43
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
9
Direct injuries
$1.4M
Property damage
Tornado in Nowata County, Oklahoma: 43 recorded events between 1956 and 2024. The strongest on record measured F3. That places the county #537 nationally and #64 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Nowata County, Oklahoma: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Nowata County is the 2010s, when 12 of the county's 43 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 Nowata County archive, tornado makes up 9.2% of all recorded severe weather across 6 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #537 for this hazard and #64 within Oklahoma, putting it in the 81.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Nowata 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.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979-03-18 | EF3 | 7.9 mi | 30 yd | Crossed in |
| 1959-05-09 | EF3 | 23.4 mi | 50 yd | Crossed in |
| 2003-04-19 | EF2 | 20.0 mi | 440 yd | Crossed in |
| 1996-05-26 | EF2 | 30.0 mi | 880 yd | Crossed in |
| 1982-03-15 | EF2 | 12.0 mi | 177 yd | Crossed in |
| 1982-03-15 | EF2 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1981-05-23 | EF2 | 4.5 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 1981-05-23 | EF2 | 15.2 mi | 100 yd | Crossed in |
| 1961-03-26 | EF2 | 49.6 mi | 10 yd | Crossed in |
| 1959-05-09 | EF2 | 19.1 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 1981 | F2 | 0 | 3 | $0 | |
| May 23, 1981 | F2 | 0 | 3 | $250K | |
| Jun 1, 2013 | WATOVA | EF1 | 0 | 2 | $75K |
| Apr 2, 2024 | DELAWARE | EF1 | 0 | 1 | $20K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 4, 2024 | WATOVA | EF1 | $0 |
| Apr 2, 2024 | DELAWARE | EF1 | $20K |
| Jan 30, 2021 | LENAPAH | EFU | $0 |
| Jan 30, 2021 | WANN | EFU | $0 |
| Jan 30, 2021 | WANN | EFU | $0 |
| Jan 30, 2021 | WANN | EFU | $0 |
| Apr 30, 2019 | LENAPAH | EF1 | $0 |
| Mar 31, 2016 | COODYS BLUFF | EF1 | $75K |
| Jun 1, 2013 | WATOVA | EF1 | $75K |
| Jun 1, 2013 | WATOVA | EF1 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Nowata County
- Thunderstorm Wind 202
- Hail 158
- Flash Flood 43
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A F1 tornado entered Nowata county from Washington county one mile north of Wann. The tornado traveled east northeast three miles producing damage to barns, sheds, and power poles and power lines before lifting 8 miles west southwest of South Coffeyville. The electrical service was interupted for up to 8 hours in the northwest part of Nowata county and adjacent parts of Washington county.
This is the final segment of this two segment tornado. In Nowata County, this tornado destroyed a mobile home, injuring two occupants. It also damaged other permanent homes, destroyed a barn, and snapped or uprooted numerous trees. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 100 to 110 mph. Several storm chasers photographed this tornado. This tornado moved east-northeast until it crossed E 28 Road then turned sharply to the north, paralleling the N 4150 Road until it dissipated.
This tornado destroyed a 30' by 60' metal-framed building, destroyed several wood-framed barns, damaged a couple homes, and snapped or uprooted numerous trees. It was witnessed by several storm chasers. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 100 to 110 mph.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Nowata County, Oklahoma?
43 tornado events are recorded in Nowata County between 1956 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Nowata County?
The strongest tornado on record in Nowata County measured F3.
Where does the tornado data for Nowata 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
“Tornado in Nowata County, Oklahoma.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/oklahoma/nowata-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.