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Pontotoc County, Oklahoma severe weather history spans 795 recorded events between 1950 and 2026. The dominant hazard is hail, accounting for 50.3% of all recorded events. It ranks #295 nationally and #32 in Oklahoma.
795
Recorded events
10
Direct deaths
94
Direct injuries
$35.5M
Property damage
The record
What the Pontotoc County, Oklahoma severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma severe weather history averages 10.5 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2020s, with 196 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 129 events fall before 1990 and 666 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Pontotoc County, Oklahoma record is tornado, responsible for 8 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $23.6M 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 Pontotoc County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 400 | 0 | $8.5M | 6 | 1955–2026 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 258 | 1 | $2.1M | 80 | 1957–2026 |
| Tornado | 73 | 8 | $23.6M | F4 | 1950–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 46 | 0 | $1.1M | 0 | 1998–2025 |
| Lightning | 11 | 1 | $181K | 0 | 1996–2012 |
| Flood | 5 | 0 | $25K | 0 | 2015–2025 |
| Funnel Cloud | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2001–2001 |
| Heavy Rain | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2009–2009 |
Decade by decade
Pontotoc County, Oklahoma severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
72 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 64 touched down inside it and 8 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-05-09 | EF4 | 7 | 12 | 6.2 mi | Touched down here |
| 2024-04-27 | EF3 | 1 | 30 | 9.9 mi | Crossed in |
| 1982-03-15 | EF3 | 1 | 36 | 6.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2016-05-09 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 16.6 mi | Crossed in |
| 1991-03-21 | EF3 | 0 | 2 | 11.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1973-04-20 | EF3 | 0 | 21 | 7.9 mi | Touched down here |
| 1961-02-17 | EF3 | 0 | 11 | 73.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1960-05-04 | EF3 | 0 | 6 | 18.3 mi | Touched down here |
| 2001-04-11 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 14.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 1992-05-11 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 mi | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Pontotoc County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 1959 | Tornado | 7 | 12 | $250K | |
| Mar 15, 1982 | Tornado | 1 | 36 | $2.5M | |
| Feb 20, 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | ADA | 1 | 1 | $0 |
| Jul 14, 2012 | Lightning | ADA | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Apr 20, 1973 | Tornado | 0 | 21 | $2.5M | |
| May 5, 1960 | Tornado | 0 | 6 | $250K | |
| Jun 18, 2007 | Flash Flood | ADA | 0 | 3 | $1.0M |
| Jul 2, 2004 | Lightning | ADA | 0 | 3 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Information provided by a NWS Storm Survey team and local radar confirmed that a strong microburst occurred near the Happyland community. A strapped down, double-wide was destroyed by the intense winds, with debris scattered 100 to 150 yards. Unfortunately, two people were inside the mobile home when it was destroyed.
The Ada Tornado developed on the west side of Ada just west of State Highway 1 near Reeves Road, and moved generally east-northeast down Main Street through central and dissipated on the northeast side of Ada northeast of East Central University and Arlington Center. Numerous homes, businesses, trees and utility poles were damaged along the path. A motel suffered significant roof damage along Main Street. An apartment complex northeast of East Central University received roof damage. One person was injured outside of the motel when the tornado hit.
Numerous images from various sources showing hailstones of up to 4-inches in diameter across the community of Ada. Widespread damage to vehicles and buildings reported. Time of event is estimated, with majority of hailfall occurring between 1650-1700 LST.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
38,235
Population (ACS)
$175K
Median home value
24
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30, 2024 | Tornado | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Feb 24, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORMS | DR |
| Feb 17, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM |
| Apr 5, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Jul 25, 2017 | Tornado | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Ada 307
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma?
795 events are on record between 1950 and 2026, causing 10 direct deaths and $35.5M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Pontotoc County?
Hail, with 400 recorded events — 50.3% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Pontotoc County?
72 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 64 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Pontotoc County?
24 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Pontotoc County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Pontotoc County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pontotoc County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 63 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Pontotoc 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
- Pittsburg County 934
- Pottawatomie County 712
- Payne County 847
- Pushmataha County 558
- Pawnee County 592
- Roger Mills County 696
Cite this page
“Pontotoc County, Oklahoma.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/oklahoma/pontotoc-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.