States › Oklahoma › Cotton County
Cotton County, Oklahoma
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
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. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Between 1950 and 2026, NCEI recorded 811 storm events in Cotton County, Oklahoma, led by hail.
That is 128.2 events per 100 square miles, in line with the Oklahoma figure of 120.9, and 1,479.9 per 10,000 residents against 208.0 statewide.
26 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 8 deaths and 32 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $4.2M and crop damage at $8.3M.
FEMA has designated the county in 37 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (major disaster, 30 Apr 2024).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 17 claims since 1978, of which 9 were paid, totalling $161K (about $18K per paid claim). FEMA counts 8 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Very Low" and its expected annual loss as "Very Low" ($2.9M a year across 18 hazards).
3 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Oklahoma and the United States
| Measure | Cotton County | Oklahoma | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 811 | 82,919 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 128.2 | 120.9 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 1,479.9 | 208.0 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 26 | 2,570 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 8 | 705 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $4.2M | $9.6B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 3.3 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $18K | $24K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 37.5 | 17.0 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 382 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 333 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 May 1957 | Tornado | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | 4 | 5 | County |
| 1 May 1954 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 3 | 3 | County |
| 16 Dec 2008 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2008 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | $10K | — | — | 4 | Forecast zone |
| 17 Nov 1958 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 26 May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | — | $42K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 28 Mar 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 20 Mar 2010 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | — | 3 | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jun 1973 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 30 Aug 1959 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 May 1962 | Tornado | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Apr 1969 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 1 Aug 2000 | Drought | Drought | — | — | $8.3M | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Wildfire | Wildfire | — | $650K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | — | $600K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1954 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Dec 2000 | Ice Storm | Winter | — | $200K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Aug 1996 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Apr 2024 | DR-4776 | Major disaster | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 19 Jul 2023 | DR-4721 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes | Public assistance |
| 24 Feb 2021 | DR-4587 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 17 Feb 2021 | EM-3555 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 5 Apr 2020 | DR-4530 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3462 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 25 Jul 2017 | DR-4324 | Major disaster | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 15 Jul 2016 | DR-4274 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 10 Feb 2016 | DR-4256 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 26 May 2015 | DR-4222 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 2 Feb 2011 | EM-3316 | Emergency | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 5 Mar 2010 | DR-1883 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 25 Feb 2010 | DR-1876 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 30 Jan 2010 | EM-3308 | Emergency | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 9 Jul 2008 | DR-1775 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 10 Dec 2007 | EM-3280 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms | Public assistance |
| 31 Aug 2007 | DR-1723 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Public assistance |
| 24 Aug 2007 | DR-1718 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 7 Jul 2007 | DR-1712 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 7 Jun 2007 | DR-1707 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 1 Feb 2007 | DR-1678 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms | Public assistance |
| 14 Jan 2007 | EM-3272 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 10 Jan 2006 | DR-1623 | Major disaster | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 5 Sep 2005 | EM-3219 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 29 Jun 2001 | DR-1384 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Public assistance |
| 5 Jan 2001 | DR-1355 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 28 Dec 2000 | EM-3158 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter And Ice Storm | Public assistance |
| 27 Nov 2000 | DR-1349 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 1 Sep 1995 | DR-1066 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 26 Jun 1995 | DR-1058 | Major disaster | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 12 May 1993 | DR-991 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 18 May 1990 | DR-866 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 9 Jul 1987 | DR-794 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Public assistance |
| 26 Oct 1983 | DR-693 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Apr 1979 | DR-576 | Major disaster | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 9 Jul 1975 | DR-474 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding & Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 28 Sep 1971 | DR-314 | Major disaster | Flood | Heavy Rains & Floods | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | $59,622 | $29,811 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2015 | 7 | 4 | $66,326 | $16,582 |
| 2007 | 6 | 3 | $34,604 | $11,535 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $879,584 | |
| Drought | $596,345 | |
| Tornado | $427,444 | |
| Strong wind | $288,385 | |
| Heat wave | $154,655 | |
| Cold wave | $137,686 | |
| Wildfire | $131,015 | |
| Hail | $82,219 | |
| Earthquake | $69,370 | |
| Ice storm | $66,608 | |
| Winter weather | $14,209 | |
| Lightning | $8,717 | |
| Hurricane | $6,602 | |
| Landslide | $117 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erin | 2007 | 94 mi | 58 mph |
| Carla | 1961 | 78 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1900 | 43 mi | 52 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
- 73572 16
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Cotton County, OK?
NCEI records 301 hail events in Cotton County since 1950, in 58 different years; that is about 3.9 recorded events a year. 83 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Cotton County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 45 tornadoes in Cotton County since 1950, 11 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 7.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Cotton County?
30 Apr 2024: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding, a major disaster declaration for tornado. The county appears in 37 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Cotton County, and how much was paid?
17 NFIP claims since 1978, 9 of them paid, for $161K in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Cotton County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Very Low" for overall risk, "Very Low" for expected annual loss, "Relatively Moderate" for social vulnerability and "Relatively Low" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Cotton County compare with the rest of Oklahoma?
128.2 recorded events per 100 square miles against 120.9 statewide, and 3.1 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 3.3. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.