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.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-05-09 18:40, as SPC files it | Stonewall | F4 | 6.2 mi | 7 |
| 2024-04-27 21:23, as SPC files it | Sulphur | EF3 | 9.91 mi | 1 |
| 1982-03-15 17:57, as SPC files it | Ada | F3 | 6 mi | 1 |
| 2016-05-09 15:34, as SPC files it | Roff | EF3 | 16.6 mi | 0 |
| 1991-03-21 16:25, as SPC files it | Byng | F3 | 11 mi | 0 |
| 1973-04-20 00:15, as SPC files it | Ada to Byng | F3 | 7.9 mi | 0 |
| 1961-02-17 18:15, as SPC files it | Wewoka to Henryetta | F3 | 73 mi | 0 |
| 1960-05-04 19:45, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 18.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oklahoma.
Every tornado record filed for Pontotoc County (73)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 5 | 9 | 14 | 34 | 90 | 74 | 70 | 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 5 | 8 | 21 | 56 | 54 | 57 | 61 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 0 | 80 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 17 | 35 | 23 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 13 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 9 | 18 | 23 |
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).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2011-02-02 | EM-3316 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-03-05 | DR-1883 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-02-25 | DR-1876 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-01-30 | EM-3308 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2007-12-10 | EM-3280 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-08-31 | DR-1723 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2003-05-10 | DR-1465 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms 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 |
| 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 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $1.1M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $753K | 55 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | 9 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | once in about 110 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.9M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 20 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $663K | 34 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $960K | 4.1 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
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 Pontotoc CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Pontotoc County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis