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Tornado in Jefferson County, Oklahoma
42 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 42 tornado events in Jefferson County, Oklahoma, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
May is the busiest month, with 22 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 14 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 5,054 tornado events recorded in Oklahoma; its 5.5 per 100 square miles compares with 7.4 statewide.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 14 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Oklahoma
| Measure | Jefferson County | Oklahoma | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 42 | 5,054 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.5 | 7.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 77.2 | 12.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 364 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
5Apr
9May
22Jun
2Jul
0Aug
2Sep
0Oct
1Nov
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 42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1981 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 22 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1968 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Jefferson County had?
42 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 Jefferson County?
15 Jun 2023 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Jefferson County?
The tornado of 13 Mar 1990, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Jefferson County compare with Oklahoma for tornado?
5.5 events per 100 square miles against 7.4 statewide; the county holds 42 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.