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Tornado in Ottawa County, Oklahoma
46 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 46 tornado events in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 25 years.
May is the busiest month, with 23 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 24 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 5,054 tornado events recorded in Oklahoma; its 9.8 per 100 square miles compares with 7.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 7 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 9 at (E)F0, 22 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Oklahoma
| Measure | Ottawa County | Oklahoma | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 46 | 5,054 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.8 | 7.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 15.2 | 12.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 7 | 364 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
1Mar
2Apr
10May
23Jun
1Jul
1Aug
1Sep
3Oct
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 46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | $3.0M | — | 1 | 12 | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2008 | Tornado | EF4 | $15M | — | 6 | 150 | County |
| 31 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 14 | County |
| 24 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1969 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 15 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1960 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 46 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Ottawa County had?
46 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 Ottawa County?
30 Oct 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Ottawa County?
The tornado of 10 May 2008, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $15M; 6 deaths recorded.
How does Ottawa County compare with Oklahoma for tornado?
9.8 events per 100 square miles against 7.4 statewide; the county holds 46 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.