 74 · May 68 · Jun 42 · Jul 32 · Aug 32 · Sep 19 · Oct 22 · Nov 30 · Dec 33 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Newton County
FEMA's register lists 30 declarations that include Newton County: 23 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (15) 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 |
| 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 |
| 2019-09-13 | DR-4460 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2017-06-15 | DR-4318 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-06-26 | DR-4226 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-01-06 | DR-4160 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2013-09-04 | DR-4143 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2009-02-06 | DR-1819 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-01-28 | EM-3301 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-10-22 | DR-1804 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Ike |
| 2008-03-26 | DR-1751 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2008-02-07 | DR-1744 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-02 | EM-3215 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-05-07 | DR-1516 | Severe Storm | Sever Storms, Flooding and Landslides |
| 2003-06-06 | DR-1472 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2003-01-06 | DR-1450 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 2001-03-13 | DR-1363 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2000-12-29 | DR-1354 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1997-03-02 | DR-1162 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1990-05-15 | DR-865 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1982-12-13 | DR-673 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1976-12-03 | EM-3019 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 Newton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 39 flood or flash flood records for Newton County from 1999 to 2024, on 33 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Newton County ranks 2477th 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 $119,000 on 7 claims filed in Newton County; the most in one year was 1 in 1983. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 1 · 1996: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2017: 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 Newton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Newton County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $540K | 58 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $299K | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $12K | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $760K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $432K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $217K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $21K | 9.3 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $30K | once in about 404 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Newton 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 Newton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Newton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)30 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis