50
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
15
Direct injuries
$8.8M
Property damage
Lightning in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma: 50 recorded events between 1996 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #40 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Lightning in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for lightning in Oklahoma County is the 2000s, when 26 of the county's 50 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Oklahoma County archive, lightning makes up 2.0% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #40 for this hazard and #1 within Oklahoma, putting it in the 98.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Aug is the peak month for lightning in Oklahoma County with 12 recorded events, while Feb is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 28, 2006 | (OKC)WILL ROGERS APT | 0 | 0 | 7 | $0 |
| Sep 25, 1999 | OKLAHOMA CITY | 0 | 0 | 2 | $0 |
| Sep 11, 1999 | EDMOND | 0 | 0 | 2 | $7K |
| Sep 3, 2001 | ARCADIA LAKE | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Aug 10, 1999 | EDMOND | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| May 20, 1998 | OKLAHOMA CITY | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Jul 21, 1997 | OKLAHOMA CITY | 0 | 0 | 1 | $1K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 8, 2026 | EDMOND | — | $25K |
| Jul 11, 2023 | EDMOND | 0 | $500K |
| Jul 9, 2014 | NICHOLS HILLS | 0 | $2.8M |
| Jul 9, 2014 | FOREST PARK | 0 | $250K |
| May 14, 2009 | MIDWEST CITY | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 17, 2008 | OKLAHOMA CITY | 0 | $1.5M |
| Jul 28, 2006 | (OKC)WILL ROGERS APT | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 12, 2005 | THE VLG | 0 | $500 |
| Aug 28, 2004 | OKLAHOMA CITY | 0 | $250K |
| Mar 13, 2003 | OKLAHOMA CITY | 0 | $10K |
Other hazards here
More from Oklahoma County
- Hail 1,262
- Thunderstorm Wind 831
- Flash Flood 183
- Tornado 139
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Numerous lightning strikes resulted in several house fires, one which caused at least 25 thousand dollars in damage, however most of the fires were contained in the attic. Another minor fire started after lightning struck a condominium, and another lightning strike caused a house chimney to collapse.
Lightning struck four homes, sparking a fire that caused substantial damage to the residences. Four firefighters were injured while responding to the fires, although the injuries were not serious. Monetary damage estimates were not available.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many lightning events are on record in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma?
50 lightning events are recorded in Oklahoma County between 1996 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest lightning recorded in Oklahoma County?
The strongest lightning on record in Oklahoma County measured 0.
Where does the lightning data for Oklahoma County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Lightning in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/oklahoma/oklahoma-county/lightning/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.