Pontotoc County, Oklahoma

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 40123 · population 37,975 · 720 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,043 records for Pontotoc County, Oklahoma from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 607 days; the most frequent are hail reports (401 records). The deadliest single record is the May 9, 1959 tornado: 7 deaths and 12 injuries. FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1970, 22 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
1,043on 607 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
1198 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$120Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
73strongest F4
FEMA declarations
24latest 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 Pontotoc County most?

The most frequent records are hail reports: 401 since 1955. 57% 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.

Pontotoc County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Hail 401 215 1955-2026 0 0 $15M 19 of 77
Severe thunderstorm wind 263 157 1957-2026 1 7 $3.5M 34 of 77
Heat 83 83 2001-2025 1 0 – 16 of 77
Drought 75 75 2000-2026 0 0 $14M 39 of 77
Tornadoes 73 55 1950-2026 8 81 $79M 11 of 77
Floods 53 29 1998-2026 0 3 $1.5M 34 of 77
Winter storms 48 47 1996-2026 0 2 $6.8M 33 of 77
High wind and dust storms 15 13 1996-2023 0 0 $20K 41 of 77
Lightning 11 11 1996-2012 1 5 $326K 6 of 77
Extreme cold 10 10 1996-2025 0 0 – 19 of 77
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 10 10 1998-2004 0 0 – 10 of 77
Heavy rain 1 1 2009-2009 0 0 – 34 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 Pontotoc County had?

NOAA records 73 tornadoes in Pontotoc County from 1950 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 8 deaths and 81 injuries recorded in the county. That is 11th of 77 Oklahoma counties and 126th 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 71 tornadoes whose track touched Pontotoc County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 73: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 9 people, 8 of them in Pontotoc County.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Pontotoc County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1959-05-09 18:40, as SPC files itStonewallF46.2 mi7
2024-04-27 21:23, as SPC files itSulphurEF39.91 mi1
1982-03-15 17:57, as SPC files itAdaF36 mi1
2016-05-09 15:34, as SPC files itRoffEF316.6 mi0
1991-03-21 16:25, as SPC files itByngF311 mi0
1973-04-20 00:15, as SPC files itAda to ByngF37.9 mi0
1961-02-17 18:15, as SPC files itWewoka to HenryettaF373 mi0
1960-05-04 19:45, as SPC files itUnnamedF318.3 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oklahoma.

Every tornado record filed for Pontotoc County (73)
The 60 most recent of 73 tornadoes in Pontotoc County
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-04-25 Roff, Pontotoc County EFU 1.3 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
2026-04-25 Roff, Pontotoc County EF0 1 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
2025-05-24 Vanoss, Pontotoc County EF1 2.61 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $75K
2025-04-19 Ada, Pontotoc County EF1 4.3 mi x 100 yd 0 1 $750K
2025-04-19 Byng, Pontotoc County EF1 0.4 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $50K
2025-03-04 Allen, Pontotoc County EF1 4.8 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $75K
2025-03-04 Stonewall, Pontotoc County EF1 1 mi x 40 yd 0 0 $300K
2025-03-04 Ada, Pontotoc County EF1 3.7 mi x 200 yd 0 1 $10M
2025-03-04 Fittstown, Pontotoc County EF0 8.8 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $200K
2024-04-27 Roff, Pontotoc County EF1 0.28 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $5K
2024-04-27 Roff, Pontotoc County EF1 8.4 mi x 500 yd 0 0 $235K
2024-04-27 Francis, Pontotoc County EF1 1.5 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $9K
2021-10-10 Ada, Pontotoc County EF1 7.31 mi x 300 yd 0 0 $109K
2019-10-20 Vanoss, Pontotoc County EF1 0.25 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $6K
2018-06-24 Ada, Pontotoc County EF0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 $1K
2018-05-03 Byng, Pontotoc County EF1 0.25 mi x 25 yd 0 0 $12K
2017-05-18 Stonewall, Pontotoc County EF0 0.6 mi x 75 yd 0 0 $6K
2017-04-25 Byng, Pontotoc County EF0 0.7 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $5K
2017-03-26 Lula, Pontotoc County EF0 0.3 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
2017-03-26 Ada, Pontotoc County EF0 4 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $1K
2016-05-09 Roff, Pontotoc County EF2 1.5 mi x 600 yd 0 0 –
2016-04-26 Byng, Pontotoc County EF1 2 mi x 200 yd 0 0 $25K
2015-05-23 Francis, Pontotoc County EF0 1 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-23 Ada, Pontotoc County EF0 0.2 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2013-05-15 Ada, Pontotoc County EF0 0.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $25K
2011-05-21 Vanoss, Pontotoc County EF1 3.3 mi x 150 yd 0 0 –
2011-05-21 Vanoss, Pontotoc County EF0 1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2011-05-21 Vanoss, Pontotoc County EF0 1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2011-05-21 Roff, Pontotoc County EF1 6.7 mi x 880 yd 0 0 $10K
2011-04-14 Stonewall, Pontotoc County EF1 1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $10K
2001-05-20 Ada, Pontotoc County F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
2001-04-11 Lula, Pontotoc County F2 4.5 mi x 400 yd 0 0 $117K
2001-04-11 Jesse, Pontotoc County F2 5.5 mi x 400 yd 0 0 $75K
2000-10-22 Francis, Pontotoc County F0 0.1 mi x 15 yd 0 0 –
2000-10-22 Stonewall, Pontotoc County F0 2.5 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
1997-05-25 Roff, Pontotoc County F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $6K
1994-04-02 Ada, Pontotoc County F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
1992-05-11 Pontotoc County F2 5 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $25K step
1992-05-11 Pontotoc County F2 1 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $25K step
1991-03-21 Pontotoc County F1 5 mi x 173 yd 0 0 $250K step
1991-03-21 Pontotoc County F3 11 mi x 350 yd 0 2 $2.5M step
1985-03-26 Pontotoc County F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd 0 0 –
1984-05-02 Pontotoc County F0 0 0 –
1983-05-14 Pontotoc County F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $30 step
1983-05-13 Pontotoc County F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $30 step
1982-03-15 Pontotoc County F3 6 mi x 60 yd 1 36 $2.5M step
1979-04-11 Pontotoc County F1 3 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $25K step
1977-07-26 Pontotoc County 0 0 $250 step
1975-11-19 Pontotoc County F2 2.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $3K step
1975-11-19 Pontotoc County F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $3K step
1973-05-23 Pontotoc County F1 5.9 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $3K step
1973-04-20 Pontotoc County F3 7.9 mi x 100 yd 0 21 $2.5M step
1971-07-17 Pontotoc County F1 0.2 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $25K step
1971-05-23 Pontotoc County F0 0 0 –
1971-04-22 Pontotoc County F2 1 mi x 400 yd 0 0 $250K step
1970-10-07 Pontotoc County F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $25K step
1970-10-07 Pontotoc County F1 2 mi x 200 yd 0 0 $25K step
1970-06-11 Pontotoc County F2 2.5 mi x 440 yd 0 0 $25K step
1970-04-18 Pontotoc County F2 5.2 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $25K step
1968-05-13 Pontotoc County F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –

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 Pontotoc County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 6, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

The 12 most recent records kept for Pontotoc County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-23 Flash FloodFittstown, Pontotoc County 0 0 –
2026-06-22 Thunderstorm WindByng, Pontotoc County 61 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-06 Thunderstorm WindAda, Pontotoc County 56 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-06 Thunderstorm WindAda, Pontotoc County 52 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-06-06 Thunderstorm WindAda, Pontotoc County 52 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-06-06 Thunderstorm WindAda, Pontotoc County 56 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-28 HailByng, Pontotoc County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-25 HailRoff, Pontotoc County 0.88 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-25 HailAda, Pontotoc County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-25 HailAda, Pontotoc County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-25 HailAda, Pontotoc County 0.75 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-25 HailVanoss, Pontotoc County 1.75 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

Records with deaths or injuries in Pontotoc County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1959-05-09 TornadoPontotoc County F4 6.2 mi x 900 yd 7 12 $250K step
1982-03-15 TornadoPontotoc County F3 6 mi x 60 yd 1 36 $2.5M step
2012-02-20 Thunderstorm WindAda, Pontotoc County Information provided by a NWS Storm Survey team and local radar confirmed that a strong microburst occurred near the Happyland community. A strapped down, double-wide was destroyed by the intense winds, with debris scattered 100 to 150 yards. Unfortunately, two people were inside the mobile home when it was destroyed. 78 kt wind 1 1 –
2012-07-13 LightningAda, Pontotoc County A brief thunderstorm impacted Ada, Oklahoma just before midnight. No structural damage was reported, but one fatality occurred when a man was struck by lightning in the driveway of his home. 1 0 –
2006-08-01 HeatPontotoc County · forecast zone Pontotoc 1 0 –
1973-04-20 TornadoPontotoc County F3 7.9 mi x 100 yd 0 21 $2.5M step
1960-05-04 TornadoPontotoc County F3 18.3 mi x 33 yd 0 6 $250K step
2007-06-18 Flash FloodAda, Pontotoc County A pickup truck washed into the Bois D' Arc Creek. All three passengers were rescued. Two persons were injured and treated at the scene, while another person was injured and transported to a nearby hospital. A number of businesses and homes had standing water inside. One home was flooded in Roff. 0 3 $1.4M

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 Pontotoc County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2025-03-04 TornadoAda, Pontotoc County EF1 3.7 mi x 200 yd 0 1 $10M
1994-04-02 HailAda, Pontotoc County 2.50 in hail 0 0 $10.0M
2000-12-26 Ice StormPontotoc County · forecast zone Pontotoc 0 0 $6.7M
2024-03-14 HailAda, Pontotoc County 4.00 in hail 0 0 $1.9M
2007-06-18 Flash FloodAda, Pontotoc County 0 3 $1.4M
1994-04-02 HailPontotoc County 2.50 in hail 0 0 $995K
1995-07-02 Thunderstorm WindAda, Pontotoc County 0 0 $968K
2025-04-19 TornadoAda, Pontotoc County EF1 4.3 mi x 100 yd 0 1 $750K

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: March 15, 1982 (tornado, Pontotoc County, 1 killed); April 20, 1973 (tornado, Pontotoc County); March 21, 1991 (tornado, Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc 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).

Pontotoc County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Hail591434907470105
Severe thunderstorm wind1582156545761
Heat––––03080
Drought––––0173523
Tornadoes77135651713
Floods––––391823

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

What time of year?

57% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 39 · Feb 52 · Mar 107 · Apr 176 · May 216 · Jun 151 · Jul 101 · Aug 58 · Sep 50 · Oct 41 · Nov 28 · Dec 24 (records).

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

Federal disaster declarations for Pontotoc County

FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Pontotoc County: 16 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (11) and severe ice storm (7).

Declarations including Pontotoc County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2024-04-30DR-4776TornadoSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2021-02-24DR-4587Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms
2021-02-17EM-3555Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storm
2020-04-05DR-4530BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3462BiologicalCovid-19
2017-07-25DR-4324TornadoSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2015-05-26DR-4222Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
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
2007-12-10EM-3280Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms
2007-08-31DR-1723Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes
2007-07-07DR-1712Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes
2007-02-01DR-1678Severe StormSevere Winter Storms
2007-01-14EM-3272Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms and Flooding
2006-01-10DR-1623FireExtreme Wildfire Threat
2005-09-05EM-3219HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuation
2003-05-10DR-1465Severe StormSevere Storms and Tornadoes
2001-01-05DR-1355Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Ice Storm
2000-12-28EM-3158Severe Ice StormSevere Winter and Ice Storm
1990-05-18DR-866Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1973-06-13DR-392Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, & Tornadoes
1970-10-14DR-297Severe StormHeavy 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 Pontotoc County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 53 flood or flash flood records for Pontotoc County from 1998 to 2026, on 29 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Pontotoc County ranks 2061st of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $691,000 on 22 claims filed in Pontotoc County; the most in one year was 9 in 2015. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1983: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 9 · 2021: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 3; 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 Pontotoc County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pontotoc County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $21.3 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 Pontotoc County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
Ice StormRelatively High$1.1M1.6 a year (modeled)
LightningRelatively High$753K55 a year (modeled)
HailRelatively Moderate$1.9M9 a year (modeled)
WildfireRelatively Moderate$1.3Monce in about 110 years (modeled)
TornadoRelatively Moderate$5.9Mabout once a year (modeled)
Heat WaveRelatively Moderate$1.3M20 modeled event-days a year
DroughtRelatively Moderate$663K34 modeled event-days a year
Strong WindRelatively Moderate$960K4.1 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 Pontotoc County

  1. McClain County 1,047
  2. Pontotoc County 1,043
  3. Garvin County 1,024
  4. Pottawatomie County 961
  5. Seminole County 745
  6. Johnston County 728
  7. Murray County 711
  8. Hughes County 638
  9. Coal County 509

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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