On May 1, 2008, a large low pressure system developed over Nebraska, with a long warm front stretching east towards the Great Lakes.

[6] The risk area was later revised southward to only include eastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, and northwestern Mississippi.

[4] On the northern fringes of the storm system heavy snow fell across northeastern Wyoming and western South Dakota.

[95] The tornado then proceeded into Van Buren County and caused extensive damage to the Damascus area and killed three people.

[96] One person was also killed in Benton County by straight-line winds when a tree fell onto the mobile home where she was sleeping.

[98][99] At around 3:30 pm CDT, a large F3 tornado hit the town of Earle, Arkansas west of Memphis causing major damage to homes, businesses and the high school, and several people were injured.

[100] A supercell to its north also produced a significant tornado in the Etowah area causing extensive damage to several structures including destroyed trailers.

Seven counties were declared disaster areas including Van Buren, Saline, Pulaski, Cleburne, Conway, Grant and Benton.