377
Recorded events
69
Counties affected
13
Direct deaths
$25.2M
Property damage
Oklahoma lightning history: 377 recorded events across 69 counties between 1996 and 2026.
Decade by decade
Oklahoma lightning history by decade
The 1990s are the busiest decade on record with 185 reported lightning events across Oklahoma. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most lightning events in Oklahoma
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Oklahoma County | 50 | 0 | $8.8M | 1996–2026 |
| #2 | Garfield County | 20 | 0 | $636K | 1996–2019 |
| #3 | Tulsa County | 19 | 1 | $3.3M | 1998–2017 |
| #4 | Cleveland County | 19 | 0 | $1.0M | 1997–2024 |
| #5 | Payne County | 15 | 0 | $220K | 1996–2010 |
| #6 | Kay County | 12 | 0 | $198K | 1996–2008 |
| #7 | Pontotoc County | 11 | 1 | $181K | 1996–2012 |
| #8 | Canadian County | 10 | 0 | $633K | 1998–2023 |
| #9 | Stephens County | 10 | 0 | $153K | 1996–2003 |
| #10 | Carter County | 10 | 0 | $203K | 1996–2009 |
| #11 | Jackson County | 9 | 0 | $146K | 1996–2008 |
| #12 | Pottawatomie County | 9 | 0 | $1.1M | 1996–2019 |
| #13 | Lincoln County | 8 | 0 | $352K | 1997–2006 |
| #14 | Mayes County | 7 | 1 | $190K | 1998–2023 |
| #15 | Beckham County | 7 | 0 | $81K | 1997–1999 |
| #16 | Comanche County | 6 | 0 | $69K | 1996–2001 |
| #17 | McClain County | 6 | 0 | $475K | 1998–2020 |
| #18 | Blaine County | 6 | 0 | $99K | 1998–2000 |
| #19 | Bryan County | 6 | 1 | $60K | 1996–2008 |
| #20 | Noble County | 5 | 0 | $43K | 1999–2004 |
| #21 | Logan County | 5 | 0 | $152K | 1998–2024 |
| #22 | Garvin County | 5 | 0 | $3.1M | 1997–2010 |
| #23 | Seminole County | 5 | 0 | $219K | 1998–2003 |
| #24 | Kingfisher County | 4 | 0 | $80K | 1997–2005 |
| #25 | Custer County | 4 | 0 | $21K | 1996–2002 |
Significant events
Deadliest lightning events in Oklahoma
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 26, 2025 | Marshall County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Aug 5, 2023 | Mayes County | — | 1 | 3 |
| Jul 14, 2012 | Pontotoc County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 22, 1997 | Rogers County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 20, 2003 | Bryan County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 24, 1999 | Sequoyah County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 7, 2002 | Cherokee County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 9, 1996 | Texas County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 18, 1997 | Cimarron County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 23, 2005 | Tulsa County | — | 1 | 1 |