Choctaw County, Oklahoma
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 40023 · population 14,133 · 770 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 578 records for Choctaw County, Oklahoma from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 414 days; the most frequent are hail reports (200 records). The deadliest single record is the May 20, 2015 flood: 1 death. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1968, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes” on July 19, 2023.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 578on 414 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 345 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $932Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 31strongest F5
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 2023
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Choctaw County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 200 since 1956. 53% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in April and May. The rank column places the county among Oklahoma's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 200 | 136 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $339K | 69 of 77 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 164 | 122 | 1966-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 59 of 77 |
| Drought | 75 | 75 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $905M | 43 of 77 |
| Floods | 32 | 26 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $233K | 38 of 77 |
| Heat | 32 | 32 | 1998-2024 | 2 | 0 | – | 59 of 77 |
| Tornadoes | 31 | 24 | 1954-2026 | 0 | 43 | $22M | 70 of 77 |
| Winter storms | 26 | 26 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 71 of 77 |
| Wildfires | 9 | 9 | 2005-2024 | 0 | 2 | $856K | 23 of 77 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1997-2005 | 0 | 0 | $156K | 27 of 77 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 1996-2008 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 73 of 77 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 77 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Choctaw County had?
NOAA records 31 tornadoes in Choctaw County from 1954 to 2026, the strongest rated F5, with 0 deaths and 43 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 27 tornadoes whose track touched Choctaw County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 31: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-04-02 15:50, as SPC files it | Broken Bow | F5 | 53 mi | 0 |
| 2022-11-04 15:16, as SPC files it | BrookstonCrossed OK, TX | EF4 | 44.71 mi | 0 |
| 1960-05-04 21:16, as SPC files it | Soper | F4 | 30.8 mi | 0 |
| 2016-05-09 17:22, as SPC files it | Bennington to Soper | EF3 | 13.8 mi | 0 |
| 1982-04-02 15:10, as SPC files it | Soper | F3 | 8 mi | 0 |
| 1961-05-05 18:30, as SPC files it | Hugo | F3 | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| 1954-04-30 09:30, as SPC files it | Hugo | F3 | 1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oklahoma.
Every tornado record filed for Choctaw County (31)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-27 | Goodland, Choctaw County | EFU 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | Speer, Choctaw County | EF1 8.5 mi x 550 yd | 0 | 0 | $150K |
| 2022-11-04 | Ord, Choctaw County | EF2 18.8 mi x 1,700 yd | 0 | 1 | $908K |
| 2016-05-09 | Boswell Ammons Airport, Choctaw County | EF3 10.4 mi x 3,100 yd | 0 | 2 | $3.7M |
| 2016-05-09 | Virgil, Choctaw County | EFU 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-09 | Old Messer, Choctaw County | EFU 6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-09 | Goodland, Choctaw County | EF1 6.1 mi x 650 yd | 0 | 0 | $307K |
| 2015-12-12 | Bunch, Choctaw County | EF1 3.3 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-04-09 | Soper, Choctaw County | EF0 0.1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-03-31 | Sawyer, Choctaw County | EF0 0.1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-10-17 | Ft Towson, Choctaw County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-11-22 | Hugo, Choctaw County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-11-22 | Hugo, Choctaw County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-11 | Soper, Choctaw County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1991-06-05 | Choctaw County | F0 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-05 | Choctaw County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-11-22 | Choctaw County | F2 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-04-02 | Choctaw County | F5 22 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 25 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-04-02 | Choctaw County | F3 8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-10-13 | Choctaw County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1981-04-03 | Choctaw County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-03-19 | Choctaw County | F1 9.8 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1964-04-03 | Choctaw County | F1 1.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-05-05 | Choctaw County | F3 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-03-05 | Choctaw County | F2 3.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1960-05-20 | Choctaw County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1960-05-04 | Choctaw County | F4 7.6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1960-05-04 | Choctaw County | F4 3.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1959-08-27 | Choctaw County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-04-02 | Choctaw County | F1 16.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-04-30 | Choctaw County | F3 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 12 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Choctaw County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 28, 2026 tornado ($150,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
This tornado developed west of the 4240 Road, near Pinekke Road. It moved east-southeast snapping large tree limbs and uprooting small trees. The tornado crossed Highway 93 on the northern banks of Lake Hugo, where some trees were uprooted and large tree limbs were snapped. Numerous trees were uprooted and a few were snapped south of Apple, and a home was damaged. It continued to move east-southeast across the E2000 Road, and then crossed Highway 147 before dissipating over rugged terrain. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 95 to 105 mph.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1325216)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindForney, Choctaw County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindBluff, Choctaw County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindDuland, Choctaw County | 71 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodHugo, Choctaw County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindGay, Choctaw County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtChoctaw County · forecast zone Choctaw | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | TornadoGoodland, Choctaw County | EFU 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtChoctaw County · forecast zone Choctaw | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindFt Towson, Choctaw County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | TornadoSpeer, Choctaw County | EF1 8.5 mi x 550 yd | 0 | 0 | $150K |
| 2026-04-24 | HailSoper, Choctaw County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-24 | HailUnger, Choctaw County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-05-20 | FloodFallon, Choctaw County A man drove into flood waters on Ballpark Road north of Hugo during the evening of May 21st. The vehicle became stranded. The driver was able to escape the flood water but then went back into the water to gather personal items. He reportedly stepped into a hole, went under water, and was swept away. The man drown and ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-08-01 | Excessive HeatChoctaw County · forecast zone Choctaw A strong ridge of high pressure that dominated the weather across the south central United States for much of July, continued through the first couple weeks of August. Unseasonably hot weather resulted across the region with official records at the Tulsa International Airport indicating that August 2011 was the 5th ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-07-06 | HeatChoctaw County · forecast zone Choctaw A blistering heat wave struck the south-central part of the nation during July 1998, including much of eastern Oklahoma. A drought also accompanied the heat wave in southeast Oklahoma, combining with the heat wave to cause devastating crop damage. (For specific information on the drought aspect and crop damage, see ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1982-04-02 | TornadoChoctaw County | F5 22 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 25 | $2.5M step |
| 1954-04-30 | TornadoChoctaw County | F3 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 12 | $250K step |
| 1960-05-04 | TornadoChoctaw County | F4 3.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 2016-05-09 | TornadoBoswell Ammons Airport, Choctaw County This is the second segment of a two segment tornado that began at 624 pm CDT in Bryan County, Oklahoma. The tornado strengthened and widened rapidly after developing southeast of Bennington. It was about 2500 yards wide and was producing EF-2 damage to trees by the time it reached the Choctaw County border at around ... | EF3 10.4 mi x 3,100 yd | 0 | 2 | $3.7M |
| 2005-12-27 | WildfireChoctaw County · forecast zone Choctaw A large wildfire in southwestern Choctaw County burned more than 1000 acres over a 10 mile swath. Some of the communities near the fire were Unger, Speer and Boswell. At least four homes were destroyed and 2 people were injured. | 0 | 2 | $756K |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-07-06 | DroughtChoctaw County · forecast zone Choctaw | 0 | 0 | $905M | |
| 2016-05-09 | TornadoBoswell Ammons Airport, Choctaw County | EF3 10.4 mi x 3,100 yd | 0 | 2 | $3.7M |
| 2013-12-05 | Ice StormChoctaw County · forecast zone Choctaw | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2022-11-04 | TornadoOrd, Choctaw County | EF2 18.8 mi x 1,700 yd | 0 | 1 | $908K |
| 2005-12-27 | WildfireChoctaw County · forecast zone Choctaw | 0 | 2 | $756K | |
| 2008-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindFt Towson, Choctaw County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $658K |
| 2001-05-28 | Thunderstorm WindHugo, Choctaw County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $542K |
| 2026-04-28 | TornadoSpeer, Choctaw County | EF1 8.5 mi x 550 yd | 0 | 0 | $150K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 2, 1982 (tornado, Choctaw County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Choctaw County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 1 | 6 | 3 | 24 | 54 | 61 | 33 | 18 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 42 | 41 | 26 | 39 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 12 | 34 | 28 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 13 | 9 | 3 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 5 | 12 | 14 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 28 · Feb 36 · Mar 56 · Apr 99 · May 109 · Jun 65 · Jul 48 · Aug 39 · Sep 23 · Oct 24 · Nov 28 · Dec 23 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Choctaw County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Choctaw County: 14 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and severe ice storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-19 | DR-4721 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2021-02-24 | DR-4587 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021-02-17 | EM-3555 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-04-05 | DR-4530 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3462 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015-05-26 | DR-4222 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-01-30 | DR-4164 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011-02-02 | EM-3316 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-01-30 | EM-3308 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-07-09 | DR-1775 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-12-10 | EM-3280 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-07-07 | DR-1712 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2007-01-14 | EM-3272 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-01-10 | DR-1623 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3219 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-06-29 | DR-1384 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2001-01-05 | DR-1355 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 2000-12-28 | EM-3158 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter and Ice Storm |
| 1990-05-18 | DR-866 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1973-06-13 | DR-392 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, & Tornadoes |
| 1972-01-14 | DR-317 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1968-05-29 | DR-241 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Choctaw County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 32 flood or flash flood records for Choctaw County from 1996 to 2026, on 26 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Choctaw County ranks 2523rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $236,000 on 6 claims filed in Choctaw County; the most in one year was 2 in 2015. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2021: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Choctaw County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Choctaw County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.2 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | $2.2M | 42 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $520K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 23 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $270K | 5 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $69K | once in about 432 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $429K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $30K | 5 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Choctaw County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in OklahomaEvery Oklahoma tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in OklahomaThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Oklahoma recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Choctaw CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Choctaw County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis