Oklahoma recorded 4,403 tornadoes from 1950 through 2024, an average of 59 a year, in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database. They killed 359 people. The busiest year was 2024, with 152.
Tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950: none under 10 10 to 25 25 to 50 50 to 75 75 to 100 over 100. Tap a county for its history.
Tornadoes by year
The rise since the 1990s is mostly better detection of weak tornadoes, not a jump in strong ones.
Tornado season in Oklahoma
May is the peak, with 1,828 tornadoes since 1950 (42% of the total).
How strong
| Rating | Estimated 3-second gust | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) | 1,759 |
| F1 / EF1 | Moderate: 86 to 110 mph | 1,486 |
| F2 / EF2 | Considerable: 111 to 135 mph | 728 |
| F3 / EF3 | Severe: 136 to 165 mph | 203 |
| F4 / EF4 | Devastating: 166 to 200 mph | 61 |
| F5 / EF5 | Incredible: over 200 mph | 8 |
| EF-U | Unknown: no damage to rate (mostly since 2016) | 158 |
Oklahoma has had 8 F5 or EF5 tornadoes, the top of the scale.
The deadliest tornadoes in Oklahoma
| Date | Rating | Deaths in Oklahoma | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 1999 | F5 (the Bridge Creek and Moore tornado) | 36 | Cleveland County, Grady County, McClain County, Oklahoma County |
| May 20, 2013 | EF5 (the Moore tornado) | 24 | Cleveland County, McClain County |
| May 25, 1955 | F5 | 20 | Kay County |
| May 5, 1960 | F4 | 16 | Haskell County, Latimer County, Sequoyah County |
| May 5, 1961 | F4 | 16 | Le Flore County |
| June 8, 1974 | F4 | 14 | Creek County, Osage County, Tulsa County |
| January 22, 1957 | F4 | 10 | Sequoyah County |
| May 24, 2011 | EF5 | 9 | Canadian County, Kingfisher County, Logan County |
| April 26, 1984 | F3 | 8 | Okmulgee County |
| February 10, 2009 | EF4 | 8 | Carter County, Jefferson County, Love County |
Counties with the most tornadoes
| County | Tornadoes since 1950 | Per 1,000 sq mi | Strongest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma County | 137 | 191 | F5 |
| Caddo County | 132 | 102 | F4 |
| Osage County | 113 | 49 | EF4 |
| Canadian County | 111 | 123 | EF5 |
| Cleveland County | 109 | 196 | EF5 |
| Kay County | 102 | 108 | F5 |
| Tulsa County | 98 | 167 | F4 |
| Kiowa County | 95 | 93 | F4 |
| Lincoln County | 95 | 99 | F5 |
| Grady County | 95 | 86 | F5 |
| Tillman County | 91 | 104 | EF4 |
| Pottawatomie County | 91 | 115 | F5 |
| Mayes County | 87 | 128 | EF3 |
| Pittsburg County | 84 | 61 | F4 |
| Kingfisher County | 82 | 91 | EF5 |
Big counties collect more tornadoes simply because they are big. By area, the most tornado-dense counties are Cleveland County (196 per 1,000 sq mi), Oklahoma County (191 per 1,000 sq mi), Tulsa County (167 per 1,000 sq mi), McClain County (138 per 1,000 sq mi), Mayes County (128 per 1,000 sq mi).
Every county in Oklahoma
Staying safe
When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.
Sources
- NOAA Storm Prediction Center: Severe Weather Database, tornadoes 1950 to 2024 (public domain)
- NOAA Storm Prediction Center: The Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF scale)
- National Weather Service: Tornado safety
Sources last checked 1 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many tornadoes does Oklahoma get a year?
About 59 on average from 1950 to 2024; recent years run higher because weak tornadoes are better detected.
When is tornado season in Oklahoma?
May has had the most. Spring and early summer bring most of them.
What was the deadliest tornado in Oklahoma?
May 3, 1999: 36 deaths in Oklahoma (the Bridge Creek and Moore tornado).