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Tornado in Harper County, Oklahoma
32 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 32 tornado events in Harper County, Oklahoma, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 23 years.
May is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 5,054 tornado events recorded in Oklahoma; its 3.1 per 100 square miles compares with 7.4 statewide.
By rating: 11 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Oklahoma
| Measure | Harper County | Oklahoma | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 32 | 5,054 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.1 | 7.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 100.6 | 12.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 364 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
2Apr
7May
10Jun
8Jul
0Aug
0Sep
2Oct
1Nov
1Dec
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 32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2016 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Oct 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 30 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1991 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 22 Mar 1987 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Harper County had?
32 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 Harper County?
8 Sep 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Harper County?
The tornado of 8 Jun 1995, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Harper County compare with Oklahoma for tornado?
3.1 events per 100 square miles against 7.4 statewide; the county holds 32 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.