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Tornado in Dewey County, Oklahoma
54 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 54 tornado events in Dewey County, Oklahoma, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 33 years.
May is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 9 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 5,054 tornado events recorded in Oklahoma; its 5.4 per 100 square miles compares with 7.4 statewide.
By rating: 23 at (E)F0, 20 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Oklahoma
| Measure | Dewey County | Oklahoma | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 54 | 5,054 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.4 | 7.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 122.3 | 12.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 364 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
5Apr
9May
21Jun
6Jul
3Aug
2Sep
6Oct
2Nov
0Dec
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 54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2017 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F3 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 1984 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Oct 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 21 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1965 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Jul 1964 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1964 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1961 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1961 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1961 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 17 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 29 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1952 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1951 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1950 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Dewey County had?
54 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 Dewey County?
5 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Dewey County?
The tornado of 16 Oct 1980, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Dewey County compare with Oklahoma for tornado?
5.4 events per 100 square miles against 7.4 statewide; the county holds 54 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.