Tornadoes and Hail in Oklahoma, May 5, 1960

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Oklahoma, May 5, 1960
Start: 1960-05-05T13:38
End: 1960-05-05T21:30
Location: Oklahoma

May 5, 1960 · 43 events in 23 counties and zones

31 tornado, 10 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 32
Injuries: 229
Property damage: $21 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 43

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

31 tornado, 10 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Tillman

When: May 5, 1:38 PM CST
Where: Tillman County
Path width: 33 yd
Coordinates: 34.350, -99.030

Hail, Comanche

When: May 5, 2:34 PM CST
Where: Comanche County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 34.700, -98.400

Tornado, Garvin

When: May 5, 2:45 PM CST
Where: Garvin County
Rating: F3
Path length: 7.3 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 34.770, -97.500

Hail, Garvin

When: May 5, 2:45 PM CST
Where: Garvin County
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Coordinates: 34.780, -97.580

Tornado, Cleveland

When: May 5, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Cleveland County
Rating: F3
Path length: 16.2 mi
Path width: 400 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 34.950, -97.250

Tornado, Cleveland

When: May 5, 3:50 PM CST
Where: Cleveland County
Rating: F3
Path length: 10.4 mi
Path width: 400 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.120, -97.050

Hail, Pottawatomie

When: May 5, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Pottawatomie County
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.280, -97.000

Tornado, Cleveland

When: May 5, 4:40 PM CST
Where: Cleveland County
Rating: F3
Path length: 36.8 mi
Path width: 400 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.250, -96.970

Tornado, Pottawatomie

When: May 5, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Pottawatomie County
Rating: F5
Path length: 33.6 mi
Path width: 800 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 35.280, -96.930

Hail, Cotton

When: May 5, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Cotton County
Measured: 3 in hail
Coordinates: 34.280, -98.180

Hail, Cleveland

When: May 5, 5:03 PM CST
Where: Cleveland County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 35.200, -97.400

Tornado, Creek

When: May 5, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Creek County
Rating: F3
Path length: 16 mi
Path width: 400 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.700, -96.620

Tornado, Creek

When: May 5, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Creek County
Rating: F3
Path length: 22.5 mi
Path width: 400 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.870, -96.420

Tornado, Creek

When: May 5, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Creek County
Rating: F5
Path length: 9.5 mi
Path width: 800 yd
Deaths: 5 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 81 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 35.630, -96.520

Thunderstorm Wind, Stephens

When: May 5, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Stephens County
Measured: 85 kt (98 mph)
Coordinates: 34.500, -97.680

Tornado, Pittsburg

When: May 5, 6:07 PM CST
Where: Pittsburg County
Rating: F2
Path length: 4.1 mi
Path width: 500 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 34.920, -95.780

Tornado, Creek

When: May 5, 6:15 PM CST
Where: Creek County
Rating: F5
Path length: 28.7 mi
Path width: 800 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 35.730, -96.400

Tornado, Okmulgee

When: May 5, 6:16 PM CST
Where: Okmulgee County
Rating: F3
Path length: 0.8 mi
Path width: 150 yd
Deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 15 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.480, -95.850

Tornado, Muskogee

When: May 5, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Muskogee County
Rating: F2
Path length: 4.9 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 35.750, -95.670

Hail, Pittsburg

When: May 5, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Pittsburg County
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.080, -95.680

Tornado, Craig

When: May 5, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Craig County
Rating: F2
Path length: 8.6 mi
Path width: 500 yd
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 36.650, -95.120

Hail, Muskogee

When: May 5, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Muskogee County
Measured: 2 in hail
Coordinates: 35.780, -95.500

Hail, Muskogee

When: May 5, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Muskogee County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.780, -95.280

Hail, Latimer

When: May 5, 6:45 PM CST
Where: Latimer County
Measured: 2 in hail
Coordinates: 34.880, -95.280

Tornado, Ottawa

When: May 5, 6:50 PM CST
Where: Ottawa County
Rating: F2
Path length: 28 mi
Path width: 500 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 36.730, -95.000

Tornado, Garvin

When: May 5, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Garvin County
Rating: F2
Path length: 5.9 mi
Path width: 33 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 34.630, -97.170

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: May 5, 7:07 PM CST
Where: Tulsa County
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 36.200, -95.900

Tornado, McIntosh

When: May 5, 7:10 PM CST
Where: McIntosh County
Rating: F2
Path length: 11.7 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 6 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.300, -95.500

Tornado, Latimer

When: May 5, 7:10 PM CST
Where: Latimer County
Rating: F4
Path length: 17.2 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Deaths: 13 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 100 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 34.880, -95.300

Tornado, Latimer

When: May 5, 7:10 PM CST
Where: Latimer County
Rating: F4
Path length: 15.7 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 34.970, -95.300

Tornado, Haskell

When: May 5, 7:10 PM CST
Where: Haskell County
Rating: F4
Path length: 24.6 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Deaths: 3 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 6 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 35.070, -95.050

Tornado, Sequoyah

When: May 5, 7:10 PM CST
Where: Sequoyah County
Rating: F4
Path length: 4.9 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 35.380, -94.850

Tornado, Wagoner

When: May 5, 7:20 PM CST
Where: Wagoner County
Rating: F2
Path length: 5.1 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.930, -95.420

Tornado, Rogers

When: May 5, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Rogers County
Rating: F1
Path width: 33 yd
Injuries: 6 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 36.230, -95.520

Tornado, Sequoyah

When: May 5, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Sequoyah County
Rating: F3
Path length: 4.5 mi
Path width: 33 yd
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 35.380, -94.480

Tornado, Sequoyah

When: May 5, 7:40 PM CST
Where: Sequoyah County
Rating: F4
Path length: 5.4 mi
Path width: 33 yd
Deaths: 5 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 13 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.380, -94.550

Hail, Sequoyah

When: May 5, 8:30 PM CST
Where: Sequoyah County
Measured: 3 in hail
Coordinates: 35.500, -94.780

Tornado, Cherokee

When: May 5, 8:40 PM CST
Where: Cherokee County
Rating: F1
Path length: 4.6 mi
Path width: 33 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 35.880, -94.900

Tornado, McIntosh

When: May 5, 8:50 PM CST
Where: McIntosh County
Rating: F2
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 400 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 35.280, -95.580

Tornado, Mayes

When: May 5, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Mayes County
Rating: F2
Path length: 6.4 mi
Path width: 33 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 36.500, -95.100

Tornado, Le Flore

When: May 5, 9:30 PM CST
Where: Le Flore County
Rating: F3
Path length: 12.1 mi
Path width: 33 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.180, -94.780

Tornado, Sequoyah

When: May 5, 9:30 PM CST
Where: Sequoyah County
Rating: F3
Path length: 3.6 mi
Path width: 33 yd
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.350, -94.720

Tornado, Sequoyah

When: May 5, 9:30 PM CST
Where: Sequoyah County
Rating: F3
Path length: 8 mi
Path width: 33 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 35.400, -94.700

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Tornado, Sequoyah	1960-05-05				Direct
Tornado, Sequoyah	1960-05-05				Direct

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oklahoma in 1960 Every state in 1960 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Oklahoma, 1960

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10093958, 10093959, 10093960, 10093961, 10093962, 10093963, 10093964, 10093965, 10093966, 10093967, 10093968, 10093969, 10093970, 10093971, 10093972, 10093973, 10093974, 10093975, 10093976, 10093977, 10093978, 10093979, 10093980, 10093981, 10093982, 10093983, 10093984, 10093985, 10093986, 10093987, 10093988, 10093989, 10093990, 10093991, 10093992, 10094864, 10094865, 10094866, 10094867, 10094868, and more.