Murray County, Oklahoma
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 40099 · population 13,860 · 416 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 711 records for Murray County, Oklahoma from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 484 days; the most frequent are hail reports (224 records). The deadliest single record is the April 27, 2024 tornado: 1 death, 30 injuries and $9.4 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1970, 24 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Buck Horn Fire” on March 19, 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
- 711on 484 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 442 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $47Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 46strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 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 Murray County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 224 since 1956. 54% 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 | 224 | 131 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $21K | 11 of 77 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 140 | 91 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 1 | $4.2M | 33 of 77 |
| Drought | 86 | 86 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 4 of 77 |
| Heat | 80 | 80 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 77 |
| Floods | 59 | 38 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $159K | 11 of 77 |
| Tornadoes | 46 | 34 | 1953-2026 | 3 | 38 | $24M | 9 of 77 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 38 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $2.8M | 7 of 77 |
| Extreme cold | 11 | 11 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 77 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 9 | 9 | 1998-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 77 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 8 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | $43K | 40 of 77 |
| Wildfires | 6 | 6 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 14 of 77 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1998-2017 | 0 | 2 | $42K | 15 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 Murray County had?
NOAA records 46 tornadoes in Murray County from 1953 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 3 deaths and 38 injuries recorded in the county. That is 9th of 77 Oklahoma counties and 102nd 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 46 tornadoes whose track touched Murray County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 46, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 8 people, 3 of them in Murray County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-04-19 17:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F4 | 28.2 mi | 5 |
| 2024-04-27 21:23, as SPC files it | Sulphur | EF3 | 9.91 mi | 1 |
| 1957-04-02 16:55, as SPC files it | Davis | F2 | 2 mi | 1 |
| 1955-07-15 14:20, as SPC files it | Sulphur | F1 | 1.5 mi | 1 |
| 2016-05-09 15:34, as SPC files it | Roff | EF3 | 16.6 mi | 0 |
| 1953-06-05 21:15, as SPC files it | Sulphur | F3 | 16.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oklahoma.
Every tornado record filed for Murray County (46)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-28 | Dougherty, Murray County | EFU 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-19 | Dougherty, Murray County | EFU 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-11-04 | Joy, Murray County | EF0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-27 | Sulphur, Murray County | EF3 9.63 mi x 440 yd | 1 | 30 | $9.4M |
| 2024-04-27 | Dougherty, Murray County | EF1 3.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2024-04-27 | Dougherty, Murray County | EF1 5.9 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $188K |
| 2020-04-22 | Dougherty, Murray County | EF1 0.13 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-30 | Scullin, Murray County | EF1 1.75 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-30 | Dougherty, Murray County | EFU 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-10-07 | Davis, Murray County | EF0 0.65 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-27 | Dougherty, Murray County | EFU 2.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-09 | Joy, Murray County | EF3 15.1 mi x 1,500 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.9M |
| 2015-05-23 | Joy, Murray County | EF0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-23 | Sulphur, Murray County | EF0 3 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-05-21 | Sulphur, Murray County | EF0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-05-21 | Hickory, Murray County | EF0 0.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-19 | Joy, Murray County | EF1 12 mi x 375 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-05-25 | Joy, Murray County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-04-21 | Hickory, Murray County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $941 |
| 1996-04-21 | Hickory, Murray County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $941 |
| 1996-04-21 | Sulphur, Murray County | F1 3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $527K |
| 1996-04-21 | Davis, Murray County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-04-21 | Sulphur, Murray County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-07 | N Sulphur, Murray County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 1995-05-07 | Nr Gene Autry, Murray County | F1 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $968K |
| 1995-05-07 | Davis, Murray County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $968K |
| 1995-04-17 | Joy (1.5 Se Wynnewood, Murray County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-11 | Murray County | F2 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1984-09-08 | Murray County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-05-13 | Murray County | F2 7 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1981-05-23 | Murray County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-10-21 | Murray County | F2 1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-05-26 | Murray County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1974-05-01 | Murray County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1972-04-19 | Murray County | F4 4.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-04-22 | Murray County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1970-06-11 | Murray County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-11-19 | Murray County | F2 1 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1958-11-17 | Murray County | F2 3.6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-04-02 | Murray County | F2 2 mi x 600 yd | 1 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1957-04-02 | Murray County | F2 5.7 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1955-07-15 | Murray County | F1 1.5 mi x 300 yd | 1 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1954-06-07 | Murray County | F1 13 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1953-12-02 | Murray County | F1 16.2 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 2 | $3K step |
| 1953-11-19 | Murray County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-02-19 | Murray County | F1 4.7 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Murray County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 flash flood ($50,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodJoy, Murray County | 0 | 0 | $50K | |
| 2026-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindDougherty, Murray County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | HailSulphur, Murray County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | HailDavis, Murray County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindDavis, Murray County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-04-28 | HailDavis, Murray County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | TornadoDougherty, Murray County | EFU 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-24 | HailSulphur, Murray County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-24 | HailScullin, Murray County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-24 | HailScullin, Murray County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-24 | HailSulphur, Murray County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtMurray County · forecast zone Murray | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-27 | TornadoSulphur, Murray County The Sulphur tornado initially developed in the Chickasaw National Recreation Area to the southwest of Sulphur and produced tree damage as well as damage to one building in the northeast section of the park as the tornado approached Sulphur. The tornado moved into the southern part of Sulphur causing significant damage ... | EF3 9.63 mi x 440 yd | 1 | 30 | $9.4M |
| 1957-04-02 | TornadoMurray County | F2 2 mi x 600 yd | 1 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1955-07-15 | TornadoMurray County | F1 1.5 mi x 300 yd | 1 | 2 | $25K step |
| 2008-01-03 | Winter WeatherMurray County · forecast zone Murray A light coating of ice caused a one vehicle accident near mile marker 47 on Interstate 35. One injury was reported, as well as one fatality. Monetary damages were estimated. | 1 | 1 | $21K | |
| 1953-12-02 | TornadoMurray County | F1 16.2 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 2 | $3K step |
| 2025-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindSulphur, Murray County Multiple reports and images of extensive thunderstorm wind damage in areas along U.S. Highway 177, approximately seven miles north of Sulphur. This included a mobile home that was blown off its blocks and destroyed, outbuildings significantly damaged, a travel trailer rolled, and numerous trees and large tree limbs ... | 78 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $250K |
| 2017-05-27 | LightningTurner Falls, Murray County A man was struck by lightning near Turner Falls. His clothes were blown from his body and he suffered severe burns, temporary paralysis, and hearing loss. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1998-09-10 | LightningSulphur, Murray County A wildfire started by lightning burned 5000 acres. More than 12 fire departments were needed to contain the fire. One man was injured when he burned his hand on an equipment motor. | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-27 | TornadoSulphur, Murray County | EF3 9.63 mi x 440 yd | 1 | 30 | $9.4M |
| 2016-05-09 | TornadoJoy, Murray County | EF3 15.1 mi x 1,500 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.9M |
| 2000-12-26 | Ice StormMurray County · forecast zone Murray | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2001-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindDougherty, Murray County | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 2000-09-08 | WildfireWest Portion, Murray County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 1995-05-07 | TornadoDavis, Murray County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $968K |
| 1999-02-06 | Thunderstorm WindSulphur, Murray County | 0 | 0 | $531K | |
| 1996-04-21 | TornadoSulphur, Murray County | F1 3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $527K |
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: April 2, 1957 (tornado, Murray County, 1 killed); April 22, 1971 (tornado, Murray County); May 13, 1983 (tornado, Murray 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 Murray 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 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 27 | 67 | 27 | 35 | 52 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 34 | 31 | 31 | 22 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 19 | 40 | 27 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | 0 | 76 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 18 | 28 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 36 · Feb 36 · Mar 71 · Apr 105 · May 136 · Jun 65 · Jul 68 · Aug 78 · Sep 34 · Oct 32 · Nov 33 · Dec 17 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Murray County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Murray County: 15 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe ice storm (7) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-19 | FM-5626 | Fire | Buck Horn Fire |
| 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 |
| 2017-07-25 | DR-4324 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-05-26 | DR-4222 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-07-15 | FM-2939 | Fire | Falls Creek Fire |
| 2011-02-02 | EM-3316 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-03-05 | DR-1883 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-01-30 | EM-3308 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-06-19 | DR-1846 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2007-12-10 | EM-3280 | Severe Ice 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 |
| 2000-09-19 | FM-2341 | Fire | Ok-Arbuckle Fire Complex-9/18/00 |
| 1995-06-26 | DR-1058 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1990-05-18 | DR-866 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1987-07-09 | DR-794 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-12-10 | DR-409 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Murray County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 59 flood or flash flood records for Murray County from 1996 to 2026, on 38 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Murray County ranks 2477th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $132,000 on 7 claims filed in Murray County; the most in one year was 2 in 1990. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 2 · 1995: 2 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 1 · 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 Murray County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Murray County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.9 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $98K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $327K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $502K | 9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $344K | 39 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $461K | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $400K | once in about 149 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $548K | 19 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Murray 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 Murray CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Murray County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis