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McClain County, Oklahoma

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
35th of 77highest risk in Oklahoma
$26Mexpected losses a year
42federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

McClain County, Oklahoma has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 63% of US counties. It ranks 35th of 77 counties in Oklahoma. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $26 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $622 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (31 major disasters). The most recent was in March 2026 (Dibble Creek Fire). Only 49 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $731,000 on 49 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in McClain County

$8.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Tornado

Moderate
$7.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow53.3
$8M
TornadoModerate89.1
$8M
Cold waveModerate74.7
$3M
Heat waveModerate81.0
$2M
HailModerate88.4
$2M
WildfireLow87.2
$1M
Ice stormHigh89.5
$995K
DroughtModerate75.9
$820K
EarthquakeVery Low55.1
$407K
Strong windLow18.5
$181K
Winter weatherModerate70.1
$147K
LightningVery Low23.0
$89K
HurricaneVery Low22.4
$8K
LandslideVery Low51.3
$2K

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included McClain County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm17
Severe Ice Storm10
Fire6
Flood4
Tornado4
Hurricane1

Most recent

Mar 22, 2026Dibble Creek FireFire management
Apr 30, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 24, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 24, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 17, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Dec 21, 2020Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
May 26, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 20, 2013Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 6, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 12, 2011Goldsby FireFire management
Show all 42
Feb 2, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Mar 5, 2010Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 25, 2010Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2010Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 19, 2009WildfiresMajor disaster
Apr 10, 2009Mcclain County FireFire management
Dec 18, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Dec 10, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Aug 24, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 2007Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 7, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Jan 14, 2007Severe Winter Storms and FloodingEmergency
Apr 6, 2006New Castle FireFire management
Jan 10, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 10, 2003Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2002Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Jun 29, 2001Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 5, 2001Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Dec 28, 2000Severe Winter and Ice StormEmergency
Nov 27, 2000Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 4, 1999Ok, Tornadoes 5/3/99Major disaster
May 12, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 18, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1987Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 14, 1986Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 26, 1983Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1975Severe Storms, Flooding & TornadoesMajor disaster
Dec 10, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 13, 1973Severe Storms, Flooding, & TornadoesMajor disaster
Oct 14, 1970Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

Oklahoma also had 43 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 783 storm reports in McClain County since 1953, with 5 deaths and 115 injuries and about $30.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 3, 1999 near Blanchard.

84tornadoes
418hail reports, largest 5.5 inches
242damaging thunderstorm winds
32floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 3, 1999F4Blanchard17 / 1
May 24, 2011EF4Blanchard0 / 0
May 24, 2011EF4Criner61 / 0
May 20, 2013EF4Newcastle5 / 0
Nov 19, 1973F3–18 / 2

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 3, 1999TornadoBlanchard$10M
Nov 3, 2024TornadoBlanchard$5M
Apr 19, 2023TornadoDibble$4M
Nov 19, 1973Tornado–$3M
Mar 13, 1990Tornado–$3M
Jun 5, 2025Thunderstorm WindCriner$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1900, 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of McClain County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with top winds near 50 mph about 56 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
2tropical storms
1961most recent: Carla

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 10, 1900UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph56 mi
Sep 13, 1961CarlaTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 1961CarlaTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi
Sep 10, 1900UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph56 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in McClain County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (49 policies)
4.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$731,085paid on 49 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $522,316 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in McClain County

$255,900median home value (Oklahoma $199,800, US $332,700)
1997median year homes were built (Oklahoma 1980, US 1980)
27%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
10.2%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 17,630 housing units.

Compare in Oklahoma

All 77 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Oklahoma CountyHighInland flooding
Tulsa CountyHighInland flooding
Cleveland CountyModerateInland flooding
Canadian CountyModerateInland flooding
Comanche CountyModerateInland flooding
Rogers CountyLowInland flooding
Payne CountyModerateCold wave
Wagoner CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Cleveland CountyModerate42
Canadian CountyModerate38
Pottawatomie CountyModerate42
Grady CountyLow35
Pontotoc CountyLow22
Garvin CountyLow31

Common questions about McClain County

What is the biggest natural hazard in McClain County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in McClain County, about $8.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $7.5 million.

How many federal disasters has McClain County had?

McClain County has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 31 major disasters. The most recent was Dibble Creek Fire in March 2026.

Is McClain County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 35th highest of 77 in Oklahoma. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in McClain County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in McClain County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has McClain County had?

NOAA records list 84 tornadoes in McClain County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 3, 1999 near Blanchard. The weather service has also logged 418 hail reports and 32 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit McClain County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of McClain County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with winds near 50 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.