If you live in Arkansas, you’re all too familiar with severe weather. Storms can happen any time throughout the year in the Natural State, but our standard severe weather season is February through May.

June 2023 has been a different beast. As of late June, there have been 256 total severe storm reports. That’s the second most reports in June of all time.

Arkansans have seen the most severe (quarter size+) hail in June on record with 123 reports so far. Of those reports, 39 reports were two inches in diameter (hen egg), and 7 were four inches in diameter (larger than softballs).

Huge hail, baseball size and greater, occurred June 11, June 14, June 16 & June 25 in Arkansas.

Tornadoes have also been more frequent than average this month. In fact, there have been six times the normal amount of tornadoes in Arkansas. There is one tornado in Arkansas on average in June. This is based off the most recent 25-year average from 1997 – 2022.

The number of tornadoes we’ve seen in June places second for most tornadoes on record for the month, according to NWS Little Rock.

• (1st) 8 tornadoes in June 1998 & 1989
• (2nd) 6 tornadoes in June 2023 & 1978
• (3rd) 4 tornadoes in June 2021 & 1990

There have been a total of 28 tornadoes in Arkansas so far in 2023. Typically, there are 37 twisters for the whole year, based on the most recent 30-year average from 1991-2020.

• EFU (unknown) near Cato (Pulaski Co) at 5:37pm, June 25
• EF0 at 85mph near Bigelow (Perry Co) at 2:12am, June 18
• EF1 at 100mph near Dover (Pope Co) at 4:19pm, June 25
• EF1 at 107mph near Pocahontas (Randolph Co) at 4:57pm, June 18
• EF2 at 115mph near Strong (Union Co) at 8:15pm, June 18
• EF2 at 120mph near Scranton (Logan Co) at 1:12am, June 18

In addition to the rare hail and multiple tornadoes, Arkansans faced hurricane-forced winds. Wind gusts of 75-80mph were reported in Lonoke County June 25, where two people lost their lives in Carlisle.

The Little Rock Airport measured a wind gust of 69mph shortly before 6pm, June 25. Nearly 150,000 Arkansans were out of power by 8pm that Sunday.

Numerous trees, power lines and power poles were downed across the state.

And if all that wasn’t enough, dangerous heat and humidity moved into Arkansas at the end of the month.

Little Rock hit 99°F, with a heat index reaching 118°F June 28. More extreme heat and humidity is anticipated through the end of June.

Here’s to hoping July will be a quieter month for Arkansas, but if it’s not, the Arkansas Storm Team has you covered.