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Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

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

Relatively High overall risk
1st of 77highest risk in Oklahoma
$298Mexpected losses a year
49federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: Urbanative, CC0

Oklahoma County, Oklahoma has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 98% of US counties. It ranks 1st of 77 counties in Oklahoma. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $298 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $374 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 49 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (28 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (Train Trestle Fire). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,251 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $25 million on 1,715 claims here.

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

Top risks in Oklahoma County

$128 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times 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

Very High
$54.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
$50.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 18 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingHigh97.6
$128M
TornadoVery High99.5
$54M
Heat waveHigh99.5
$51M
HailVery High99.7
$27M
Cold waveHigh97.2
$15M
EarthquakeModerate94.0
$10M
Ice stormVery High99.8
$8M
Strong windModerate83.9
$1M
LightningHigh91.8
$1M
WildfireModerate88.9
$1M
DroughtModerate71.1
$518K
Winter weatherHigh91.9
$427K
HurricaneVery Low49.5
$65K
LandslideVery Low57.6
$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 moderate and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Fire17
Severe Storm15
Severe Ice Storm10
Flood4
Tornado2
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 13, 2026Train Trestle FireFire management
May 21, 2025Wildfires and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Mar 18, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2025Luther FireFire management
Mar 31, 2023Hefner Fire, Oklahoma FmagFire management
Feb 24, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 17, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Dec 21, 2020Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Dec 29, 2015Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 26, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 49
May 20, 2013Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 3, 2012Luther FireFire management
Aug 31, 2011Westminster FireFire management
Aug 30, 201163Rd and Sooner Road FireFire management
Aug 4, 2011Coffee Creek FireFire management
Jul 15, 2011Edmond FireFire management
Apr 6, 2011Jones Spencer FireFire management
Mar 11, 2011Midwest City Fire ComplexFire management
Mar 11, 2011Harrah FireFire management
Feb 2, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jul 26, 2010Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 24, 2010Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2010Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 19, 2009WildfiresMajor disaster
Apr 10, 2009Midwest Choctaw FireFire management
Feb 15, 2009Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
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
Jan 14, 2007Severe Winter Storms and FloodingEmergency
Jan 10, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Jan 2, 200663Rd Street FireFire management
Dec 29, 2005Eastern Oklahoma County Fire ComplexFire management
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
Sep 1, 1995Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 12, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 18, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 14, 1986Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 26, 1983Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 26, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 10, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 2,539 storm reports in Oklahoma County since 1950, with 33 deaths and 755 injuries and about $1.3 billion in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 3, 1999 near Del City.

141tornadoes
1,273hail reports, largest 5 inches
858damaging thunderstorm winds
210floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 3, 1999F4Del City234 / 12
May 10, 2010EF4Tinker AFB29 / 2
May 8, 2003F4Del City89 / 0
Apr 30, 1978F4–0 / 0
May 26, 1963F3–0 / 1

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 3, 1999TornadoDel City$450M
May 29, 2012HailNichols Hills$250M
May 8, 2003TornadoDel City$160M
May 29, 2012HailWill Rogers Airport$150M
Jul 23, 1995Thunderstorm WindMoore and Oklahoma Ci$50M
May 29, 2012HailWill Rogers Airport$50M

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 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Oklahoma County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with top winds near 45 mph about 63 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
1tropical storms
1900most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 10, 1900UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 10, 1900UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 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 Oklahoma County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (1,251 policies)
18.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$24.7 millionpaid on 1,715 flood claims since 1978
2013costliest year, with $5.3 million 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 Oklahoma County

$222,900median home value (Oklahoma $199,800, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Oklahoma 1980, US 1980)
54%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.7%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; 360,591 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
Logan CountyLow45
Lincoln CountyLow43
Kingfisher CountyLow33

Common questions about Oklahoma County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Oklahoma County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Oklahoma County, about $128 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $54.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Oklahoma County had?

Oklahoma County has been included in 49 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 28 major disasters. The most recent was Train Trestle Fire in August 2026.

Is Oklahoma County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 1st 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 Oklahoma County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma County had?

NOAA records list 141 tornadoes in Oklahoma County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 3, 1999 near Del City. The weather service has also logged 1,273 hail reports and 210 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Oklahoma County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Oklahoma County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with winds near 45 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.