Woodward County, Oklahoma severe weather history spans 1,004 recorded events between 1950 and 2026. The dominant hazard is hail, accounting for 51.2% of all recorded events. It ranks #140 nationally and #19 in Oklahoma.
1,004
Recorded events
6
Direct deaths
37
Direct injuries
$3.2M
Property damage
The record
What the Woodward County, Oklahoma severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Woodward County, Oklahoma severe weather history averages 13.2 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 286 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 168 events fall before 1990 and 836 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Woodward County, Oklahoma record is tornado, responsible for 6 direct deaths. The costliest is thunderstorm wind, with $1.6M in reported property damage. In total, 7 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Woodward County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 514 | 0 | $49K | 5 | 1956–2026 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 399 | 0 | $1.6M | 87 | 1957–2025 |
| Tornado | 65 | 6 | $1.4M | F3 | 1950–2025 |
| Flash Flood | 14 | 0 | $40K | 0 | 1996–2022 |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | $22K | 0 | 1999–2019 |
| Flood | 4 | 0 | $75K | 0 | 2006–2009 |
| Heavy Rain | 4 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2007–2008 |
Decade by decade
Woodward County, Oklahoma severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
68 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 61 touched down inside it and 7 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-04-14 | EF3 | 6 | 29 | 34.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 2002-04-17 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 8.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1991-05-26 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 12.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 1984-10-31 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 20.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2007-05-05 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 16.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1960-03-28 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 24.2 mi | Crossed in |
| 1950-05-24 | EF2 | 0 | 2 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1950-05-04 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2024-05-25 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 2.6 mi | Touched down here |
| 2023-07-07 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Woodward County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 2012 | Tornado | TANGIER | 6 | 29 | $0 |
| Apr 7, 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | FT SUPPLY | 0 | 3 | $75K |
| May 25, 1950 | Tornado | 0 | 2 | $25K | |
| Jun 7, 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | FORT SUPPLY | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Apr 9, 2012 | Hail | WOODWARD | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| May 10, 1979 | Tornado | 0 | 1 | $25K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The tornado developed approximately just south of Arnett (Ellis County) at 11:42 pm CDT on April 14, 2012 and moved northeast. Only minor damage, downed trees and power poles/lines, was seen as the tornado moved over mainly rural portions of Woodward County, southwest of the city of Woodward. At approximately 12:12 am CDT on April 15, 2012, the tornado struck two mobile homes 5 miles southwest of Woodward. The damage here was determined to be EF-2 in intensity, and also resulted in 3 fatalities. The heaviest damage, rated EF-3, was reported as the tornado entered the southwest sides of Woodward around 12:18 am CDT. Several homes and businesses were heavily damaged as the tornado continued northeast.|Several more mobile homes were destroyed by the tornado on the north side of Woodward, and resulted in 3 additional fatalities. The tornado finally exited the city of Woodward at approximately 12:23 am CDT, eventually dissipating approximately 4 miles north of Woodward at 12:27 am CDT.
Roof sustained significant damage and the west wall was destroyed from the house. Damage is estimated (with contents) at $100,000. In addition, an 80×20 barn, located just north-east of the residence, was destroyed at a loss of $50,000. Inside this building were 2 combines that suffered minor damage (additional $10,000). Next to this barn on the west side was a 24' bumper pull camper that was destroyed, at a loss of $10,000. Also, a 60×60 barn was destroyed at a loss of $108,000. Inside this barn was a late-model RV, which suffered moderate damage at a loss of $25,000. Just north of this barn was a 30' bumper-pull camper which suffered minor damage ($5,000), and an 18' bumper pull camper which was flipped over and suffered $8,000 damage. Additionally, a 3-car garage sustained significant roof and frame damage. Damage is estimated to this building at $45,000.
Several power lines were downed on the north side of town. The wind and half dollar size hail also combined for several windows to be broken in town. Several limbs were blown onto parked automobiles. Several trees sustained damage around Woodward.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
20,158
Population (ACS)
$169K
Median home value
31
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2026 | Fire | 43 FIRE | FM |
| Apr 6, 2024 | Fire | 57 FIRE | FM |
| Jul 19, 2023 | Severe Storm | 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 |
| Apr 5, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Woodward 230
- Mooreland 116
- Mutual 104
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Woodward County, Oklahoma?
1,004 events are on record between 1950 and 2026, causing 6 direct deaths and $3.2M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Woodward County?
Hail, with 514 recorded events — 51.2% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Woodward County?
68 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 61 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Woodward County?
31 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Woodward County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Woodward County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Woodward County as very low risk, placing it in the 42 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Woodward 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
- Woods County 825
- Washita County 795
- Washington County 625
- Wagoner County 688
- Tulsa County 2,391
- Tillman County 971
Cite this page
“Woodward County, Oklahoma.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/oklahoma/woodward-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.