73
Recorded events
8
Direct deaths
81
Direct injuries
$23.6M
Property damage
Tornado in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma: 73 recorded events between 1950 and 2026. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #145 nationally and #27 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Pontotoc County is the 2010s, when 17 of the county's 73 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 Pontotoc County archive, tornado makes up 9.2% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #145 for this hazard and #27 within Oklahoma, putting it in the 95.1 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Pontotoc County with 26 recorded events, while Aug 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-05-09 | EF4 | 6.2 mi | 900 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-04-27 | EF3 | 9.9 mi | 440 yd | Crossed in |
| 1982-03-15 | EF3 | 6.0 mi | 60 yd | Touched down here |
| 2016-05-09 | EF3 | 16.6 mi | 1,500 yd | Crossed in |
| 1991-03-21 | EF3 | 11.0 mi | 350 yd | Touched down here |
| 1973-04-20 | EF3 | 7.9 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 1961-02-17 | EF3 | 73.0 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 1960-05-04 | EF3 | 18.3 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 2001-04-11 | EF2 | 14.5 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 1992-05-11 | EF2 | 3.0 mi | 150 yd | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 1959 | F4 | 7 | 12 | $250K | |
| Mar 15, 1982 | F3 | 1 | 36 | $2.5M | |
| Apr 20, 1973 | F3 | 0 | 21 | $2.5M | |
| May 5, 1960 | F3 | 0 | 6 | $250K | |
| Mar 21, 1991 | F3 | 0 | 2 | $2.5M | |
| Apr 19, 1968 | F2 | 0 | 2 | $25K | |
| Apr 20, 2025 | ADA | EF1 | 0 | 1 | $750K |
| Mar 4, 2025 | ADA | EF1 | 0 | 1 | $10.0M |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 2026 | ROFF | EFU | $0 |
| Apr 25, 2026 | ROFF | EF0 | $0 |
| May 24, 2025 | VANOSS | EF1 | $75K |
| Apr 20, 2025 | BYNG | EF1 | $50K |
| Apr 20, 2025 | ADA | EF1 | $750K |
| Mar 4, 2025 | ALLEN | EF1 | $75K |
| Mar 4, 2025 | STONEWALL | EF1 | $300K |
| Mar 4, 2025 | ADA | EF1 | $10.0M |
| Mar 4, 2025 | FITTSTOWN | EF0 | $200K |
| Apr 28, 2024 | ROFF | EF1 | $250K |
Other hazards here
More from Pontotoc County
- Hail 400
- Thunderstorm Wind 258
- Flash Flood 46
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
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.
For the second time this spring, a tornado struck the city of Ada. This tornado began on the north side of Ada, near the intersection of North Broadway Avenue and NW JA Richardson Loop. Several homes suffered roof damage along Cottage street as the tornado moved east and northeast. EF1 damage was noted at a hotel along the Loop, where damage to roofs and awnings were observed and one person was injured. The tornado moved across the North Hills Shopping Center, damaging several businesses before moving to the northeast and dissipating northeast of Ada.
The Union Valley Tornado developed just east of State Highway 3 along County Road E1600 and moved east-northeast. One home received roof damage, the Union Valley Volunteer Fire Station was heavily damaged and numerous trees were damaged along the path. The tornado dissipated soon after hitting the Union Valley fire station.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma?
73 tornado events are recorded in Pontotoc County between 1950 and 2026, causing 8 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Pontotoc County?
The strongest tornado on record in Pontotoc County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc County, Oklahoma.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/oklahoma/pontotoc-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.