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Tornado in Cherokee County, Oklahoma
52 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 52 tornado events in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 27 years.
May is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 32 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1% of the 5,054 tornado events recorded in Oklahoma; its 6.9 per 100 square miles compares with 7.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 11 at (E)F0, 33 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Oklahoma
| Measure | Cherokee County | Oklahoma | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 52 | 5,054 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.9 | 7.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 10.9 | 12.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 364 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
1Mar
2Apr
14May
15Jun
8Jul
1Aug
1Sep
0Oct
4Nov
4Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 52 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Oct 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $800K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 30 Nov 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Nov 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.5M | — | — | 5 | County |
| 18 May 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $1.5M | — | 2 | 5 | County |
| 4 May 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1964 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Cherokee County had?
52 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Cherokee County?
14 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Cherokee County?
The tornado of 1 Jun 1999, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.5M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Cherokee County compare with Oklahoma for tornado?
6.9 events per 100 square miles against 7.4 statewide; the county holds 52 of the state's 5,054 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.