In 2020 alone, Arkansas had 45 tornadoes touch ground, with eleven of those in January. Miraculously, there were no tornado-related fatalities. The fact that no one died is likely because residents have access to a tornado shelter in Arkansas.
However, on March 28, 2020, an EF3, with winds of140 mph tore a 13-mile path southeast of Jonesboro in Craighead County. That tornado was the strongest since the tornado that ripped through Arkansas on April 27, 2014.
While 2020 was a good year, since 1950, a total of around 400 lives have been lost to tornadoes in Arkansas.
Arkansas’ tornado alley cuts a path of destruction diagonally across the state from Mississippi County in the northeast corner down to Hempstead County. Typically, White and Faulkner Counties see the most deaths. However, life-threatening tornadoes can strike anywhere in the state.
While there are community tornado shelters in Arkansas, many people choose to build their own. This is especially true on farms and in rural areas. These personal storm shelters range from relatively inexpensive concrete safe rooms to spacious underground shelters.
Underground tornado shelters in Arkansas include molded fiberglass units as well as traditional concrete units that are buried underground. If you are building a new home, plan to have a tornado shelter built under your slab foundation. The safety of your family depends on it.
Unfortunately, tornado shelters in Arkansas are a necessity everywhere in the state. If you do not already have a tornado shelter, you need one to protect your family.
