Coal County, Oklahoma
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 40029 · population 5,266 · 517 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 509 records for Coal County, Oklahoma from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 407 days; the most frequent are hail reports (150 records). The deadliest single record is the April 11, 2001 tornado: 1 death, 1 injury and $125,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1970, 25 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on April 30, 2024.
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
- 509on 407 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 28 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $30Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 31strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 27latest 2024
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 Coal County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 150 since 1974. 62% of its hail reports since 1974 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 | 150 | 101 | 1974-2025 | 0 | 3 | $11M | 60 of 77 |
| Heat | 95 | 95 | 2001-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 77 |
| Drought | 75 | 75 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 13 of 77 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 68 | 55 | 1977-2025 | 0 | 0 | $693K | 73 of 77 |
| Winter storms | 40 | 40 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 17 of 77 |
| Tornadoes | 31 | 23 | 1950-2025 | 1 | 5 | $2.4M | 58 of 77 |
| Floods | 21 | 14 | 1999-2020 | 1 | 0 | $27K | 51 of 77 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 77 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 8 | 8 | 1998-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 77 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 5 | 1996-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 77 |
| Wildfires | 4 | 4 | 2017-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 77 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1998-2017 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 37 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 Coal County had?
NOAA records 31 tornadoes in Coal County from 1950 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 5 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 31 tornadoes whose track touched Coal County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 31, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 1 of them in Coal County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05-09 16:18, as SPC files it | Bromide | EF3 | 9.06 mi | 1 |
| 2001-04-11 04:25, as SPC files it | Wardville | F2 | 13 mi | 1 |
| 1992-05-11 13:55, as SPC files it | Tupelo to Centrahoma | F3 | 12 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oklahoma.
Every tornado record filed for Coal County (31)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-19 | Lehigh, Coal County | EF1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2024-11-03 | Cottonwood, Coal County | EFU 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-11-03 | Tupelo, Coal County | EFU 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-22 | Olney, Coal County | EF0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-12-28 | Lehigh, Coal County | EF0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2019-05-18 | Cottonwood, Coal County | EF0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 3 | $29K |
| 2019-04-30 | Lehigh, Coal County | EF1 0.75 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2017-05-19 | Bromide, Coal County | EFU 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-09 | Bromide, Coal County | EF0 0.46 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-09 | Lehigh, Coal County | EF1 3.65 mi x 750 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 2013-05-20 | Lehigh, Coal County | EF1 5.9 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $38K |
| 2006-05-09 | Olney, Coal County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-20 | Tupelo, Coal County | F0 0.1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-20 | Centrahoma, Coal County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-04-11 | Tupelo, Coal County | F2 4.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $667K |
| 2001-04-11 | Coalgate, Coal County | F2 8 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 1 | $125K |
| 1997-05-25 | Tupelo, Coal County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-04-24 | Centrahoma, Coal County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-11 | Coal County | F0 3 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-11 | Coal County | F2 4 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1992-05-11 | Coal County | F3 12 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1992-05-11 | Coal County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1982-06-04 | Coal County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1981-05-13 | Coal County | F2 4.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1981-05-13 | Coal County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1963-04-24 | Coal County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1963-03-18 | Coal County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-05-25 | Coal County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1954-07-23 | Coal County | F2 0.3 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1954-05-01 | Coal County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1950-04-28 | Coal County | F2 0.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Coal County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 19, 2025 tornado ($75,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The roof of a home was damaged, a shed destroyed and numerous trees were damaged just west of the Coal-Atoka County line near E1770 Road.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1254384)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | HeatCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-20 | DroughtCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-20 | HeatCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-19 | Excessive HeatCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-18 | Excessive HeatCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-17 | HeatCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-16 | HeatCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-15 | HeatCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-04-11 | TornadoCoalgate, Coal County This tornado formed 4 miles southeast of Coalgate and tracked northeastward for 8 miles before crossing into northwest Atoka County at 0434 CST (See following entry for information about the Atoka County segment). The tornado then continued for another 5 miles before dissipating at 0440 CST. In Coal County, 1 ... | F2 8 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 1 | $125K |
| 2015-05-10 | FloodTupelo, Coal County Flooding occurred following several rounds of heavy rainfall. One fatality occurred when a truck stalled in floodwater and the occupant attempted to get out of the vehicle. The individual was swept away and perished. The incident occurred near Norfleet Rd and county road 3170 in rural Coal county. | 1 | 0 | $25K | |
| 2019-05-18 | TornadoCottonwood, Coal County A brief QLCS tornado caused damage at a natural gas production facility that was under construction about 8 miles north-northeast of Coalgate. Multiple large shipping containers were blown over and light frame structures were damaged. Flying debris damaged numerous vehicles and injured 3 people. | EF0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 3 | $29K |
| 1994-04-26 | HailBromide, Coal County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 3 | $10.0M |
| 1992-05-11 | TornadoCoal County | F3 12 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-04-26 | HailBromide, Coal County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 3 | $10.0M |
| 2000-12-26 | Ice StormCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 1994-04-26 | HailBromide, Coal County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 2001-04-11 | TornadoTupelo, Coal County | F2 4.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $667K |
| 2007-01-12 | Winter StormCoal County · forecast zone Coal | 0 | 0 | $353K | |
| 2001-04-11 | TornadoCoalgate, Coal County | F2 8 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 1 | $125K |
| 2025-04-19 | TornadoLehigh, Coal County | EF1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2016-05-09 | TornadoLehigh, Coal County | EF1 3.65 mi x 750 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 11, 1992 (tornado, Coal County); May 11, 1992 (tornado, Coal 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 Coal 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 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 56 | 33 | 18 | 14 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 0 | 92 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 18 | 31 | 26 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 6 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 15 | 14 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
62% of its hail reports since 1974 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 36 · Feb 40 · Mar 30 · Apr 68 · May 98 · Jun 41 · Jul 58 · Aug 59 · Sep 20 · Oct 20 · Nov 21 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Coal County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Coal County: 19 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (12) and severe ice storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-30 | DR-4776 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2019-07-12 | DR-4453 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2017-07-25 | DR-4324 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2016-02-10 | DR-4256 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2015-05-26 | DR-4222 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2013-05-20 | DR-4117 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2011-02-02 | EM-3316 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-01-30 | EM-3308 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-02-15 | DR-1820 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2008-05-09 | DR-1754 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 2007-02-01 | DR-1678 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 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 |
| 1981-11-04 | DR-649 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-06-13 | DR-392 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, & Tornadoes |
| 1970-10-14 | DR-297 | Severe Storm | Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & 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 Coal County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 21 flood or flash flood records for Coal County from 1999 to 2020, on 14 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Coal County ranks 2756th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $27,000 on 2 claims filed in Coal County; the most in one year was 1 in 1986. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1986: 1 · 2015: 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 Coal County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Coal County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively High | $2.3M | 7 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $640K | 43 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $217K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $484K | once in about 73 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $771K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $203K | 21 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $261K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Coal 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 Coal CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Coal County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis