Watch: Video shows violent tornado tearing through northeastern Arkansas

BAY, Ark. – A almighty tornado touched down successful northeastern Arkansas connected Wednesday, prompting the issuance of an urgent Tornado Emergency arsenic the supercell passed done communities specified arsenic Lake City and Blytheville.

The FOX Forecast Center described the tempest arsenic a "wedge tornado," a benignant of twister that is peculiarly unsafe and wide, which sent tempest chasers scrambling to enactment capable region betwixt themselves and the convulsive cyclone. 

The tornado, with aggregate vortices swirling astir its base, was archetypal spotted conscionable eastbound of Jonesboro and rapidly moved toward the Arkansas-Missouri authorities line.

Accompanying the destructive tornado were bursts of light, apt caused by transformers exploding owed to the aggravated winds, which were estimated to person reached astir 200 mph.

Large and unsafe tornado crosses roadworthy close successful beforehand of FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic.

(FOX Weather)

CREWS SEARCH FOR STORM VICTIMS IN POTOSI, MISSOURI, FOLLOWING TORNADO STRIKE

Brandon Copic, 1 of FOX Weather’s exclusive tempest chasers, tracked the tornado successful real-time. 

"It's coming precise adjacent to me," Copic reported. "There is an audible roar with it close now." 

Copic estimated the twister was astatine slightest an EF-3 and showed characteristics of being substantially stronger, which further underscored the information to residents successful its path.

Local authorities urgently advised residents to question important structure during the storm, calling the concern highly dangerous.

Arkansas Governor Sanders said determination were reports of tempest and tornado harm astir the authorities with exigency unit connected the crushed to assistance the injured.

Earlier successful the day, a abstracted tornado struck eastbound Missouri, prompting firefighters to conduct search-and-rescue operations northbound of the tiny municipality of Potosi.

Missouri funnel unreality spotted connected 4/2/2025

(Keegan Warden / FOX Weather)

ATTITUDES TOWARD TORNADO PREPAREDNESS IN US CHANGING AS STORM RISK ZONES SHIFT

More than 15 cardinal residents, stretching from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast, were placed nether Tornado Watches, with forecasters urging those successful the thunderstorm portion to stay alert for imaginable further tornado activity.

A look astatine the terrible tempest menace successful the cardinal U.S. from Tuesday done Thursday.

(FOX Weather)