Tornadoes · United States · Oklahoma
1957 tornadoes in Oklahoma
107 tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma in 1957, 81 percent above the average of the record for the state. They killed 22 people and injured 53. 5 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
F040 to 72 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
Every tornado in Oklahoma in 1957
January 21 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 21 | 6:55 PM GMT-6 | F1 | Muskogee | 5.7 | 400 | $5,000 to $50,000 |
January 22 3 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 22 | 3:30 AM GMT-6 | F2 | Pottawatomie | 63.7 | 440 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| January 22 | 6:00 AM GMT-6 | F2 | Haskell | 6.1 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| January 22 | 6:45 AM GMT-6 | F4 | Sequoyah | 0.1 | 880 | 10 | 20 | $50,000 to $500,000 |
April 2 15 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2 | 3:30 PM GMT-6 | F1 | Jefferson | 2.0 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 2 | 4:50 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Murray | 11.7 | 400 | 1 | $5,000 to $50,000 | |
| April 2 | 4:55 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Murray | 2.0 | 600 | 1 | 2 | $50,000 to $500,000 |
| April 2 | 5:29 PM GMT-6 | F4 | Marshall | 5.2 | 200 | 2 | 6 | $500,000 to $5 million |
| April 2 | 5:58 PM GMT-6 | F4 | Bryan | 7.9 | 200 | 3 | 3 | $50,000 to $500,000 |
| April 2 | 6:30 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Jackson | 43.7 | 150 | 1 | $5,000 to $50,000 | |
| April 2 | 6:40 PM GMT-6 | F0 | Pottawatomie | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| April 2 | 7:05 PM GMT-6 | F0 | Jackson | 8.8 | 100 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 2 | 7:15 PM GMT-6 | F1 | Choctaw | 16.8 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 2 | 9:00 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Latimer | 23.3 | 880 | 2 | $5,000 to $50,000 | |
| April 2 | 9:05 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Pittsburg | 11.7 | 440 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 2 | 9:30 PM GMT-6 | F1 | McCurtain | 11.2 | 880 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 2 | 9:50 PM GMT-6 | F0 | LeFlore | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| April 2 | 10:30 PM GMT-6 | F0 | Oklahoma | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| April 2 | 11:45 PM GMT-6 | F1 | Love | 0.1 | 10 |
April 3 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 3 | 12:15 AM GMT-6 | F0 | Lincoln | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 |
April 18 2 tornadoes
April 19 3 tornadoes
April 20 2 tornadoes
April 22 12 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 22 | 6:00 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Jackson | 0.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 22 | 6:30 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Greer | 0.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 22 | 7:01 PM GMT-6 | F1 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| April 22 | 8:00 PM GMT-6 | F0 | Alfalfa | 0.1 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 22 | 8:00 PM GMT-6 | F3 | Caddo | 1.0 | 200 | 1 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| April 22 | 8:15 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Caddo | 30.9 | 10 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| April 22 | 9:00 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Kingfisher | 3.6 | 200 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| April 22 | 9:00 PM GMT-6 | F0 | Lincoln | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| April 22 | 10:00 PM GMT-6 | F0 | Kay | 0.1 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 22 | 11:04 PM GMT-6 | F0 | Creek | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| April 22 | 11:30 PM GMT-6 | F0 | Tulsa | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| April 22 | 11:40 PM GMT-6 | F1 | Carter | 0.1 | 10 |
April 23 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 23 | 1:05 AM GMT-6 | F1 | Sequoyah | 19.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 |
April 25 4 tornadoes
May 10 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10 | 3:16 AM GMT-5 | F0 | Tillman | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 |
May 12 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 12 | 11:00 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Caddo | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 |
May 15 2 tornadoes
May 16 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16 | 1:32 AM GMT-5 | F1 | Ellis | 6.9 | 200 | $500 to $5,000 |
May 20 11 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20 | 6:00 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Pawnee | 0.5 | 100 | under $50 | ||
| May 20 | 6:45 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Osage | 0.1 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 20 | 7:00 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Lincoln | 0.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 20 | 8:00 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Creek | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 20 | 8:00 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Nowata | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 20 | 8:30 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Tulsa | 3.6 | 500 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| May 20 | 9:04 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Okmulgee | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 20 | 11:30 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Rogers | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 20 | 12:00 AM GMT-5 | F1 | Craig | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 20 | 12:00 AM GMT-5 | F1 | Craig | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 20 | 12:10 AM GMT-5 | F3 | Mayes | 20.4 | 200 | 1 | $500 to $5,000 |
May 22 11 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22 | 7:00 AM GMT-5 | F0 | Comanche | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 22 | 7:15 AM GMT-5 | F2 | Kiowa | 14.7 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 22 | 7:38 AM GMT-5 | F0 | Kay | 2.0 | 23 | $50 to $500 | ||
| May 22 | 8:00 AM GMT-5 | F1 | Kiowa | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 22 | 9:00 AM GMT-5 | F2 | Oklahoma | 2.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 22 | 9:00 AM GMT-5 | F1 | Noble | 0.1 | 100 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 22 | 9:58 AM GMT-5 | F0 | Pawnee | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 22 | 11:30 AM GMT-5 | F0 | Canadian | 0.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 22 | 12:00 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Lincoln | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 22 | 9:30 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Sequoyah | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 22 | 9:30 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Sequoyah | 0.1 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 |
May 24 12 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24 | 11:40 AM GMT-5 | F1 | Bryan | 0.1 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 24 | 5:30 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Tillman | 9.7 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 24 | 6:30 PM GMT-5 | F4 | Cotton | 21.6 | 880 | 4 | 5 | $50,000 to $500,000 |
| May 24 | 7:00 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Garvin | 30.8 | 440 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| May 24 | 9:00 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Comanche | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 24 | 10:00 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Stephens | 0.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 24 | 10:00 PM GMT-5 | F1 | McClain | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 24 | 11:00 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Ottawa | 1.0 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 24 | 11:25 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Stephens | 2.5 | 10 | $50 to $500 | ||
| May 24 | 11:25 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Okmulgee | 10.8 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 24 | 12:43 AM GMT-5 | F0 | McIntosh | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 24 | 12:45 AM GMT-5 | F0 | McIntosh | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 |
May 25 3 tornadoes
May 29 2 tornadoes
May 30 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 30 | 5:15 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Garvin | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 |
June 12 5 tornadoes
July 1 3 tornadoes
July 20 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 20 | 10:00 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Carter | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 |
August 14 3 tornadoes
September 14 3 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 14 | 6:30 PM GMT-5 | F4 | Cleveland | 67.5 | 440 | 2 | 6 | $50,000 to $500,000 |
| September 14 | 6:56 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Pottawatomie | 0.5 | 43 | 3 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| September 14 | 10:00 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Hughes | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 |
September 20 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 20 | 6:30 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Custer | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| September 20 | 11:00 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Stephens | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 |
October 13 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 13 | 6:20 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Beaver | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 |
Nearby
Every tornado in Oklahoma since 1950Warnings in force in OklahomaThe live radar over Oklahoma
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.