Oklahoma Tornado & Hail Guide

Oklahoma sits at the geographic heart of Tornado Alley. The state averages approximately 62 tornadoes per year and has the highest tornado occurrence rate per square mile of any U.S. state. The greater Oklahoma City metropolitan area — home to over 1.4 million people — has been directly struck by major tornadoes multiple times, including two EF5 events in the modern era.

Oklahoma Tornado Season

Oklahoma’s peak tornado season runs from April through June, with May historically the most active month. Significant tornadoes can occur from March through October. The Central Oklahoma/Wichita Mountains corridor, the Panhandle, and the areas around Moore, Edmond, and Tulsa are among the most historically impacted areas.

Oklahoma has experienced more EF5 tornadoes than any other state, including the 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado (F5, widest tornado in history at the time) and the 2013 Moore EF5.

Oklahoma Hail Season

Oklahoma’s hail season runs March through September, overlapping closely with tornado season. Central and western Oklahoma receive some of the most frequent severe hail in the country, driven by the same supercell thunderstorms that produce tornadoes. Oklahoma City and Tulsa regularly experience damaging hail events, with annual insured losses in the hundreds of millions.

Historical Significant Events

• 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore F5: 36 fatalities; peak winds estimated at 301 mph (the highest ever measured at the time).
• 2003 May outbreak: Multiple violent tornadoes across central Oklahoma.
• 2011 April 14–16 outbreak: Large EF-2 and EF-3 tornadoes across western Oklahoma.
• 2013 Moore EF5: 24 fatalities, 1.3-mile-wide path through suburban Moore.
• 2013 El Reno EF5: The widest tornado in recorded U.S. history at 2.6 miles wide; 8 fatalities including 3 storm chasers.

Regional NWS Offices for Oklahoma

| Region | WFO | Website |

|——–|—–|———|

| Central Oklahoma (OKC/Norman) | NWS Norman | weather.gov/oun |

| Tulsa / NE Oklahoma | NWS Tulsa | weather.gov/tsa |

| Western Oklahoma (Lawton) | NWS Norman (shared) | weather.gov/oun |

| SW Oklahoma | NWS Midland / Norman | — |

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*FindTheTornado.com does not perform inspections, repairs, or insurance work. Data from NOAA NCEI and NWS.*