47
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
4
Direct injuries
$512K
Property damage
Flash Flood in Ottawa County, Oklahoma: 47 recorded events between 1996 and 2023. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #663 nationally and #22 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Ottawa County, Oklahoma: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Ottawa County is the 2010s, when 24 of the county's 47 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 Ottawa County archive, flash flood makes up 7.7% of all recorded severe weather across 5 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #663 for this hazard and #22 within Oklahoma, putting it in the 78.3 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for flash flood in Ottawa County with 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2011 | MIAMI | 0 | 0 | 4 | $50K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 14, 2023 | AFTON | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 14, 2023 | OTTAWA | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 26, 2021 | ZINCVILLE | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 26, 2021 | PEORIA | 0 | $0 |
| May 21, 2019 | AFTON | 0 | $50K |
| May 1, 2019 | MIAMI | 0 | $0 |
| May 1, 2019 | MIAMI | 0 | $0 |
| Nov 27, 2015 | AFTON | 0 | $0 |
| May 28, 2015 | MIAMI | 0 | $0 |
| May 28, 2015 | MIAMI | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Ottawa County
- Hail 231
- Thunderstorm Wind 204
- Flood 83
- Tornado 46
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Several homes had water damage in Miami when Tar Creek overflowed its banks. Residents of the Scotty Court area were evacuated after Tar Creek began rising. The baseball diamond at Northeast Oklahoma A&M was badly damaged when 3 feet of water covered the field. In Commerce, 20 homes and businesses, including city hall, were flooded. In Quapaw, floodwaters entered a nursing home. At Wyandotte, Fairland, and Afton, roads were closed in each of those communities. Up to 20 streets at one time were closed in Miami, particularly north of town.
Extensive flooding was reported in and around the City of Miami. Portions of Highway 10 and Alternate Highway 69 were flooded and closed. At least four motorists had to be rescued after they became stranded in flood water. A couple homes were damaged by flood water in the city.
In Miami, there was extensive flooding throughout the city. The Neosho River overflowed its banks, flooding Riverview Park and the Miami fairgrounds. Tar Creek overflowed into several homes in the Skyranch subdivision of northeast Miami and caused flooding along Elm Street. OK Hwy 125 was closed for a time west of town.Near Cardin, a stranded motorist had to be rescued when her van stalled in high water. Another motorist had to be rescued from the Tar Creek Bridge when the water level rose quickly over the road. Nearby, an elderly woman had to be evacuated from her home when water flooded her home near the Tar Creek at Cardin. Another woman had to be rescued from her vehicle just east of Commerce. Water had filled all but the top few inches of the passenger compartment.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Ottawa County, Oklahoma?
47 flash flood events are recorded in Ottawa County between 1996 and 2023, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Ottawa County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Ottawa County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Ottawa 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
“Flash Flood in Ottawa County, Oklahoma.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/oklahoma/ottawa-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.