3 dead after tornado hits NW Ark on New Year's Eve

[Joanne98]

Source: AP

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A tornado fueled by an unusually warm winter air sliced through parts of northwestern Arkansas early on New Year's Eve, killing three people, injuring several others and knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses.

The dead were killed at Cincinnati, a hamlet of about 100 about three miles from the Oklahoma border. Washington County sheriff's dispatcher Josh Howerton said the storm touched down near the center of the community. He said "lots of injuries" were reported, and officials in nearby Benton County said the storm injured two people and damaged five homes there.

Several flights to and from the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport at Highfill, in Benton County, were delayed or canceled Friday morning as officials worked to clear storm debris littering the runway.

The region has been bracing for severe weather for much of the week. Gulf moisture riding southerly winds pushed temperatures into the upper 60s and 70s on Thursday — ahead of a cold front expected to drop temperatures into the teens by Saturday morning.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hN-Le6Bye7KOS0g3QpvOlz96NwaQ?docId=0f1eb1ceb8ca462c83ed912d8c89f164

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. December tornado page at tornadochasers.net

We just recently had one here in OR a few weeks ago, luckily there were no fatalities.
:(

December Tornado History

December Tornado 1959 to 2004December 1959 to 2004
Total Reported Tornadoes 888 with
0 F5 7 F4 71 F3 200 F2 352 F1 258 F0
Of the total tornadoes 31% would be classified as strong/violent during this period. 29 States in the US have recorded tornadoes in December since 1959. 5 of these tornadoes have had a track length of greater than 50 miles. During December 68 deaths have been recorded from these tornadoes from 1959 to 2004.

Most people think of Christmas time and the holidays in December, but this time of year can catch people by surprise and bring deadly tornadoes.

December 2006 Killer Tornadoes: 2 Fatalities: 2
24 Dec 1 03:15 PM S Halifax PA 1 fatality F1 WS874 Pole blown down onto vehicle.

25 Dec 29 02:00 PM 2 W Groesbeck TX 1 fatality F2 WT886 Up to 50 homes damaged.

December 2002 Killer Tornadoes: 3 Fatalities: 4
26 Dec 17 11:05 PM Mt. Vernon MO 2 Fatalities F2 WT 778 Tornado hit Luck Lady trailer park and 3 homes east of trailer park.

27 Dec 18 01:53 AM Lamar MO 1 Fatality F1 WT 779 At least three frame homes and one mobile home destroyed.

27 Dec 18 03:35 PM Hamlet AR 1 Fatality F3 WT 785 Number of residences destroyed. 84 yr. old woman thrown from mobile home.
http://www.tornadochaser.net/december.html

[Uncle Joe]

2. Somewhat unusual to be getting tornadoes at the end of December.

Thanks for the thread, Joanne.

[Matariki]

3. Have news agencies taken to prognostication? It's not New Year's Eve yet.

[kestrel91316]

4. Today is, in fact, called New Year's Eve. All day long.

[Art_from_Ark]

5. That's pretty weird

If a tornado hits Northwest Arkansas, it's almost always in March or April. I've never heard of a December tornado there.

[man4allcats]

6. Thanks for posting. I have relatives living about 5 miles from where that storm hit.

As soon as I read your post, I went to my niece's facebook page. Thankfully all are okay. Condolences to those families who lost people.

[PJPhreak]

7. We had a Thunder-Ice Storm Last night,

Lightning,Thunder,Wind and Big Raindrops that stuck and froze to everything...It really looked like July here...Except that it was 28 degrees!!

[WhiteTara]

8. that all passed by my house last night

and I slept through it. Wow.