Oklahoma has a long and well-documented history of severe storms, with 4,856 confirmed tornadoes, 30,254 hailstorm events and 21,278 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950. The state ranks 3rd nationally for tornado frequency, and averages 64.7 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. Oklahoma lies within Tornado Alley, the historic core of the country’s most active severe-weather climate. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Oklahoma from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).
Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.
Oklahoma Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)
- 4,856 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
- 1,212 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
- 13 confirmed F5/EF5 tornadoes on record — the maximum rating on the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita scales
- 359 direct tornado deaths and 5,462 direct injuries
- 30,254 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
- 21,278 damaging-wind events on record
- 64.7 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
- May is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 41.8% of Oklahoma tornadoes
- 612 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS
When Oklahoma Severe Weather Happens
Oklahoma tornado activity is heavily concentrated in spring. March, April, May and June account for 81% of all Oklahoma tornadoes, with May alone responsible for roughly 41.8%.
- May: 2,030 tornadoes (41.8%) — peak month
- April: 1,039 tornadoes (21.4%)
- June: 550 tornadoes (11.3%)
- March: 322 tornadoes (6.6%)
- October: 219 tornadoes (4.5%)
- November: 181 tornadoes (3.7%)
Top 10 Oklahoma Counties by Tornado Frequency
Tornado activity in Oklahoma is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.
| County | Tornadoes since 1950 |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 136 |
| Caddo | 130 |
| Cleveland | 109 |
| Canadian | 108 |
| Osage | 108 |
| Kay | 96 |
| Kiowa | 95 |
| Grady | 94 |
| Lincoln | 94 |
| Pottawatomie | 91 |
The Deadliest Tornadoes in Oklahoma History
Oklahoma has lost 359 lives to tornadoes since the National Weather Service began systematic tornado record-keeping in 1950. The single deadliest event killed 24 people in Cleveland County in 2013, rated EF5 on the Fujita scale.
| Date | Location | Rating | Direct deaths | Direct injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2013 | Cleveland County (near Moore) | EF5 | 24 | 207 |
| May 25, 1955 | Kay County | F5 | 20 | 280 |
| May 5, 1961 | Le Flore County | F4 | 16 | 58 |
| May 5, 1960 | Latimer County | F4 | 13 | 100 |
| June 8, 1974 | Creek County | F4 | 13 | 135 |
| May 3, 1999 | Grady County (near Amber) | F5 | 12 | 39 |
| May 3, 1999 | Oklahoma County (near Del City) | F4 | 12 | 234 |
| May 3, 1999 | Cleveland County (near Moore) | F5 | 11 | 293 |
| January 22, 1957 | Sequoyah County | F4 | 10 | 20 |
| April 26, 1984 | Okmulgee County | F3 | 8 | 95 |
Oklahoma Tornado Strength Distribution
Most Oklahoma tornadoes are weak: roughly 74% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 26.3% of rated tornadoes in the state. Oklahoma is one of the few states with a confirmed F5 or EF5 tornado on record.
- F0/EF0 (weak): 1,807 tornadoes — 39.2% of rated events
- F1/EF1: 1,595 tornadoes — 34.6% of rated events
- F2/EF2 (strong): 822 tornadoes — 17.8% of rated events
- F3/EF3: 276 tornadoes — 6% of rated events
- F4/EF4 (violent): 101 tornadoes — 2.2% of rated events
- F5/EF5 (incredible): 13 tornadoes — 0.3% of rated events
Record-Setting Severe Weather in Oklahoma
Largest hailstone: 8.00 inches in diameter, observed in Garfield County on April 26, 1971. The three largest hailstones on record in Oklahoma measured 8.00″, 7.00″, 6.00″.
Highest measured wind gust: 131 knots (151 mph) recorded in Canadian County near El Reno on May 24, 2011. Most damaging-wind events in Oklahoma are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.
How Oklahoma Compares Nationally
Oklahoma is one of the top severe-weather states in the country, ranking 3rd nationally for tornado frequency since 1950.
- Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
- Oklahoma tornado total: 4,856 — ranked 3rd nationally.
- Oklahoma hail total: 30,254 hail events on record since 1950.
- Oklahoma wind total: 21,278 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tornadoes does Oklahoma have on average per year?
Oklahoma averages 64.7 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.
What was the deadliest tornado in Oklahoma history?
The May 20, 2013 tornado, rated EF5 on the Fujita scale, killed 24 people and injured 207 in Cleveland County. It remains the single deadliest tornado in the Oklahoma modern record.
Where in Oklahoma are tornadoes most common?
The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Oklahoma County with 136 events. The three most active counties overall are Oklahoma, Caddo, Cleveland.
How does Oklahoma compare to its neighbors?
Oklahoma shares a severe-weather climate with Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Oklahoma’s neighbors’ records on the same date.
How recent is the data on this map?
The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.
Compare Oklahoma to Neighboring States
Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Oklahoma tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Oklahoma’s storm history to its land neighbors:
- Kansas severe storm history — ranked 2nd nationally, core Tornado Alley state
- Missouri severe storm history — ranked 10th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
- Arkansas severe storm history — ranked 12th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
- Texas severe storm history — ranked 1st nationally, Gulf-coast and Tornado Alley overlap
- New Mexico severe storm history — ranked 29th nationally, core Tornado Alley state
- Colorado severe storm history — ranked 13th nationally, core Tornado Alley state
Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map
