Oklahoma, 1986

Tornadoes and Hail in Oklahoma, May 16, 1986

May 16, 1986 · NWS OKC · 72 events in 29 counties and zones

31 hail, 30 thunderstorm wind, 11 tornado, 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
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$2.9 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
72

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 hail, 30 thunderstorm wind, 11 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Ellis

When
May 16, 4:08 PM CST
Where
Ellis County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.920, -99.800

Hail, Woodward

When
May 16, 4:30 PM CST
Where
Woodward County
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.470, -99.270

Hail, Roger Mills

When
May 16, 4:30 PM CST
Where
Roger Mills County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.920, -99.750

Hail, Woodward

When
May 16, 4:30 PM CST
Where
Woodward County
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.630, -99.120

Hail, Roger Mills

When
May 16, 4:30 PM CST
Where
Roger Mills County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.870, -99.970

Hail, Ellis

When
May 16, 4:53 PM CST
Where
Ellis County
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.920, -99.800

Hail, Ellis

When
May 16, 4:53 PM CST
Where
Ellis County
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.170, -99.630

Hail, Roger Mills

When
May 16, 4:58 PM CST
Where
Roger Mills County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.600, -99.920

Hail, Roger Mills

When
May 16, 4:59 PM CST
Where
Roger Mills County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.920, -99.750

Hail, Ellis

When
May 16, 5:10 PM CST
Where
Ellis County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.450, -99.820

Hail, Ellis

When
May 16, 5:15 PM CST
Where
Ellis County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.920, -99.800

Hail, Ellis

When
May 16, 5:15 PM CST
Where
Ellis County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.220, -99.630

Hail, Woodward

When
May 16, 5:20 PM CST
Where
Woodward County
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.470, -99.270

Hail, Woodward

When
May 16, 5:20 PM CST
Where
Woodward County
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.230, -99.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Okfuskee

When
May 16, 5:26 PM CST
Where
Okfuskee County
Coordinates
35.430, -96.470

Hail, Roger Mills

When
May 16, 5:34 PM CST
Where
Roger Mills County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.920, -99.750

Hail, Roger Mills

When
May 16, 5:34 PM CST
Where
Roger Mills County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.700, -99.750

Hail, Roger Mills

When
May 16, 6:24 PM CST
Where
Roger Mills County
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.920, -99.750

Hail, Roger Mills

When
May 16, 6:24 PM CST
Where
Roger Mills County
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.650, -99.920

Hail, Woodward

When
May 16, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Woodward County
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
36.470, -99.270

Hail, Woodward

When
May 16, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Woodward County
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
36.220, -99.420

Hail, Major

When
May 16, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Major County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.430, -98.730

Hail, Major

When
May 16, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Major County
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
36.220, -98.830

Hail, Dewey

When
May 16, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Dewey County
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
35.980, -99.000

Hail, Dewey

When
May 16, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Dewey County
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
36.120, -99.300

Tornado, Alfalfa

When
May 16, 7:18 PM CST
Where
Alfalfa County
Rating
F1
Path length
5 mi
Path width
30 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
36.720, -98.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Beckham

When
May 16, 7:28 PM CST
Where
Beckham County
Coordinates
35.280, -99.670

Tornado, Washita

When
May 16, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Washita County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
23 yd
Coordinates
35.320, -99.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Dewey

When
May 16, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Dewey County
Coordinates
35.980, -99.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Blaine

When
May 16, 8:03 PM CST
Where
Blaine County
Coordinates
35.870, -98.420

Tornado, Custer

When
May 16, 8:10 PM CST
Where
Custer County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
50 yd
Coordinates
35.530, -98.880

Hail, McClain

When
May 16, 8:15 PM CST
Where
McClain County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.120, -97.300

Hail, McClain

When
May 16, 8:15 PM CST
Where
McClain County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.030, -97.630

Tornado, Caddo

When
May 16, 8:35 PM CST
Where
Caddo County
Rating
F1
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
35.550, -98.450

Hail, Comanche

When
May 16, 8:40 PM CST
Where
Comanche County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.630, -98.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Oklahoma

When
May 16, 8:50 PM CST
Where
Oklahoma County
Coordinates
35.530, -97.420

Hail, Canadian

When
May 16, 9:00 PM CST
Where
Canadian County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.530, -98.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Comanche

When
May 16, 9:00 PM CST
Where
Comanche County
Coordinates
34.630, -98.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Caddo

When
May 16, 9:15 PM CST
Where
Caddo County
Coordinates
35.200, -98.350

Tornado, Caddo

When
May 16, 9:30 PM CST
Where
Caddo County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
50 yd
Coordinates
35.070, -98.270

Tornado, Oklahoma

When
May 16, 9:44 PM CST
Where
Oklahoma County
Rating
F1
Path length
2 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$2.5 million
Coordinates
35.450, -97.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Canadian

When
May 16, 9:47 PM CST
Where
Canadian County
Coordinates
35.530, -98.000

Tornado, Tillman

When
May 16, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Tillman County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
34.230, -98.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Oklahoma

When
May 16, 10:06 PM CST
Where
Oklahoma County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
35.400, -97.600

Hail, Oklahoma

When
May 16, 10:15 PM CST
Where
Oklahoma County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.530, -97.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Payne

When
May 16, 10:40 PM CST
Where
Payne County
Coordinates
36.080, -96.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Garvin

When
May 16, 10:45 PM CST
Where
Garvin County
Coordinates
34.670, -97.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Garvin

When
May 16, 10:45 PM CST
Where
Garvin County
Coordinates
34.830, -97.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When
May 16, 11:03 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County
Coordinates
36.370, -96.620

Hail, Stephens

When
May 16, 11:05 PM CST
Where
Stephens County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.470, -97.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Payne

When
May 16, 11:05 PM CST
Where
Payne County
Coordinates
36.080, -96.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Payne

When
May 16, 11:05 PM CST
Where
Payne County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
35.980, -96.770

Tornado, Lincoln

When
May 16, 11:09 PM CST
Where
Lincoln County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
50 yd
Coordinates
35.480, -96.780

Tornado, Garvin

When
May 16, 11:10 PM CST
Where
Garvin County
Rating
F1
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
73 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
34.650, -97.170

Tornado, Pottawatomie

When
May 16, 11:10 PM CST
Where
Pottawatomie County
Rating
F1
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
73 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
35.150, -97.020

Thunderstorm Wind, Cleveland

When
May 16, 11:10 PM CST
Where
Cleveland County
Coordinates
35.150, -97.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When
May 16, 11:25 PM CST
Where
Osage County
Coordinates
36.700, -96.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When
May 16, 11:25 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County
Coordinates
36.370, -96.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When
May 16, 11:25 PM CST
Where
Osage County
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates
36.420, -96.400

Tornado, Haskell

When
May 16, 11:30 PM CST
Where
Haskell County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
73 yd
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
35.250, -94.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Haskell

When
May 16, 11:30 PM CST
Where
Haskell County
Coordinates
35.280, -95.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Garvin

When
May 16, 11:30 PM CST
Where
Garvin County
Coordinates
34.720, -97.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Garvin

When
May 16, 11:30 PM CST
Where
Garvin County
Coordinates
34.670, -97.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Pontotoc

When
May 16, 11:30 PM CST
Where
Pontotoc County
Coordinates
34.720, -96.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Creek

When
May 16, 11:37 PM CST
Where
Creek County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
36.080, -96.580

Thunderstorm Wind, Creek

When
May 16, 11:45 PM CST
Where
Creek County
Coordinates
35.920, -96.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Creek

When
May 16, 11:45 PM CST
Where
Creek County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
36.250, -96.420

Hail, Pushmataha

When
May 16, 11:53 PM CST
Where
Pushmataha County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.230, -95.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Pushmataha

When
May 16, 11:53 PM CST
Where
Pushmataha County
Coordinates
34.420, -95.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When
May 16, 11:54 PM CST
Where
Osage County
Coordinates
36.700, -96.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When
May 16, 11:54 PM CST
Where
Osage County
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates
36.570, -96.170

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When
May 16, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County
Coordinates
36.370, -96.620

What these are

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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oklahoma in 1986Every state in 1986This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Oklahoma, 1986Warnings in Oklahoma, May 1986

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: 10108397, 10108398, 10108399, 10108616, 10108617, 10108618, 10108619, 10108620, 10108621, 10108622, 10108623, 10108624, 10108625, 10108626, 10108627, 10108628, 10108629, 10108630, 10108631, 10108632, 10108633, 10108634, 10108635, 10108636, 10108637, 10108638, 10108639, 10108640, 10108641, 10108642, 10108643, 10108644, 10108645, 10108646, 10108647, 10108648, 10108649, 10108650, 10108651, 10108652, and more.