States › Oklahoma › Tulsa County › Tornado
Tornado in Tulsa County, Oklahoma
98 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.
Tulsa County, Oklahoma, has 98 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 45 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 29 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 35 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.9% of the 5,054 tornado events recorded in Oklahoma; its 17.2 per 100 square miles compares with 7.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 16 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 33 at (E)F0, 33 at (E)F1, 18 at (E)F2, 7 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Oklahoma
| Measure | Tulsa County | Oklahoma | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 98 | 5,054 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 17.2 | 7.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.5 | 12.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 16 | 364 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
10Apr
23May
29Jun
9Jul
7Aug
4Sep
1Oct
4Nov
5Dec
5
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 98 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $7.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Nov 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $50M | — | — | 30 | County |
| 6 Aug 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | — | 7 | County |
| 25 Mar 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | 1 | 30 | County |
| 30 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 7 | County |
| 26 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Nov 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Nov 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F4 | $500K | — | 7 | 100 | County |
| 2 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 13 Nov 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25M | — | — | 5 | County |
| 14 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 26 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Oct 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 24 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 7 | County |
| 20 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 19 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F3 | $250M | — | — | 7 | County |
| 19 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 19 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 5 | 49 | County |
| 18 Mar 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Dec 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Dec 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 38 | County |
| 8 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 2 | 70 | County |
| 8 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 35 | County |
| 26 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | 1 | County |
| 18 Dec 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 21 Jul 1960 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1960 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1960 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1960 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1959 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1950 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Tulsa County had?
98 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 Tulsa County?
14 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Tulsa County?
The tornado of 19 Apr 1981, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250M.
How does Tulsa County compare with Oklahoma for tornado?
17.2 events per 100 square miles against 7.4 statewide; the county holds 98 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.