Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 97.6 | $128M | ||
| Tornado | 99.5 | $54M | ||
| Heat wave | 99.5 | $51M | ||
| Hail | 99.7 | $27M | ||
| Cold wave | 97.2 | $15M | ||
| Earthquake | 94.0 | $10M | ||
| Ice storm | 99.8 | $8M | ||
| Strong wind | 83.9 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 91.8 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 88.9 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 71.1 | $518K | ||
| Winter weather | 91.9 | $427K | ||
| Hurricane | 49.5 | $65K | ||
| Landslide | 57.6 | $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
Most recent
Show all 49
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 1999 | F4 | Del City | 234 / 12 |
| May 10, 2010 | EF4 | Tinker AFB | 29 / 2 |
| May 8, 2003 | F4 | Del City | 89 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1978 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 26, 1963 | F3 | – | 0 / 1 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 1999 | Tornado | Del City | $450M |
| May 29, 2012 | Hail | Nichols Hills | $250M |
| May 8, 2003 | Tornado | Del City | $160M |
| May 29, 2012 | Hail | Will Rogers Airport | $150M |
| Jul 23, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Moore and Oklahoma Ci | $50M |
| May 29, 2012 | Hail | Will 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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10, 1900 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10, 1900 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 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 ›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
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 counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma County | Inland flooding | |
| Tulsa County | Inland flooding | |
| Cleveland County | Inland flooding | |
| Canadian County | Inland flooding | |
| Comanche County | Inland flooding | |
| Rogers County | Inland flooding | |
| Payne County | Cold wave | |
| Wagoner County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland County | 42 | |
| Canadian County | 38 | |
| Pottawatomie County | 42 | |
| Logan County | 45 | |
| Lincoln County | 43 | |
| Kingfisher County | 33 |
Cities in Oklahoma County
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.