Storm reports for December 18, 2002

IndependentNot affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports. Data through November 6, 2026. Methodology

← Dec 17, 2002 All 2002 storm days · December 2002 Dec 19, 2002 →

Other storms on December 18 →

On December 18, 2002, 61 hail, 18 damaging-wind and 33 tornado reports were logged across 8 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Stone County, MO. Tornadoes killed 1.

Storm day runs 7 a.m. to 7 a.m. Eastern (12:00–12:00 UTC), the convention the Storm Prediction Center uses. Radar hail estimates start October 2019.

Storm reports by state

Cities with hail reported within 5 miles

Hail reports (61)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $1.9 million in property damage, 17 injuries and 1 death from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (115 events in 8 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Faulkner County, AR (near Hamlet) · Tornado F3 · 1 death · 13 injuries
  “A strong tornado was spawned over Faulkner County about 1 mile north of Hamlet. The tornado moved to the northeast for approximately 9.8 miles before lifting 0.8 mile east-southeast of Enola.”
• Cross County, AR (near Wynne) · Thunderstorm wind 92 mph · $750,000 · 2 injuries
  “Three mobile homes were overturned. The roof was blown off of a restaurant.”
• Lincoln County, AR (near Garrett Bridge) · Tornado F1 · 2 injuries
  “An F1 tornado touched down briefly just to the northeast of Garrett Bridge. The first noted damage was at a church on Highway 54 where several flag poles were bent over and some tree limbs were downed.”
• Union Parish, LA (near Farmerville) · Tornado F2 · $1 million
  “A strong tornado developed under a supercell moving northeast across the parish. As the tornado developed in Union Parish, Louisiana, eyewitness reports described the tornado as resembling a stove pipe with screaming winds sounding like a banshee.”
• Ashley County, AR (near North Crossett) · Tornado F0 · $25,000
  “A tornado briefly touched down 5 miles north of North Crossett, toppling several trees along State Road 133. In addition, a shed was destroyed and the roof was removed from a barn. Producing no injuries, the tornado traveled about one mile before lifting.”
• Bolivar County, MS (near Gunnison) · Thunderstorm wind 69 mph · $20,000
  “Winds from a severe thunderstorm blew a tree onto a house, resulting in damage.”

Event narratives from NWS Storm Data, shortened. Up to six per day, chosen by deaths, injuries, damage and size.

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Storm Events Database, as entered by National Weather Service offices; data through July 31, 2026. Damage is in dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation.

Guides: What radar-estimated hail (MESH) is and isn't · Storm reports: preliminary vs final