Tornadoes · United States · Oklahoma
Tornadoes in Washita County, Oklahoma
57 tornadoes have crossed Washita County since 1950, 48th of the 77 counties in Oklahoma with a tornado on record, an average of one every 1.3 years. They have killed 2 people and injured 32. 1 was rated F4 or EF4 and above.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The United States rated tornadoes on Ted Fujita’s F scale until 31 January 2007 and on the Enhanced Fujita scale after it. Both run from 0 to 5, and both rate the damage rather than measure the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
F0 / EF040 to 72 mph on the F scale, 65 to 85 mph on the EF scale
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F1 / EF173 to 112 mph on the F scale, 86 to 110 mph on the EF scale
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2 / EF2113 to 157 mph on the F scale, 111 to 135 mph on the EF scale
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.
F3 / EF3158 to 206 mph on the F scale, 136 to 165 mph on the EF scale
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4 / EF4207 to 260 mph on the F scale, 166 to 200 mph on the EF scale
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5 / EF5261 to 318 mph on the F scale, over 200 mph on the EF scale
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.
Now
- Tornadoes
- 57
- Deaths
- 2
- Injuries
- 32
- F4 and above
- 1
- Worst on record
- F4, May 25, 1962
The deadliest in Washita County
The strongest
- F4, Washita County, OklahomaMay 25, 1962
- F3, Kiowa and Washita counties, OklahomaApril 28, 1950
- F3, Kiowa and Washita counties, OklahomaOctober 9, 2001
- F3, Beckham, Washita and Custer counties, OklahomaOctober 9, 2001
- F3, Washita County, OklahomaJune 8, 1951
- F3, Washita County, OklahomaOctober 9, 2001
- F3, Washita County, OklahomaMay 2, 1975
- EF2, Beckham and Washita counties, OklahomaMay 16, 2017
- F2, Washita, Kiowa and Caddo counties, OklahomaMay 22, 1981
- F2, Kiowa, Washita and Caddo counties, OklahomaMay 22, 1957
Every year with a tornado
The 31 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Washita County. Each year links to every tornado in Oklahoma that year.
Every tornado that crossed Washita County
57 tornadoes, newest first.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 18, 2024 | 4:20 AM CST | Unrated | Washita | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| November 18, 2024 | 3:48 AM CST | Unrated | Kiowa | 2.4 | 30 | |||
| April 30, 2024 | 5:32 PM CDT | EF1 | Washita | 2.5 | 200 | $250,000 | ||
| October 12, 2021 | 7:24 PM CDT | Unrated | Washita | 0.1 | 25 | |||
| May 7, 2019 | 11:46 PM CDT | Unrated | Washita | 0.5 | 40 | |||
| May 7, 2019 | 11:32 PM CDT | EF2 | Washita | 8.8 | 400 | $120,000 | ||
| May 18, 2017 | 4:40 PM CDT | Unrated | Washita | 0.3 | 50 | |||
| May 18, 2017 | 3:40 PM CDT | Unrated | Washita | 0.5 | 100 | |||
| May 18, 2017 | 3:29 PM CDT | EF1 | Washita | 6.0 | 100 | $5,000 | ||
| May 16, 2017 | 6:46 PM CDT | EF2 | Beckham | 18.0 | 1,000 | 1 | 10 | $25 million |
| May 12, 2010 | 8:21 PM CDT | EF1 | Washita | 10.4 | 50 | |||
| August 18, 2007 | 5:10 PM CDT | EF0 | Washita | 4.0 | 30 | |||
| May 24, 2002 | 6:27 PM CDT | F0 | Washita | 0.2 | 25 | |||
| October 9, 2001 | 5:36 PM CDT | F3 | Kiowa | 13.0 | 440 | 1 | $610,000 | |
| October 9, 2001 | 5:32 PM CDT | F1 | Washita | 2.0 | 200 | $10,000 | ||
| October 9, 2001 | 5:08 PM CDT | F3 | Washita | 6.0 | 500 | 9 | $100 million | |
| October 9, 2001 | 4:30 PM CDT | F3 | Beckham | 11.5 | 600 | $60,000 | ||
| May 5, 2001 | 8:15 PM CDT | F0 | Washita | 0.5 | 75 | |||
| May 5, 2001 | 8:11 PM CDT | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 15 | |||
| May 26, 2000 | 7:12 PM CDT | F0 | Washita | 2.6 | 20 | $1,000 | ||
| March 7, 2000 | 5:15 PM CST | F1 | Washita | 2.0 | 20 | $4,000 | ||
| April 2, 1999 | 8:50 PM CST | F1 | Washita | 1.1 | 0 | $40,000 | ||
| June 6, 1994 | 9:29 PM CDT | F1 | Custer | 5.5 | 150 | 2 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| October 1, 1986 | 9:25 PM CDT | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 30 | |||
| May 16, 1986 | 9:00 PM CDT | F0 | Washita | 0.2 | 23 | |||
| March 17, 1986 | 5:55 PM CST | F1 | Beckham | 34.0 | 100 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| June 13, 1983 | 7:00 PM CDT | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 11, 1982 | 8:00 PM CDT | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| May 11, 1982 | 7:22 PM CDT | F2 | Washita | 7.0 | 50 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| May 22, 1981 | 7:30 PM CDT | F2 | Washita | 15.4 | 100 | |||
| May 22, 1981 | 7:07 PM CDT | F2 | Caddo | 5.0 | 300 | |||
| May 22, 1981 | 6:25 PM CDT | F1 | Washita | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 22, 1981 | 5:17 PM CDT | F2 | Washita | 6.9 | 200 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| May 20, 1980 | 10:30 PM CDT | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| July 23, 1979 | 3:30 PM CDT | F1 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| June 12, 1977 | 1:25 PM CDT | F1 | Washita | 6.4 | 77 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| June 12, 1977 | 1:25 PM CDT | F1 | Washita | 6.4 | 77 | |||
| June 12, 1977 | 1:00 PM CDT | F1 | Washita | 2.0 | 50 | |||
| May 2, 1975 | 4:40 PM CDT | F1 | Washita | 0.8 | 100 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 2, 1975 | 4:30 PM CDT | F3 | Washita | 4.7 | 150 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| March 27, 1975 | 3:30 AM CDT | F1 | Beckham | 20.4 | 150 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| May 22, 1972 | 9:27 PM CDT | F1 | Washita | 1.9 | 33 | |||
| June 7, 1971 | 8:00 PM CDT | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| June 11, 1970 | 1:00 PM CDT | F1 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | $50 to $500 | ||
| June 8, 1966 | 7:00 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| April 4, 1965 | 5:10 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Washita | 3.6 | 33 | |||
| November 6, 1964 | 11:30 AM GMT-6 | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| September 11, 1963 | 6:45 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 26, 1962 | 6:45 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 25, 1962 | 7:28 PM GMT-5 | F4 | Washita | 7.2 | 250 | 9 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| May 25, 1962 | 7:25 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 25, 1962 | 5:05 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 4, 1959 | 11:00 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 22, 1957 | 7:15 AM GMT-5 | F2 | Kiowa | 14.7 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 22, 1957 | 7:01 PM GMT-6 | F1 | Washita | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| June 8, 1951 | 7:30 PM GMT-5 | F3 | Washita | 10.9 | 173 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| April 28, 1950 | 2:17 PM GMT-6 | F3 | Kiowa | 20.8 | 400 | 1 | 1 | $50,000 to $500,000 |
Nearby
Warnings in force in Washita CountyThe forecast for Washita CountyThe live radar over Washita CountyEvery county in 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.