Unseasonably warm and moist air spread into northwestern Arkansas ahead of a cold front. Scattered thunderstorms developed in the late evening and early morning hours ahead of the cold front as a weak upper level disturbance passed through the region. Large hail and damaging wind gusts occurred with some of those storms. Another round of storms developed on the cold front over eastern Oklahoma as it pushed into the area. Weak to moderate instability combined with very strong low level wind shear created an environment that supported supercell thunderstorm structures. Several supercells developed resulting in large hail and damaging wind gusts in the hours just before and after sunrise on the 31st. One of these supercells produced a long-track, strong tornado that killed four people in and near the town of Cincinnati in Washington County. Debris was transported by the tornado into northern Benton County and was reported in Bella Vista and Pea Ridge. The Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) was closed for three hours to remove the debris from the flight line. Another supercell produced a short-lived, weak tornado in Carroll County that moved into Missouri.

Tornado in CARROLL, ARKANSAS
From 31-DEC-10 07:48:00 to 31-DEC-10 07:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: OAK GROVE
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A weak tornado damaged trees and barns. This tornado continued into Stone County, Missouri.

Thunderstorm Wind in MADISON, ARKANSAS
From 30-DEC-10 23:35:00 to 30-DEC-10 23:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: CLIFTY
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

Strong thunderstorm winds rolled over and destroyed a mobile home and destroyed a barn on Highway 23.

Thunderstorm Wind in WASHINGTON, ARKANSAS
From 31-DEC-10 06:26:00 to 31-DEC-10 06:26:00 (CST-6)
Location: ODELL
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down large tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind in CARROLL, ARKANSAS
From 31-DEC-10 07:50:00 to 31-DEC-10 07:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: OAK GROVE
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down large tree limbs.

Tornado in BENTON, ARKANSAS
From 31-DEC-10 06:21:00 to 31-DEC-10 06:23:00 (CST-6)
Location: ROBINSON
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 75.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This segment is the fifth of six segments of this long-track tornado. The tornado severely damaged a permanent home, destroyed a barn, snapped or uprooted numerous trees, and snapped power poles. The maximum estimated wind speed in this segment of the tornado based on this damage was 125 mph.
The tornado moved northeast and back into Washington County, Arkansas.

Hail in CRAWFORD, ARKANSAS
From 30-DEC-10 22:10:00 to 30-DEC-10 22:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: CEDARVILLE
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Tornado in WASHINGTON, ARKANSAS
From 31-DEC-10 06:23:00 to 31-DEC-10 06:27:00 (CST-6)
Location: HARMON
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This segment is the sixth of six segments of this long-track tornado. The tornado overturned a box truck on Highway 412, injuring its driver, severely damaged a couple permanent homes, severely damaged a mobile home, snapped or uprooted numerous trees, and snapped numerous power poles. The maximum estimated wind speed in this segment of the tornado based on this damage was 125 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind in CARROLL, ARKANSAS
From 30-DEC-10 23:10:00 to 30-DEC-10 23:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: OAK GROVE
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Strong thunderstorm winds destroyed a small barn, damaged a car port awning and snapped large tree limbs.

Tornado in BENTON, ARKANSAS
From 31-DEC-10 06:17:00 to 31-DEC-10 06:19:00 (CST-6)
Location: TRIDENT
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 200.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This segment is the third of six segments of this long-track tornado. The tornado severely damaged a couple permanent homes, destroyed a mobile home, destroyed barns, snapped or uprooted numerous trees, and snapped power poles in this portion of Benton County. Two injuries occurred in the mobile home that was destroyed on Winwood Ranch Road. The maximum estimated wind speed based on this damage was 130 mph.
The tornado continued into Washington County, Arkansas.

Tornado in WASHINGTON, ARKANSAS
From 31-DEC-10 06:19:00 to 31-DEC-10 06:21:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEDINGTON
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This segment is the fourth of six segments of this long-track tornado. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted in this segment. Estimated maximum wind speed based on this damage was 125 mph.
The tornado moved northeastward and crossed back into Benton County, Arkansas.

Hail in FRANKLIN, ARKANSAS
From 31-DEC-10 08:46:00 to 31-DEC-10 08:46:00 (CST-6)
Location: JETHRO
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Tornado in WASHINGTON, ARKANSAS
From 31-DEC-10 06:08:00 to 31-DEC-10 06:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: CINCINNATI
Tornado F-scale: EF3
Property damage: 1.50M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This segment is the second of six segments of this long-track tornado. The tornado moved into Washington County snapping numerous trees as it approached the town of Cincinnati. In Cincinnati, the tornado destroyed several permanent homes, destroyed the volunteer fire station, destroyed a mobile home, damaged several other permanent homes, snapped or uprooted numerous trees, snapped numerous power poles, and destroyed barns and outbuildings. Two people were killed in the mobile home that was destroyed and a third person was killed either in or near a barn while he was tending to his cattle. At least seven injuries also occurred. The tornado was about 300 yards wide when it went through town. The maximum estimated wind speed in the tornado based on this damage was 140 mph.
The tornado continued to move rapidly northeastward and widened to about 500 yards northeast of Cincinnati. Several permanent homes were severely damaged, several mobile homes were destroyed, at least four chicken houses were destroyed, outbuildings were destroyed, numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, and power poles were snapped. A woman in one of the mobile homes that was destroyed was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. She later died from those injuries on January 4th.
The tornado continued into Benton County, Arkansas.