377
Recorded events
69
Counties affected
13
Direct deaths
$25.2M
Property damage
Oklahoma lightning history: 377 recorded events across 69 counties between 1996 and 2026.
Decade by decade
Oklahoma lightning history by decade
The 1990s are the busiest decade on record with 185 reported lightning events across Oklahoma. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most lightning events in Oklahoma
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Oklahoma County | 50 | 0 | $8.8M | 1996–2026 |
| #2 | Garfield County | 20 | 0 | $636K | 1996–2019 |
| #3 | Cleveland County | 19 | 0 | $1.0M | 1997–2024 |
| #4 | Tulsa County | 19 | 1 | $3.3M | 1998–2017 |
| #5 | Payne County | 15 | 0 | $220K | 1996–2010 |
| #6 | Kay County | 12 | 0 | $198K | 1996–2008 |
| #7 | Pontotoc County | 11 | 1 | $181K | 1996–2012 |
| #8 | Canadian County | 10 | 0 | $633K | 1998–2023 |
| #9 | Stephens County | 10 | 0 | $153K | 1996–2003 |
| #10 | Carter County | 10 | 0 | $203K | 1996–2009 |
| #11 | Pottawatomie County | 9 | 0 | $1.1M | 1996–2019 |
| #12 | Jackson County | 9 | 0 | $146K | 1996–2008 |
| #13 | Lincoln County | 8 | 0 | $352K | 1997–2006 |
| #14 | Mayes County | 7 | 1 | $190K | 1998–2023 |
| #15 | Beckham County | 7 | 0 | $81K | 1997–1999 |
| #16 | Bryan County | 6 | 1 | $60K | 1996–2008 |
| #17 | Comanche County | 6 | 0 | $69K | 1996–2001 |
| #18 | McClain County | 6 | 0 | $475K | 1998–2020 |
| #19 | Blaine County | 6 | 0 | $99K | 1998–2000 |
| #20 | Logan County | 5 | 0 | $152K | 1998–2024 |
| #21 | Garvin County | 5 | 0 | $3.1M | 1997–2010 |
| #22 | Seminole County | 5 | 0 | $219K | 1998–2003 |
| #23 | Noble County | 5 | 0 | $43K | 1999–2004 |
| #24 | Woodward County | 4 | 0 | $22K | 1999–2019 |
| #25 | Cherokee County | 4 | 1 | $35K | 1996–2002 |
Significant events
Deadliest lightning events in Oklahoma
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 2002 | Cherokee County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Apr 24, 1999 | Sequoyah County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Aug 18, 1997 | Cimarron County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 9, 1996 | Texas County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 2, 2003 | McIntosh County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 23, 2005 | Tulsa County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jun 27, 2025 | McIntosh County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 9, 1998 | Wagoner County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 26, 2025 | Marshall County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Aug 5, 2023 | Mayes County | — | 1 | 3 |