Arkansas town ripped apart after monstrous tornado leaves behind devastation
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray says this is the second time since 2021 that Monette, Arkansas, has been hit by a tornado.
Monette, Arkansas devastated after direct hit from massive tornado
Monette, Arkansas was devastated by a tornado that hit the community during a tornado outbreak Wednesday. FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray has a first report from the scene. Community members said this is the second time since 2021 that this area has been hit by a tornado.
MONETTE, Ark. – Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday in Arkansas less than 24 hours after a devastating tornado ripped across parts of the state.
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray is assessing the damage after the twister tore through Monette, Arkansas. The storm that spawned the cyclone was part of a severe weather outbreak that will likely go down in history due to its significant impact.
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A massive tornado rips across the landscape near Lake City, Arkansas, on April 2, 2025.
(Brandon Copic / FOX Weather)
The FOX Forecast Center described the twister as a "wedge tornado." According to the National Weather Service, the moniker is storm-observer slang for a tornado that looks wider than the distance from the ground to the ambient cloud base.
Along with the destructive tornado came bursts of lightning and power flashes as transformers exploded due to the intense winds estimated to have reached nearly 200 mph.
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Arkansas tornado leaves behind trail of destruction
A powerful tornado ripped through Lake City in northeastern Arkansas on Wednesday night, the second time the area was hit by a twister since 2021. FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray reports from the area, highlighting the extensive damage caused by the storm as another storm develops on Thursday.
"This is the second time that this particular area has been hit since 2021 and also is the second time that these agricultural producers have had to rebuild in just a matter of four years," Ray said during his reporting.
The debris of houses, furniture and belongings littered the landscape – metal, wood, cars and semi-trucks. Due to the excessive damage, puddles mixed with leaking motor oil, fuel and chemicals were seen around the area, leaving a strong odor as people started picking up pieces of their splintered homes.
FOX Weather exclusive footage shows the horrific damages across Lake City, Arkansas
The twister caused extensive damage to the city as residents look ahead to the next steps in recovery. On Wednesday evening, power outage tracking websites reported at least 40,000 customers without electricity.
The roofs of homes were ripped off. In some cases, vehicles are seen lodged inside some houses. Other cars were discovered far from their original locations, smashed and battered.
Ray spoke with residents who witnessed the tornado. They said that while their lives have been upended, they are grateful to be alive.
"It’s strange," said Era Van Zyl. "You never think it’s going to go in the exact same place twice (the tornado), and here it was just proved."
The road to recovery will be long, but Ray said the people of Arkansas are resilient and will emerge from this experience stronger than ever.
According to the FOX Weather Forecast Center, nearly 900 Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado warnings were issued Wednesday.