Oklahoma natural disasters

The state's storm and disaster record · population 3,952,634 · 77 counties and county equivalents

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 82,919 storm events in Oklahoma since 1950, 63,696 of them since 1996 when every event type began to be recorded, and the Storm Prediction Center counts 4,516 tornadoes in the state since 1950. The most frequent records are hail reports (31,601). In NOAA's storm record since 1950, the deadliest tornado day in Oklahoma was May 3, 1999: tornadoes and the storms that came with them killed 40 people in the state; the deadliest of them in Oklahoma, the Bridge Creek/Moore tornado, killed 36 (SPC). FEMA has made 259 declarations for Oklahoma since 1955, 240 for natural hazards; 99 were major disasters.

The record, 1950 to 2026

Storm events recorded in Oklahoma 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 $1 million
$1 million or more
$10 million or more
$100 million or more, or 10 deaths
$1 billion or more, or 100 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 events recorded: 82,9191950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded: 7058,371 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars: $19.1Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes (SPC): 4,5161950 to 2025
FEMA declarations: 25999 major disasters

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); tornado count: NOAA Storm Prediction Center, 1950-2025; damage in 2025 dollars (BLS CPI-U). Search the record at NCEI.

What natural disasters happen in Oklahoma?

By NOAA's records, Oklahoma's most frequent hazards are hail reports (31,601), severe thunderstorm wind events (22,248), drought records (6,658); the deadliest are tornadoes (364 deaths). Each hazard is counted over the years NOAA has recorded it everywhere: tornadoes since 1950, hail and thunderstorm wind since 1955, everything else since 1996. Open a hazard for its years, months, counties and worst events.

Oklahoma: records by hazard to June 30, 2026
Hazard	Records	Last 10 years	Killed	Injured	Damage	Counties
Hail	31,601	5,486	0	36	$895M	77 of 77
Severe thunderstorm wind	22,248	5,077	23	371	$1.7B	77 of 77
Drought	6,658	2,916	0	4	$1.7B	77 of 77
Tornadoes	5,054	960	364	5,501	$13.2B	77 of 77
Heat	4,699	3,908	106	1,742	$15K	74 of 77
Floods	4,346	1,394	91	182	$153M	77 of 77
Winter storms	3,990	723	78	360	$1.1B	77 of 77
High wind and dust storms	2,209	791	1	22	$4.9M	77 of 77
Extreme cold	639	454	9	0	$135K	56 of 77
Wildfires	604	407	18	73	$211M	69 of 77
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds	380	8	2	18	$132K	65 of 77
Lightning	377	22	13	61	$37M	69 of 77
Heavy rain	113	3	0	1	$2.7M	45 of 77
Hurricanes and tropical storms	1	0	0	0	$34K	1 of 77

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: every record counted once in the state; "last 10 years" is 2017-2026 (2026 to June 30, 2026).

What were the deadliest disasters in Oklahoma?

The storms with the most deaths since 1950, from the National Weather Service's own entries. NOAA files one storm as several records when it crosses forecast zones and counties or changes type, and groups them under one episode; each row here is an episode, with its totals and the narrative of its deadliest record. Before 1996 tornado records carry no episode and stand alone. The narrative says what happened: some deaths the National Weather Service files under a weather type had another cause beside the weather.

Oklahoma: the 10 storm episodes with the most deaths
Date	Record	Character	Killed	Injured	Damage
1999-05-03	Tornadoes of the day; the deadliest, Bridge Creek/Moore, killed 36 (SPC) · TornadoDel City, Oklahoma County One storm episode: 87 records in 19 places; the totals are the episode's. A record outbreak of tornadoes struck Oklahoma from late afternoon of May 3, 1999, through early morning of May 4, 1999. To date, 58 tornadoes have been recorded across portions of western and central Oklahoma. Additional tornadoes were reported across eastern Oklahoma from late evening of May 3rd through the early ...	F4 7 mi x 1,320 yd	40	675	$1.9B
1960-05-05	Tornadoes of the day; the deadliest, Sallisaw, killed 16 (SPC) · TornadoLatimer County Every tornado record filed in the state that day (31, in 19 places; before 1996 NOAA filed no storm episodes); the totals are the day's.	F4 17.2 mi x 200 yd	32	229	$2.5M step
2013-05-20	Tornadoes of the day; the deadliest, Moore, killed 24 (SPC) · TornadoMoore, Cleveland County One storm episode: 15 records in 12 places, 2013-05-20 to 2013-05-21; the totals are the episode's. A tornado outbreak occurred during the afternoon and evening hours of the 20th. Several tornadoes occurred from central Oklahoma down through south central Oklahoma near the Red River. The strongest tornado touched down near Newcastle and traveled through Moore and south Oklahoma City. This tornado caused catastrophic ...	EF5 12 mi x 1,900 yd	24	212	$2.5B
1955-05-25	Tornadoes of the day; the deadliest, Blackwell, killed 20 (SPC) · TornadoKay County Every tornado record filed in the state that day (12, in 9 places; before 1996 NOAA filed no storm episodes); the totals are the day's.	F5 19.6 mi x 500 yd	22	290	$25M step
2013-05-31	Tornadoes of the day; the deadliest, El Reno, killed 8 (SPC) · TornadoCalumet, Canadian County One storm episode: 33 records in 7 places; the totals are the episode's. A tornado outbreak occurred during the late afternoon and early evening hours of the 31st. A stalled front and deeply mixed dryline served as a focus for thunderstorm development. The front/dryline triple point was where the most intense supercells initiated. These storms traveled eastward, eventually impacting the ...	EF3 16.2 mi x 4,576 yd	21	35	$1.1M
1974-06-08	Tornadoes of the day; the deadliest, Drumright to Westport, killed 14 (SPC) · TornadoCreek County Every tornado record filed in the state that day (29, in 15 places; before 1996 NOAA filed no storm episodes); the totals are the day's.	F4 14.5 mi x 400 yd	16	294	$2.5M step
1961-05-05	Tornadoes of the day; the deadliest, Talihina to Howe, killed 16 (SPC) · TornadoLe Flore County Every tornado record filed in the state that day (3, in 3 places; before 1996 NOAA filed no storm episodes); the totals are the day's.	F4 26.4 mi x 400 yd	16	58	$250K step
2007-01-12	Winter StormWashita County · forecast zone Washita One storm episode: 10 records in 10 places; the totals are the episode's. A strong winter storm crippled much of Oklahoma from January 12th through the 14th, spreading snow, freezing rain and sleet across the state. The snow and sleet was confined to northern and western Oklahoma. The freezing rain and sleet occurred mainly over central and southwest Oklahoma, with mainly freezing rain over ...		14	0	$1.5M
2011-05-24	Tornadoes of the day; the deadliest, El Reno/Piedmont, killed 9 (SPC) · TornadoCalumet, Canadian County One storm episode: 28 records in 14 places; the totals are the episode's. A tornado outbreak occurred over parts of northern and central Oklahoma during the day on the 24th, with violent tornadoes devastating several communities. By the end of the day, one EF-5, two EF-4, and two EF-3 tornadoes destroyed buildings, ripped up trees and power poles, and unfortunately, resulted in 11 deaths. ...	EF5 39.6 mi x 1,760 yd	11	342	–
1984-04-26	Tornadoes of the day; the deadliest, Schulter to Morris, killed 8 (SPC) · TornadoOkmulgee County Every tornado record filed in the state that day (14, in 8 places; before 1996 NOAA filed no storm episodes); the totals are the day's.	F3 22 mi x 1,760 yd	11	147	$25M 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: deaths direct and indirect, as filed in this state, summed over the records of each episode (EPISODE_ID); a forecast-zone record counts the zone's deaths once. A tornado's whole-track deaths (SPC), on the state's tornado page, can be higher when the track crossed a state line. Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

The costliest records in Oklahoma

Oklahoma: the 8 records with the most damage since 1993, 2025 dollars
Date	Record	Character	Killed	Injured	Damage
2013-05-20	TornadoMoore, Cleveland County	EF5 12 mi x 1,900 yd	24	207	$2.5B
2008-06-05	Thunderstorm WindAltus, Jackson County	76 kt wind	0	1	$1.0B
1998-07-06	DroughtChoctaw County · forecast zone Choctaw		0	0	$905M
1999-05-03	TornadoMoore, Cleveland County	F5 10 mi x 1,320 yd	11	293	$797M
2003-05-08	TornadoMoore, Cleveland County	F3 3.8 mi x 440 yd	0	45	$337M
2012-05-29	HailNichols Hills, Oklahoma County	2.75 in hail	0	0	$321M
2003-05-08	TornadoDel City, Oklahoma County	F4 13.5 mi x 700 yd	0	89	$257M
2006-06-01	DroughtHarper County · forecast zone Harper		0	0	$221M

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 $250M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 11, 1982 (tornado, Jackson County); April 19, 1981 (tornado, Tulsa County).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. BLS consumer price index.

Which counties in Oklahoma have the most records?

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950 attributed to each county (forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers).

Every county in Oklahoma

Billion-dollar disasters in Oklahoma

NOAA counted 115 weather or climate disasters from 1980-2024 that cost at least $1 billion (adjusted for inflation) and affected Oklahoma, led by severe storm (76). The most recent: Central and Northeast Severe Weather (2024); Central Tornado Outbreak (2024); Central, Southern, Eastern Severe Weather (2024).

Oklahoma: billion-dollar disasters by type, 1980-2024
Type	Events	Total cost (NOAA's range)
Severe Storm	76	$20.0B-$50.0B
Drought	18	$10.0B-$20.0B
Winter Storm	7	$1.0B-$2.0B
Flooding	6	$2.0B-$5.0B
Wildfire	6	$250M-$500M
Freeze	2	$500M-$1.0B

Every one of the 115, newest first

Central and Northeast Severe Weather2024
Central Tornado Outbreak2024
Central, Southern, Eastern Severe Weather2024
Central, Southern, Southeastern Tornado Outbreak2024
Central and Southern Tornado Outbreak2024
Central and Southern Severe Weather2024
Southern/Eastern/Northwestern Drought and Heat Wave2024
Southern Hail Storms2023
Central and Southern Severe Weather2023
Southern Severe Weather2023
Central and Eastern Tornadoes and Hail Storms2023
Central Severe Weather2023
Southern/Midwestern Drought and Heatwave2023
Central Tornado Outbreak and Eastern Severe Weather2023
Southern and Eastern Severe Weather2023
Central and Eastern Winter Storm and Cold Wave2022
Central Severe Weather2022
Southern and Central Severe Weather2022
Southern Severe Weather2022
Southeast Tornado Outbreak2022
Western/Central Drought and Heat Wave2022
Southern Tornadoes and Southeast Severe Weather2021
Texas and Oklahoma Severe Weather2021
Northwest, Central, Eastern Winter Storm and Cold Wave2021
Central Severe Weather2020
South, Central and Eastern Severe Weather2020
Central, Southern and Eastern Severe Weather2020
Southern Severe Weather2020
Southeast and Eastern Tornado Outbreak2020
Midwest and Ohio Valley Severe Weather2020
Texas Tornadoes and Central Severe Weather2019
Rockies, Central and Northeast Tornadoes and Severe Weather2019
Arkansas River Flooding2019
South and Southeast Severe Weather2019
Texas Hail Storm2019
Mississippi River, Midwest and Southern Flooding2019
Southwest/Southern Plains Drought2018
Central and Eastern Severe Weather2018
Central and Northeast Severe Weather2018
North Central Severe Weather and Tornadoes2017
Colorado Hail Storm and Central Severe Weather2017
Missouri and Arkansas Flooding and Central Severe Weather2017
South and Southeast Severe Weather2017
Southeast Severe Weather and Tornadoes2017
South/Southeast Severe Weather2017
Midwest Tornado Outbreak2017
Plains Tornadoes and Central Severe Weather2016
South/Southeast Tornadoes2016
North Texas Hail Storm2016
Texas Tornadoes and Midwest Flooding2015
Texas and Oklahoma Flooding and Severe Weather2015
Southern Plains Tornadoes2015
South/Southeast Severe Weather2015
Midwest/Ohio Valley Severe Weather2015
Western Drought2014
Midwest/Plains/Northeast Tornadoes2013
Midwest/Plains/East Tornadoes2013
Western/Plains Drought/Heat Wave2013
Southern Severe Weather2013
Western Wildfires2012
Southern Plains/Midwest/Northeast Severe Weather2012
Midwest Tornadoes2012
U.S. Drought/Heat Wave2012
Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes and Severe Weather2011
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona Wildfires2011
Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes2011
Southeast/Ohio Valley/Midwest Tornadoes2011
Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes2011
Southeast/Midwest Tornadoes2011
Southern Plains/Southwest Drought and Heat Wave2011
Groundhog Day Blizzard2011
Rockies/Central/East Severe Weather2010
Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas Tornadoes and Severe Weather2010
Midwest, South and East Severe Weather2009
Western Wildfires2009
Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes2009
Southeast/Ohio Valley Severe Weather2009
Southwest/Great Plains Drought2009
U.S. Wildfires2008
Midwest/Mid-Atlantic Severe Weather2008
Midwest Tornadoes and Severe Weather2008
Southern Severe Weather2008
Midwest Flooding2008
Western, Central and Northeast Severe Weather2008
U.S. Drought2008
Spring Freeze2007
Severe Storms and Tornadoes2006
Midwest/Plains/Southeast Drought2006
Numerous Wildfires2006
Severe Storms, Hail, Tornadoes2004
California Wildfires2003
Severe Storms/Tornadoes2003
U.S. Drought2002
Midwest/Ohio Valley Hail and Tornadoes2001
Western/Central/Southeast Drought/Heat Wave2000
Oklahoma and Kansas Tornadoes1999
Central and Eastern Winter Storm1999
Southern Drought and Heat Wave1998
Southern Plains Drought1996
South Plains Severe Weather1995
Midwest/Plains Tornadoes1994
Severe Storms, Hail1992
Hail, Tornadoes1992
U.S. Drought1991
Southern Flooding1990
Winter Storm, Cold Wave1989
Southern Derecho and Severe Storms1989
U.S. Drought/Heat Wave1988
Winter Storm, Cold Wave1985
Freeze/Cold Wave1983
Severe Storms1982
Midwest/Plains/Southeast Tornadoes1982
Midwest/Southeast/Northeast Winter Storm, Cold Wave1982
Severe Storms, Flash Floods, Hail, Tornadoes1981
Central/Eastern Drought/Heat Wave1980

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters, state summary for Oklahoma, 1980-2024 (NCEI's last update; the product is archived). A disaster that affected several states counts in each. NCEI billion-dollar disasters.

Federal disaster declarations in Oklahoma

FEMA has made 259 declarations for Oklahoma since 1955: 99 major disasters, 28 emergencies and 132 fire management assistance declarations. The most common incident types are fire (139), severe storm (51), flood (23).

1950s 5
1960s 2
1970s 16
1980s 8
1990s 21
2000s 71
2010s 72
2020s 64

The 15 most recent declarations in Oklahoma
Declared	Number	Type	Title	Areas named
2026-08-13	FM-5669	Fire	Train Trestle Fire	2
2026-03-22	FM-5628	Fire	Jumping Juniper Fire	1
2026-03-22	FM-5627	Fire	Dibble Creek Fire	1
2026-03-19	FM-5626	Fire	Buck Horn Fire	1
2026-03-15	FM-5624	Fire	1170 Road Fire	1
2026-02-19	FM-5621	Fire	Rattlesnake Fire	2
2026-02-19	FM-5620	Fire	Hospital Road Fire	1
2026-02-17	FM-5618	Fire	43 Fire	1
2026-02-17	FM-5617	Fire	Ranger Road Fire	1
2026-02-17	FM-5616	Fire	Stevens Fire	2
2025-12-19	FM-5615	Fire	Sunny Fire	1
2025-05-21	DR-4866	Fire	Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds	7
2025-03-19	FM-5572	Fire	328 Fire	1
2025-03-18	DR-4862	Severe Storm	Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding	8
2025-03-15	FM-5569	Fire	Norge Fire	1

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.

Flood insurance claims in Oklahoma

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $258 million on 12,875 claims in 74 Oklahoma counties. Claims count insured losses only.

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.

FEMA's modeled risk across Oklahoma's counties

How FEMA's National Risk Index rates Oklahoma's counties overall: a model of expected future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of events.

Relatively High 2
Relatively Moderate 11
Relatively Low 36
Very Low 28

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