The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF-0 tornado in Sebastian County from Tuesday’s storms.
The tornado briefly touched down on the SE side of Fort Smith with estimated winds from 75-85mph.
Dual Polarization radar detected debris in the radar beam due west of the Fort Smith Regional Airport, the storm weakened as it tracked east.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE:
...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 03/27/18 TORNADO EVENT... .OVERVIEW...A brief tornado developed just south of Fort Smith, Arkansas during the morning hours of March 27th. This tornado formed along the leading edge of a bowing severe line segment of thunderstorms as it approached the KFSM Fort Smith WSR-88D. .Bonanza Arkansas Tornado... Rating: EF-0 Estimated Peak Wind: 75 to 85 mph Path Length /Statute/: 2 miles Path Width /Maximum/: 350 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: March 27 2018 Start Time: 943 am CDT Start Location: 2.2 NNE Bonanza / Sebastian County / AR Start Lat/Lon: 35.2704 / -94.4168 End Date: March 27 2018 End Time: 945 am CDT End Location: 3.7 NE Bonanza / Sebastian County / AR End Lat/Lon: 35.2806 / -94.3840 Survey Summary: This tornado damaged or destroyed several barns and snapped numerous large tree limbs as it moved east-northeast within the Cedar Creek valley, north of Highway 45. EF Scale: The enhanced Fujita scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories. EF0...weak......65 To 85 mph EF1...weak......86 to 110 mph EF2...strong....111 to 135 mph EF3...strong....136 to 165 mph EF4...violent...166 to 200 mph EF5...violent...>200 mph Note: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.
-Garrett
