Doppler radar measures wind speeds and the direction of air currents within storms. Doppler radar capabilities improve the accuracy and timeliness of National Weather Service bulletins. Back To Top Arkansas Statistics Tornadoes occur in many parts of the world. These violent storms occur most frequently in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains during the spring and summer months. Arkansas is located in the lower Mississippi Valley where warm, moist air flowing northward from the Gulf of Mexico interacts with cool, dry air spreading southward and eastward from the Great Plains.
Records show that they can occur any day of the year and any time of day.
Tornado preparation requires constant vigilance. While tornadoes in Arkansas normally occur during the spring and fall months, they can occur in any month. A total of 68 tornadoes occurred in January, 1999. This set a national record for the greatest number of tornadoes in the month of January. Tornadoes occur with greater frequency during late afternoon to late evening, according to the National Weather Service records.