McClain County, Oklahoma

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 40087 · population 41,569 · 571 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,047 records for McClain County, Oklahoma from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 647 days; the most frequent are hail reports (418 records). The deadliest single record is the November 19, 1973 tornado: 2 deaths and 18 injuries. FEMA has issued 44 declarations naming the county since 1970, 42 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Dibble Creek Fire” on March 22, 2026.

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
1,047on 647 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
5115 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$86Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
84strongest EF4
FEMA declarations
44latest 2026

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 McClain County most?

The most frequent records are hail reports: 418 since 1955. 51% of its hail reports since 1955 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.

McClain County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Hail 418 221 1955-2026 0 0 – 5 of 77
Severe thunderstorm wind 240 166 1956-2026 0 3 $2.2M 13 of 77
Heat 86 86 1996-2025 0 0 – 7 of 77
Tornadoes 84 57 1953-2026 4 112 $58M 5 of 77
Drought 80 80 2000-2026 0 0 $14M 16 of 77
Winter storms 57 57 1996-2026 0 0 $10M 4 of 77
Floods 33 24 1999-2025 1 0 $693K 33 of 77
High wind and dust storms 17 15 1996-2025 0 0 $52K 26 of 77
Extreme cold 12 12 1996-2025 0 0 – 5 of 77
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 11 11 1998-2004 0 0 – 4 of 77
Lightning 6 6 1998-2020 0 0 $572K 13 of 77
Wildfires 2 2 2020-2025 0 0 $6K 56 of 77
Heavy rain 1 1 2007-2007 0 0 – 25 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 McClain County had?

NOAA records 84 tornadoes in McClain County from 1953 to 2026, the strongest rated EF4, with 4 deaths and 112 injuries recorded in the county. That is 5th of 77 Oklahoma counties and 40th of 3,080 U.S. counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 84 tornadoes whose track touched McClain County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 84, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 67 people, 4 of them in McClain County.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched McClain County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1999-05-03 17:26, as SPC files itBridge Creek/MooreF537 mi36
2013-05-20 13:56, as SPC files itMooreEF513.85 mi24
1973-11-19 19:30, as SPC files itOklahomaF324.2 mi5
2011-05-24 16:06, as SPC files itOklahomaEF433.3 mi1
2023-04-19 18:30, as SPC files itColeEF310.9 mi1
2011-05-24 16:26, as SPC files itGoldsbyEF423.1 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oklahoma.

Every tornado record filed for McClain County (84)
The 60 most recent of 84 tornadoes in McClain County
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-01-08 Purcell, McClain County EF2 6.5 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $400K
2025-06-06 Byars, McClain County EF0 2.3 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $2K
2025-06-06 Newcastle, McClain County EF0 1.3 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $1K
2025-06-06 Newcastle, McClain County EF0 1.5 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $15K
2025-06-03 Newcastle, McClain County EF1 2.8 mi x 125 yd 0 0 $60K
2024-11-03 Blanchard, McClain County EF1 7 mi x 200 yd 0 0 $4.7M
2024-04-27 Cole, McClain County EF2 4.9 mi x 125 yd 0 0 $188K
2024-04-27 Cole, McClain County EF0 1.67 mi x 40 yd 0 0 $2K
2024-04-27 Dibble, McClain County EF1 0.5 mi x 40 yd 0 0 $2K
2024-04-27 Dibble, McClain County EF1 0.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $2K
2024-04-27 Payne, McClain County EF1 2.9 mi x 225 yd 0 0 $38K
2023-05-11 Cole, McClain County EF1 9.4 mi x 250 yd 0 0 $97K
2023-05-11 Dibble, McClain County EF0 0.4 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
2023-05-11 Newcastle, McClain County EF0 2.1 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $5K
2023-05-11 Blanchard, McClain County EF0 0.1 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $2K
2023-04-19 Washington, McClain County EF1 0.8 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $4K
2023-04-19 Washington, McClain County EF1 5.2 mi x 700 yd 0 0 $24K
2023-04-19 Cole, McClain County EF1 2.2 mi x 400 yd 0 0 $29K
2023-04-19 Blanchard, McClain County EF1 1.2 mi x 250 yd 0 0 $5K
2023-04-19 Dibble, McClain County EF3 10.9 mi x 1,200 yd 1 2 $3.9M
2023-04-19 Dibble, McClain County EF0 1.4 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $19K
2023-02-26 Cole, McClain County EF2 6.12 mi x 600 yd 0 0 $194K
2022-12-13 Wayne, McClain County EF2 4 mi x 300 yd 0 0 $76K
2019-06-16 Wayne, McClain County EF0 0.2 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2019-05-21 Goldsby, McClain County EF1 3 mi x 250 yd 0 0 $35K
2018-05-19 Payne, McClain County EF0 7 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $12K
2018-05-02 Purcell, McClain County EF1 3.4 mi x 40 yd 0 0 $12K
2017-10-21 Goldsby, McClain County EF1 2 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $120K
2015-12-26 Byars, McClain County EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-23 Newcastle, McClain County EF0 0.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-23 Blanchard, McClain County EF1 2 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-19 Purcell, McClain County EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-19 Wayne, McClain County EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-06 Newcastle, McClain County EF1 1 mi x 200 yd 0 0 –
2013-05-20 Newcastle, McClain County EF4 1.85 mi x 1,280 yd 0 5 –
2012-04-13 Goldsby, McClain County EF0 1 mi x 200 yd 0 0 –
2011-11-07 Blanchard, McClain County EF1 1.6 mi x 110 yd 0 0 –
2011-05-24 Goldsby, McClain County EF1 0.5 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
2011-05-24 Criner, McClain County EF4 17.6 mi x 880 yd 0 61 –
2011-05-24 Newcastle, McClain County EF0 0.7 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2011-05-24 Blanchard, McClain County EF4 9.6 mi x 650 yd 0 0 –
2011-04-22 Byars, McClain County EF1 0.2 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $7K
2011-04-22 Byars, McClain County EF0 0.5 mi x 150 yd 0 0 –
2010-05-10 Payne, McClain County EF0 0.8 mi x 150 yd 0 0 –
2010-05-10 Payne, McClain County EF1 4.6 mi x 880 yd 0 0 –
2009-04-29 Byars, McClain County EF1 1.3 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
2008-05-07 Goldsby, McClain County EF0 1.8 mi x 25 yd 0 0 $21K
2003-05-08 Newcastle, McClain County F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
1999-05-03 Newcastle, McClain County F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
1999-05-03 Blanchard, McClain County F4 5 mi x 1,320 yd 1 17 $18M
1999-04-05 Purcell, McClain County F1 3 mi x 15 yd 0 0 $71K
1998-11-09 Purcell, McClain County F1 2.5 mi x 125 yd 0 0 $181K
1998-10-04 Newcastle, McClain County F0 1 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $905
1998-10-04 Newcastle, McClain County F0 2 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $9K
1997-05-25 Purcell, McClain County F2 6 mi x 1,320 yd 0 2 $1.7M
1997-05-25 Wayne, McClain County F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd 0 0 $2K
1996-06-06 Wayne, McClain County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1996-06-06 Wayne, McClain County F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
1996-05-26 Purcell, McClain County F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
1993-09-13 Criner, McClain County F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –

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 McClain County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($25,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

The 12 most recent records kept for McClain County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-23 Thunderstorm WindBlanchard, McClain County 65 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-23 Thunderstorm WindWashington, McClain County 61 kt wind 0 0 $25K
2026-06-22 Thunderstorm WindPurcell, McClain County 56 kt wind 0 0 $15K
2026-06-22 Thunderstorm WindDibble, McClain County 61 kt wind 0 0 $25K
2026-06-22 Thunderstorm WindBlanchard, McClain County 65 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-22 Thunderstorm WindCole, McClain County 56 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-22 Thunderstorm WindCriner, McClain County 58 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-22 Thunderstorm WindCriner, McClain County 63 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-05-08 HailNewcastle, McClain County 0.75 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-01 DroughtMcClain County · forecast zone McClain 0 0 –
2026-03-07 HailWayne, McClain County 0.75 in hail 0 0 –
2026-03-01 DroughtMcClain County · forecast zone McClain 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

Records with deaths or injuries in McClain County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1973-11-19 TornadoMcClain County F3 10.8 mi x 500 yd 2 18 $2.5M step
1999-05-03 TornadoBlanchard, McClain County Tornado A9 (McClain County portion). See summary at end of May 3rd storm reports. F4 5 mi x 1,320 yd 1 17 $18M
2023-04-19 TornadoDibble, McClain County The third tornado of the outbreak, the Cole-Goldsby Tornado, was the most destructive of the outbreak. The multiple-vortex tornado touched down near Rockwell Avenue south of 260th Street and moved in an erratic path, generally east and east-northeast through Cole. Many homes and mobile homes were damaged or destroyed ... EF3 10.9 mi x 1,200 yd 1 2 $3.9M
2015-05-20 Flash FloodCole, McClain County News 9 reports high water swept a vehicle into Walnut Creek near Cole. Some individuals were successfully rescued, but one man was unable to escape and ultimately perished in the flood waters. The vehicle was swept away near Highway 74B and May Ave north of Cole. 1 0 $37K
2011-05-24 TornadoCriner, McClain County This tornado is labeled D1 (Segment #2 of the Washington-Goldsby tornado). Widespread tree damage and ground scouring was ongoing as the tornado crossed into McClain county. As the tornado crossed Highway 76, even more intense damage occurred. EF-4 damage was surveyed at several locations. Several homes were reduced ... EF4 17.6 mi x 880 yd 0 61 –
2013-05-20 TornadoNewcastle, McClain County The violent Newcastle-Moore tornado was first observed developing about one-half mile south of State Highway 37 in northwest Newcastle to the east of Rockwell Avenue. EF4 damage was observed soon after the tornado crossed State Highway 37. The tornado continued to expand in size as it approached the Canadian River and ... EF4 1.85 mi x 1,280 yd 0 5 –
1991-05-02 TornadoMcClain County F1 0.3 mi x 30 yd 0 3 $25K step
1997-05-25 TornadoPurcell, McClain County This description was taken almost entirely, and with minimal editing, from a damage survey conducted Monday May 26th (Memorial Day), the day after the tornado, by a National Weather Service meteorologist.This tornado, rated F2, began 5 miles east of Criner, or 7 miles west-southwest of downtown Purcell, in southern ... F2 6 mi x 1,320 yd 0 2 $1.7M

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.

The costliest records in McClain County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1999-05-03 TornadoBlanchard, McClain County F4 5 mi x 1,320 yd 1 17 $18M
2000-12-26 Ice StormMcClain County · forecast zone McClain 0 0 $10M
1997-05-25 TornadoPurcell, McClain County F2 6 mi x 1,320 yd 0 2 $1.7M
2025-06-05 Thunderstorm WindCriner, McClain County 104 kt wind 0 0 $1.0M
2007-07-10 Flash FloodPurcell, McClain County 0 0 $569K
2020-08-31 LightningNewcastle, McClain County 0 0 $456K
2026-01-08 TornadoPurcell, McClain County EF2 6.5 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $400K
2023-02-26 TornadoCole, McClain County EF2 6.12 mi x 600 yd 0 0 $194K

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: November 19, 1973 (tornado, McClain County, 2 killed); March 13, 1990 (tornado, McClain 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 McClain 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).

McClain County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Hail49556101818973
Severe thunderstorm wind23124155524035
Heat––––13082
Tornadoes46461632223
Drought––––0174023
Winter storms––––7202010

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).

What time of year?

51% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 47 · Feb 50 · Mar 89 · Apr 167 · May 199 · Jun 155 · Jul 103 · Aug 82 · Sep 49 · Oct 39 · Nov 39 · Dec 28 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for McClain County

FEMA's register lists 44 declarations that include McClain County: 32 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 4 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (17) and severe ice storm (10).

Declarations including McClain County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2026-03-22FM-5627FireDibble Creek Fire
2024-04-30DR-4776TornadoSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2023-04-24DR-4706TornadoSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes
2021-02-24DR-4587Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms
2021-02-17EM-3555Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storm
2020-12-21DR-4575Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storm
2020-04-05DR-4530BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3462BiologicalCovid-19
2015-05-26DR-4222Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2013-05-20DR-4117TornadoSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2011-06-06DR-1989Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2011-03-12FM-2871FireGoldsby Fire
2011-02-02EM-3316Severe StormSevere Winter Storm
2010-03-05DR-1883Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storm
2010-02-25DR-1876Severe StormSevere Winter Storm
2010-01-30EM-3308Severe StormSevere Winter Storm
2009-06-19DR-1846FireWildfires
2009-04-10FM-2809FireMcClain County Fire
2007-12-18DR-1735Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms
2007-12-10EM-3280Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms
2007-08-24DR-1718Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2007-07-07DR-1712Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes
2007-06-07DR-1707Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding
2007-02-01DR-1678Severe StormSevere Winter Storms
2007-01-14EM-3272Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms and Flooding
2006-04-06FM-2635FireNew Castle Fire
2006-01-10DR-1623FireExtreme Wildfire Threat
2005-09-05EM-3219HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuation
2003-05-10DR-1465Severe StormSevere Storms and Tornadoes
2002-02-01DR-1401Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Ice Storm
2001-06-29DR-1384Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes
2001-01-05DR-1355Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Ice Storm
2000-12-28EM-3158Severe Ice StormSevere Winter and Ice Storm
2000-11-27DR-1349Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
1999-05-04DR-1272TornadoOk, Tornadoes 5/3/99
1993-05-12DR-991Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1990-05-18DR-866Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1987-07-09DR-794FloodSevere Storms & Flooding
1986-10-14DR-778FloodSevere Storms & Flooding
1983-10-26DR-693FloodSevere Storms & Flooding

The 40 most recent of 44 are listed; the CSV has every one.

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 McClain County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 33 flood or flash flood records for McClain County from 1999 to 2025, on 24 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), McClain County ranks 1669th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $731,000 on 49 claims filed in McClain County; the most in one year was 19 in 2015. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1982: 2 · 1983: 2 · 1987: 3 · 1988: 4 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2007: 9 · 2009: 1 · 2015: 19 · 2016: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2025: 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 McClain County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates McClain County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $25.9 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.

National Risk Index ratings for McClain County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
Ice StormRelatively High$995K1.4 a year (modeled)
TornadoRelatively Moderate$7.5Mabout once a year (modeled)
HailRelatively Moderate$1.7M11 a year (modeled)
Heat WaveRelatively Moderate$1.8M18 modeled event-days a year
DroughtRelatively Moderate$820K35 modeled event-days a year
Cold WaveRelatively Moderate$3.0M1.6 a year (modeled)
Winter WeatherRelatively Moderate$147K8.9 a year (modeled)
WildfireRelatively Low$1.0Monce in about 238 years (modeled)

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

Counties that share a border with McClain County

  1. Cleveland County 1,863
  2. Canadian County 1,578
  3. Grady County 1,546
  4. McClain County 1,047
  5. Pontotoc County 1,043
  6. Garvin County 1,024
  7. Pottawatomie County 961

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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