LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — January 21, 1999, is a day most Arkansans will never forget.
While tornadoes can happen any month of the year, they mostly happen in the Spring but this January day was much different.
We knew there was a risk for severe weather that day but what unfolded was historic.
56 tornadoes touched down that day, our yearly average is 33. Most of the tornadoes were very strong with several F2 and F3 reported and one F4 in Clay County.
8 people lost their lives that day.
31 of our 75 counties were affected. 272 warnings were issued over the 17-hour event including 113 Tornado Warnings.
There was some kind of warning issued on average every two minutes, 12 seconds.
Some of our state’s largest tornado outbreaks have happened in January. Here’s hoping there won’t be another day like that ever again.
There is a storm simulator at the Museum of Discovery based on this day's storm.
