Sharp County, Arkansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 05135 · population 17,262 · 605 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 512 records for Sharp County, Arkansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 373 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (137 records). The deadliest day on its record was September 23, 2006: flash flood records filed for Sharp County that day count 2 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1969, 24 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
- 512on 373 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 433 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $243Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 22strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 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 Sharp County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 137 since 1979. 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 | 137 | 99 | 1979-2024 | 1 | 1 | $4.8M | 54 of 75 |
| Hail | 110 | 85 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 75 |
| Winter storms | 89 | 86 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 1 | $72M | 5 of 75 |
| Floods | 88 | 62 | 1997-2025 | 2 | 3 | $41M | 20 of 75 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 20 | 1956-2024 | 0 | 27 | $123M | 50 of 75 |
| Drought | 15 | 14 | 2000-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 of 75 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1998-2014 | 1 | 0 | – | 9 of 75 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 7 | 2008-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 75 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 2007-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 of 75 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 2007-2013 | 0 | 0 | $483K | 32 of 75 |
| Wildfires | 7 | 7 | 2010-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 75 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 5 | 2005-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 11 of 75 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1997-2009 | 0 | 1 | $16K | 25 of 75 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2006-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 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 Sharp County had?
NOAA records 22 tornadoes in Sharp County from 1956 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 27 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 24 tornadoes whose track touched Sharp County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people, 0 of them in Sharp County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-14 21:16, as SPC files it | Cushman to Pocahontas | EF3 | 80.97 mi | 3 |
| 2025-03-14 20:11, as SPC files it | CherokeeCrossed AR, MO | EF4 | 115.95 mi | 0 |
| 1982-12-24 17:00, as SPC files it | Van BurenCrossed AR, MO | F4 | 63 mi | 0 |
| 1996-03-05 19:45, as SPC files it | Sidney | F3 | 46.5 mi | 0 |
| 1982-12-02 18:45, as SPC files it | Cherokee | F3 | 9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Arkansas.
Every tornado record filed for Sharp County (22)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-26 | Sellers Store, Sharp County | EF1 6.6 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-06 | Evening Shade, Sharp County | EF0 1.48 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $81K |
| 2020-03-19 | Center, Sharp County | EF1 5.67 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2008-04-10 | Sitka, Sharp County | EF1 1.02 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2008-02-05 | Horseshoe Bend, Sharp County | EF3 14.76 mi x 580 yd | 0 | 15 | $41M |
| 2006-09-22 | Wirth, Sharp County | F2 7.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-09-22 | Evening Shade, Sharp County | F1 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-04-02 | Williford, Sharp County | F1 2.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-11-27 | Ballard, Sharp County | F1 0.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-11-05 | Sitka, Sharp County | F2 4.8 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 3 | – |
| 2004-11-01 | Cherokee Vlg, Sharp County | F0 1.8 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-07-29 | Cave City, Sharp County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-05-04 | Sidney, Sharp County | F1 0.6 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-04-05 | Cave City, Sharp County | F2 6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1997-03-01 | Cave City, Sharp County | F1 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 1996-03-05 | Sidney, Sharp County | F3 20 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.8M |
| 1994-11-27 | Poughkeepsie To 4 Se, Sharp County | F1 6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $995K |
| 1983-03-26 | Sharp County | F0 0.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1983-03-26 | Sharp County | F0 0.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1982-12-24 | Sharp County | F4 5 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-12-02 | Sharp County | F3 9 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 3 | $25M step |
| 1956-02-14 | Sharp County | F2 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $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 Sharp County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 21, 2022 thunderstorm wind ($71,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Delayed report...significant damage occurred around Ash Flat, including several large trees blown down, damage to power poles, and one home with a metal roof torn off. South of town, a few houses were damaged by fallen trees, and a few barns or outbuildings sustained wind damage as well. This report was relayed via NWSChat from Ash Flat Fire Department. The time is based on radar data.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1031251)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Heavy RainSidney, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-27 | HailAsh Flat, Sharp County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-04 | HailHardy Ozark Acres Ar, Sharp County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-28 | Flash FloodHardy, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-24 | Flash FloodMaxville, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-24 | Flash FloodEvening Shade, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-16 | HailHighland, Sharp County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-16 | HailHighland, Sharp County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-05 | Flash FloodBaker, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-05 | Flash FloodHardy, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-04 | FloodHardy, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-04 | Flash FloodCave City, Sharp County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-26 | Thunderstorm WindGrange, Sharp County A house was destroyed and the 48 year-old woman inside was thrown out and killed. Trees and power lines in the area were blown down. | 70 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $164K |
| 2006-09-23 | Flash FloodHardy, Sharp County Water rescues continued at the Riverbend campground and the Spring River Beach Club. Some people were in trees to avoid the water. One man was swept away by the water and drowned. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-09-23 | Flash FloodWilliford, Sharp County Martins Creek was out of its banks, and was flowing over U.S. Highway 63. Water was also over Martin Creek Road, and a vehicle was swept away. A young man in the vehicle drowned. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-03-10 | Cold/Wind ChillSharp County · forecast zone Sharp Unseasonably cold air overspread much of Arkansas in the first half of March. A man, who was restricted to a wheelchair, ventured outside in the very cold weather. He overturned in his wheelchair and was unable to get back up into it. After a period of several hours outdoors exposed to the cold air, he was eventually ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-02-05 | TornadoHorseshoe Bend, Sharp County The tornado moved out of Izard County, south of Horseshoe Bend, and into Sharp County, northwest of Evening Shade. According to a survey by the Red Cross, 30 houses were destroyed, 7 suffered major damage, 17 had minor damage, and 11 others were affected. In addition, 10 mobile homes were destroyed, 1 had major ... | EF3 14.76 mi x 580 yd | 0 | 15 | $41M |
| 2005-11-05 | TornadoSitka, Sharp County A strong tornado touched down briefly in Sharp County about a mile southwest of Sitka. Estimated winds with the tornado were about 115 mph. The worst damage noted was at the intersection of Lone Oak Road and Summerfield Creek Road. One mobile home was demolished, with contents strewn well across a field. Another ... | F2 4.8 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 3 | – |
| 2003-09-02 | Flash FloodHardy Ozark Acres Ar, Sharp County Heavy rains caused widespread flooding across Sharp County. A number of highways and county roads were closed due to high water levels. Several vehicles were washed off some roadways. Three people suffered minor injuries when their car was washed off and low water crossing near Ozark Acres and flipped over. They were ... | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1994-11-27 | TornadoPoughkeepsie To 4 Se, Sharp County An F1 tornado touched down 1 mile north of Poughkeepsie and travelled 6 miles on the ground before lifting 4 miles southeast of Sitka. Damage along the path of the tornado consisted of a large number of trees being knocked down. Two mobile homes were destroyed. Three people were in one of the mobile homes at the time ... | F1 6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $995K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-02-05 | TornadoHorseshoe Bend, Sharp County | EF3 14.76 mi x 580 yd | 0 | 15 | $41M |
| 2008-03-18 | FloodHardy, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | $21M | |
| 2011-05-01 | FloodWirth, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | $6.2M | |
| 1996-03-05 | TornadoSidney, Sharp County | F3 20 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.8M |
| 2008-03-18 | Flash FloodWirth, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2011-04-24 | FloodHardy, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 2013-12-05 | Winter StormSharp County · forecast zone Sharp | 0 | 1 | $1.5M | |
| 2011-04-26 | FloodWirth, Sharp County | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: December 2, 1982 (tornado, Sharp 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 Sharp 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 | 12 | 32 | 40 | 35 | 17 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 32 | 40 | 21 | 12 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 22 | 41 | 21 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 34 | 25 | 25 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 3 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 14 | 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 Sharp County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 39 · Feb 44 · Mar 53 · Apr 79 · May 61 · Jun 30 · Jul 51 · Aug 43 · Sep 37 · Oct 17 · Nov 25 · Dec 33 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sharp County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Sharp County: 19 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (11) 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 |
| 2025-05-08 | DR-4865 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2009-02-06 | 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 |
| 2003-01-06 | DR-1450 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 2000-12-29 | DR-1354 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1997-04-14 | DR-1176 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms |
| 1991-05-30 | DR-907 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1982-12-13 | DR-673 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1976-12-03 | EM-3019 | Drought | Drought |
| 1975-06-07 | DR-471 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 Sharp County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 88 flood or flash flood records for Sharp County from 1997 to 2025, on 62 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sharp County ranks 1245th 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 $3.6 million on 113 claims filed in Sharp County; the most in one year was 53 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 2 · 1984: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2006: 9 · 2008: 53 · 2009: 4 · 2011: 17 · 2017: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2025: 22; 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 Sharp County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sharp County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.7 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 | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $760K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $62K | 8.2 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.9M | once in about 171 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $6K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $576K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Sharp 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 Sharp CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sharp County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis