National Weather Service confirms path and damage information for two tornadoes that hit Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Natural State has been reeling after severe storms produced multiple tornadoes that devastated parts of Little Rock and central Arkansas.

Monday, crews with the National Weather Service reported their findings of two different storms that formed in Arkansas Friday evening.

The first tornado started just southwest of Kanis Road near Hartford Street where it uprooted trees before moving northeast towards Kanis.

Crews said that the tornado rapidly began to intensify as it passed northeast over Chenal Parkway where it severely damaged several apartment buildings off of Napa Valley Drive.

After crossing over Interstate-430 near the North Rodney Parham Road interchange, the storm damaged a shopping center, including a Kroger and many more homes and businesses.

NWS crews said that Between I-430 and Cantrell Road is where many homes and apartments were severely damaged, with roofs ripped off and hundreds of trees uprooted.

The storm then crossed Cantrell near Foxtrot Road and damaged more apartments and businesses before moving towards the Cammack Village neighborhood where it also uprooted and snapped trees at Murray Park.

After leaving Murray Park, crews said that the tornado uprooted or snapped hundreds, if not thousands of trees at Burns Park.

The storm then crossed I-40 just west of exit 150 and damaged a new fire station still under construction among other buildings before passing over Macarthur Drive near the Military Drive intersection in Amboy where more homes and businesses were damaged.

As the storm continued its path of destruction, it crossed over John F. Kennedy Boulevard near Club Road in Sherwood. The storm eventually passed over Brockington Road north of Kiehl Avenue and passed over rural marsh land just northwest of US-67 near the Redmond exit in Jacksonville.

While in Jacksonville, the tornado seemed to strengthen according to NWS crews. Many more homes and businesses in the area were damaged before the tornado passed over the Holland Bottoms State Wildlife Area west of Kerr Station Road.

As it exited the wildlife area, NWS officials said that the tornado crossed through southeast Cabot before lifting between Arkansas Hwy 321 and Campground Road.

Overall, the storm carried a path length of 31.9 miles, with a width of 600 yards with winds in excess of 165 MPH, which classifies it as an EF-3.

As of Monday, there have been 54 reported injuries and one fatality reported from the storm. After the storm left the area, over 30,000 in Pulaski County alone were left without power.

In addition to the storm that damaged Little Rock and Central Arkansas, there was also an EF-2 storm that happened in Stone County. NWS crews said that the storm started 7 miles south southeast of Big Flat and ended 6 miles southwest of Fifty-Six.

NWS officials said that the tornado had an estimated peak wind speed of 115 mph and a length of 2.9 miles with a width of 125 yards.

If you have been affected by these storms and need help, or want to help, visit HelpArkansas.com.

from KARK https://ift.tt/Srw4p1C