Tornadoes · United States · Oklahoma

1960 tornadoes in Oklahoma

98 tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma in 1960, 66 percent above the average of the record for the state. They killed 35 people and injured 319. 5 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.

1959 1961 The whole country in 1960

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 1960

January 14 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
January 14	6:00 AM GMT-6	F2	Pontotoc	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

February 9 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
February 9	2:45 PM GMT-6	F1	Ottawa	8.2	200			$50 to $500
February 9	3:45 PM GMT-6	F1	Craig	0.3	10			$500 to $5,000

February 20 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
February 20	3:30 PM GMT-6	F1	Blaine	8.7	50

March 28 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 28	6:30 PM GMT-6	F2	Ellis	24.2	200			$500 to $5,000

March 31 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
March 31	6:00 PM GMT-6	F1	Kay	0.2	100	$500 to $5,000
March 31	6:20 PM GMT-6	F1	Garfield	2.0	50
March 31	7:15 PM GMT-6	F1	Garfield	1.5	17	$50 to $500
March 31	7:20 PM GMT-6	F1	Noble	2.0	100	$500 to $5,000

April 12 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 12	12:00 PM GMT-6	F2	Harper	0.1	10		3	$5,000 to $50,000
April 12	6:30 PM GMT-6	F1	Cimarron	0.2	300			$500 to $5,000

April 16 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
April 16	4:40 PM GMT-6	F1	Tulsa	0.1	10		$500 to $5,000
April 16	8:05 PM GMT-6	F2	Garfield	0.1	50
April 16	9:30 PM GMT-6	F1	Craig	1.0	100		$500 to $5,000
April 16	10:15 PM GMT-6	F2	Craig	3.8	200	2	$5,000 to $50,000

April 28 12 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 28	8:00 PM GMT-5	F0	Blaine	0.1	10
April 28	8:00 PM GMT-5	F3	Caddo	3.3	100			$5,000 to $50,000
April 28	8:45 PM GMT-5	F2	Grady	3.6	200		1	$500 to $5,000
April 28	8:45 PM GMT-5	F2	Grady	3.3	200			$50 to $500
April 28	8:45 PM GMT-5	F3	Grady	3.6	200		2	$5,000 to $50,000
April 28	8:45 PM GMT-5	F2	Grady	2.0	300			$50,000 to $500,000
April 28	9:50 PM GMT-5	F3	Grady	1.5	200		1	$50,000 to $500,000
April 28	9:55 PM GMT-5	F3	Oklahoma	11.7	333		57	$500,000 to $5 million
April 28	9:58 PM GMT-5	F2	Cleveland	7.8	500			$50,000 to $500,000
April 28	10:00 PM GMT-5	F2	Cleveland	0.1	10
April 28	10:05 PM GMT-5	F2	Cleveland	3.8	400		6	$50,000 to $500,000
April 28	12:45 AM GMT-5	F2	Cleveland	6.1	800	3	1	$5,000 to $50,000

April 29 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 29	3:15 PM GMT-5	F0	Kay	0.1	10

May 3 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 3	8:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Woodward	0.5	100

May 4 12 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
May 4	6:40 PM GMT-5	F1	Tillman	1.0	10		$500 to $5,000
May 4	6:40 PM GMT-5	F1	Tillman	1.0	50		$500 to $5,000
May 4	7:00 PM GMT-5	F2	Cotton	4.9	150		$5,000 to $50,000
May 4	7:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Comanche	0.1	10	3	$5,000 to $50,000
May 4	7:43 PM GMT-5	F1	Cotton	0.1	10
May 4	7:45 PM GMT-5	F1	Comanche	0.1	10		$500 to $5,000
May 4	7:58 PM GMT-5	F3	Rogers	0.1	10		$5,000 to $50,000
May 4	8:45 PM GMT-5	F2	Cleveland	5.2	50		$500 to $5,000
May 4	8:45 PM GMT-5	F3	Pontotoc	18.3	10	6	$50,000 to $500,000
May 4	8:55 PM GMT-5	F3	Oklahoma	5.1	400	4	$50,000 to $500,000
May 4	9:05 PM GMT-5	F4	Seminole	8.0	10		$50,000 to $500,000
May 4	10:16 PM GMT-5	F4	Choctaw	30.8	150	3	$50,000 to $500,000

May 5 19 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 5	2:38 PM GMT-5	F0	Tillman	0.1	10
May 5	3:45 PM GMT-5	F3	Garvin	7.3	200			$5,000 to $50,000
May 5	4:00 PM GMT-5	F3	Cleveland	101.9	400			$50,000 to $500,000
May 5	6:00 PM GMT-5	F5	Pottawatomie	71.8	800	5	81	$500,000 to $5 million
May 5	7:07 PM GMT-5	F2	Pittsburg	4.1	500			$5,000 to $50,000
May 5	7:16 PM GMT-5	F3	Okmulgee	0.8	150	2	15	$50,000 to $500,000
May 5	7:20 PM GMT-5	F2	Muskogee	4.9	100			$5,000 to $50,000
May 5	7:30 PM GMT-5	F2	Craig	36.6	500		2	$50,000 to $500,000
May 5	8:00 PM GMT-5	F2	Garvin	5.9	10			$5,000 to $50,000
May 5	8:10 PM GMT-5	F4	Latimer	62.4	200	16	106	$500,000 to $5 million
May 5	8:10 PM GMT-5	F2	McIntosh	11.7	200	2	6	$50,000 to $500,000
May 5	8:20 PM GMT-5	F2	Wagoner	5.1	200			$50,000 to $500,000
May 5	8:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Rogers	0.1	10		6	$500 to $5,000
May 5	8:30 PM GMT-5	F3	Sequoyah	4.5	10	1		$5,000 to $50,000
May 5	8:40 PM GMT-5	F4	Sequoyah	5.4	10	5	13	$50,000 to $500,000
May 5	9:40 PM GMT-5	F1	Cherokee	4.6	10			$5,000 to $50,000
May 5	9:50 PM GMT-5	F2	McIntosh	1.0	400			$5,000 to $50,000
May 5	10:00 PM GMT-5	F2	Mayes	6.4	10			$50,000 to $500,000
May 5	10:30 PM GMT-5	F3	LeFlore	23.7	10	1		$50,000 to $500,000

May 16 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 16	9:15 PM GMT-5	F0	Creek	0.1	10

May 17 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 17	10:05 PM GMT-5	F0	Kingfisher	0.1	10

May 18 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 18	4:15 PM GMT-5	F1	Garvin	0.5	50	$500 to $5,000
May 18	5:00 PM GMT-5	F0	Marshall	0.3	100
May 18	6:00 PM GMT-5	F1	Rogers	0.5	10	$5,000 to $50,000
May 18	6:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Washington	0.1	10	$500 to $5,000
May 18	7:43 PM GMT-5	F0	Jackson	0.1	10

May 19 12 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 19	5:00 PM GMT-5	F0	Caddo	0.1	10
May 19	5:00 PM GMT-5	F1	Caddo	0.1	10	$500 to $5,000
May 19	5:25 PM GMT-5	F2	Cleveland	0.1	10	$5,000 to $50,000
May 19	5:50 PM GMT-5	F0	Stephens	0.1	10
May 19	7:35 PM GMT-5	F0	Tulsa	0.1	10
May 19	8:00 PM GMT-5	F1	Rogers	4.5	50	$5,000 to $50,000
May 19	8:20 PM GMT-5	F1	Muskogee	0.1	10	$500 to $5,000
May 19	8:22 PM GMT-5	F2	Wagoner	0.1	10
May 19	8:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Mayes	0.1	10
May 19	9:50 PM GMT-5	F0	Sequoyah	0.1	10
May 19	12:20 AM GMT-5	F0	Tulsa	0.1	10
May 19	12:20 AM GMT-5	F0	Tulsa	0.1	10

May 20 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 20	1:31 AM GMT-5	F1	Choctaw	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000
May 20	7:00 AM GMT-5	F1	McCurtain	0.8	100			$500 to $5,000

May 23 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
May 23	7:30 PM GMT-5	F2	Caddo	0.1	10	1	$5,000 to $50,000
May 23	7:30 PM GMT-5	F2	Caddo	0.1	10
May 23	7:30 PM GMT-5	F2	Caddo	0.1	10
May 23	9:30 PM GMT-5	F1	McClain	1.5	33		under $50
May 23	10:00 PM GMT-5	F1	Stephens	0.1	10		$50 to $500

May 27 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 27	10:35 PM GMT-5	F2	Kingfisher	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

May 28 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 28	5:00 PM GMT-5	F1	Woods	0.1	10
May 28	10:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Custer	0.1	10			$50 to $500

June 7 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 7	7:00 PM GMT-5	F3	Jackson	0.8	100			$5,000 to $50,000

June 15 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 15	2:00 AM GMT-5	F1	Beaver	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

July 21 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 21	3:55 PM GMT-5	F0	Tulsa	0.1	10

July 24 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 24	5:00 PM GMT-5	F1	Wagoner	0.1	10			$5,000 to $50,000

July 29 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 29	7:30 PM GMT-5	F2	Garfield	0.1	10			$5,000 to $50,000

August 7 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 7	12:15 AM GMT-5	F3	Ottawa	4.7	200			$5,000 to $50,000

August 9 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 9	1:00 PM GMT-5	F0	Cotton	0.1	10			under $50

September 20 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 20	2:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Pontotoc	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

November 15 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 15	2:20 PM GMT-6	F2	Cherokee	1.0	50			$5,000 to $50,000

Nearby

Every tornado in Oklahoma since 1950 Warnings in force in Oklahoma The 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.