Cleveland County, Oklahoma severe weather history spans 1,561 recorded events between 1951 and 2026. The dominant hazard is hail, accounting for 54.0% of all recorded events. It ranks #32 nationally and #3 in Oklahoma.
1,561
Recorded events
45
Direct deaths
665
Direct injuries
$2.8B
Property damage
The record
What the Cleveland County, Oklahoma severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Cleveland County, Oklahoma severe weather history averages 20.8 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2020s, with 467 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 224 events fall before 1990 and 1,337 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Cleveland County, Oklahoma record is tornado, responsible for 42 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $2.8B in reported property damage. In total, 8 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Cleveland County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 843 | 0 | $43.1M | 4.6 | 1956–2026 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 445 | 0 | $11.2M | 91 | 1956–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 117 | 3 | $1.7M | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Tornado | 113 | 42 | $2.8B | F5 | 1951–2026 |
| Flood | 20 | 0 | $55K | 0 | 2007–2025 |
| Lightning | 19 | 0 | $1.0M | 0 | 1997–2024 |
| Funnel Cloud | 2 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2004–2007 |
| Heavy Rain | 2 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2007–2007 |
Decade by decade
Cleveland County, Oklahoma severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
110 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 85 touched down inside it and 25 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-05-03 | EF5 | 36 | 583 | 37.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 2013-05-20 | EF5 | 24 | 212 | 13.9 mi | Crossed in |
| 2013-05-19 | EF4 | 2 | 10 | 23.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2010-05-10 | EF4 | 2 | 49 | 24.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1957-09-14 | EF4 | 2 | 6 | 67.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2011-05-24 | EF4 | 1 | 48 | 33.3 mi | Crossed in |
| 2010-05-10 | EF4 | 1 | 32 | 22.3 mi | Touched down here |
| 2003-05-08 | EF4 | 0 | 134 | 17.3 mi | Touched down here |
| 1973-11-19 | EF3 | 5 | 36 | 24.2 mi | Crossed in |
| 2024-11-03 | EF3 | 0 | 6 | 2.4 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Cleveland County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2013 | Tornado | MOORE | 24 | 207 | $2.0B |
| May 4, 1999 | Tornado | MOORE | 11 | 293 | $450.0M |
| Nov 20, 1973 | Tornado | 3 | 28 | $2.5M | |
| Apr 29, 1960 | Tornado | 3 | 1 | $25K | |
| Apr 20, 2025 | Flash Flood | MOORE | 2 | 0 | $100K |
| May 10, 2010 | Tornado | NORMAN | 1 | 32 | $0 |
| May 7, 2015 | Flash Flood | STANLEY DRAPER LAKE DAM | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| May 8, 2003 | Tornado | MOORE | 0 | 45 | $210.0M |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Significant roadway flooding occurred near the intersection of Southeast 12th Street and Eastern Avenue due to water rise from a nearby small creek. Two vehicles were swept off the road and pinned beneath the Eastern Avenue bridge. Two fatalities were reported as a result of this incident. Event time is approximate.
This tornado is labeled #J1, and moved into Pottawatomie County near state highway 9. The tornado a few hundred yards east of the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The damage intensity increased gradually along the path with significant damage beginning as the tornado approached Lake Thunderbird. This tornado crossed Lake Thunderbird, severely damaging two campgrounds and the marina where about 300 boats were docked. The most severe damage occurred from the Little Axe School to the Cleveland/Pottawatomie county line. Trees were stripped of some bark and branches. Large objects were thrown considerable distances, including some concrete pillars. The metal bleachers near the school were tossed or rolled several hundred yards. Some appliances were also lofted as a dryer was found about 50 feet up in a tree. Considerable structural damage also occurred, as some foundation homes were mostly destroyed. In addition to the damage, one person lost their life as a result of the tornado.
The tornado that moved through Goldsby in McClain County crossed the Canadian River and into Cleveland County moving swiftly through southern and eastern portions of Norman. The tornado passed less than one mile southeast of the National Weather Center, and damaged numerous homes in neighborhoods near 12th Avenue SE and Cedar Lane Road, and northeast of 24th Avenue SE and Imhoff Road as well as damaging apartments and businesses near the intersection of State Highway 9 and US Highway 77. EF2 damage was noted at several apartment buildings, homes and businesses in these areas. Moving northeast, the tornado moved into less areas with less density of homes and people, but still affected neighborhoods near 36th Avenue SE and Lindsay Street, 48th Avenue SE and Lindsey, and 60th Avenue SE and Alameda Street. The tornado continued northeast damaging trees, power lines and a few homes before dissipating in far southeast Oklahoma City near SE 125th Street and Dobbs Road. The tornado moved at over 60 mph.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk rating
300,047
Population (ACS)
$236K
Median home value
43
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Fire | WILDFIRES AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR |
| Mar 15, 2025 | Fire | EAST THUNDERBIRD FIRE | FM |
| Apr 24, 2023 | Tornado | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES | DR |
| Feb 24, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORMS | DR |
| Feb 17, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM |
| Dec 21, 2020 | Severe Ice Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Norman 603
- Moore 359
- Noble 167
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Cleveland County, Oklahoma?
1,561 events are on record between 1951 and 2026, causing 45 direct deaths and $2.8B in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Cleveland County?
Hail, with 843 recorded events — 54.0% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Cleveland County?
110 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 85 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Cleveland County?
43 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Cleveland County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Cleveland County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cleveland County as relatively moderate risk, placing it in the 91 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Cleveland County, Oklahoma severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Cimarron County 529
- Coal County 270
- Choctaw County 420
- Comanche County 1,405
- Cherokee County 755
- Cotton County 549
Cite this page
“Cleveland County, Oklahoma.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/oklahoma/cleveland-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.