A severe storm system packing confirmed tornadoes and heavy hail swept through north-central Arkansas late Monday, damaging homes and cutting power to more than 1,200 residents.
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for Stone, Independence, Jackson, Sharp, and Lawrence counties as radar indicated strong rotation across the region. In Stone County, law enforcement confirmed a tornado touched down near the Hanover community. The storm was powerful enough to loft debris to an altitude of 10,000 feet near Highway 5, according to radar data.
Stone County Judge Stacey Avey said the tempest left Highway 5 South littered with downed trees and caused significant damage to at least one home on Helms Road.
In addition to structural damage, the storm’s high winds and lightning strikes knocked out electricity for a large swath of the region. Utilities reported the bulk of the 1,200 outages are concentrated in Independence and Stone counties.
The region remains on high alert as the forecast calls for a second round of severe weather Tuesday afternoon and into Wednesday night.
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