McCurtain County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within McCurtain County: 2.
2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Every storm within 100 miles

1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Every large fire

1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Claims by ZIP code

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges

1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Nov 4, 2022Tornado$35.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   This is the continuation of the Red River County Texas EF-4 tornado. This tornado had weakened upon entering Southern McCurtain County Oklahoma, producing EF-2 damage in rural areas southwest of Idabel, ripping the roofs off of several single family homes. Shortly before entering Idabel, the outer edge of this tornado hit the Oklahoma Mesonet observing platform located about 5 miles to the southwest off of Ravens Nest Road. An anemometer located 10 meters above the platform measured a wind gust of 108 mph, with a nearby single family home sustaining roof damage where EF-2 winds estimated near 125 mph removed a large section of the roof structure with a wall collapsing on another…

2. Jan 26, 2000Heavy Snow, Mccurtain$6.7 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A strong upper level trough moved out of the southern Great Basin and into the lower Mississippi Valley pulling artic air southward across the south central states to the Gulf coast. Moisture laden air from the Gulf of Mexico overran freezing surface temperatures producing heavy snow across all of southeast Oklahoma. Snowfall totals between 6 and 10 inches were common. Numerous chicken house roofs collapsed from the weight of the snow killing thousands of chickens. In addition, numerous homes and businesses suffered from collapsed roofs crushing contents and vehicles.

3. Dec 12, 2015Tornado$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   An NWS Storm Survey team determined that the damage west of Valliant, Oklahoma was consistent with that of tornado damage. The tornado first touched down near U.S. Hwy. 70 and traveled in a northeast direction before lifting near Tommy Taylor Road or just south of Pine Creek Reservoir. Numerous trees were uprooted and/or snapped along the damage path. Sixteen homes suffered significant damage and 4 mobile homes were completely destroyed. Two persons were injured when their mobile home was destroyed. Another person was injured when their mobile home was rolled by the tornado.

4. Dec 24, 2000Ice Storm, Mccurtain$1.2 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   After trying to recover from an ice storm two week earlier, another even more devastating ice storm struck much of southeast Oklahoma. Freezing rain resulting in accumulations ranging from 1/4 inch to 3 inches which paralyzed the entire county. At one point there was no power anywhere in the county and some locations went without power for almost a month. Numerous trees and utility poles were snapped due to the weight of the ice. The county was declared a disaster area.

5. Jan 29, 2022Wildfire, Mccurtain$600,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Extreme and severe (D3 and D2) drought conditions across Southern McCurtain County Oklahoma that had developed in late November 2021 contributed to much below normal dryness across this area during January 2022, which was exacerbated by the above normal temperatures observed during the Fall months. The very dry conditions continued throughout January 2022 as well, with less than one-quarter inch of rain falling between January 2nd and the end of the month. A series of strong cold fronts moved through McCurtain County throughout the month, reinforcing the cold and very dry air mass in place. These very dry conditions coupled with the very low relative humidity values in the teens…

6. Mar 10, 2026Tornado$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A line of severe thunderstorms moved into McCurtain County, Oklahoma, late in the evening on March 10th. Circulations were embedded within this line of thunderstorms, with one of which producing an EF2 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 118 mph that began on Old Golden Highway, resulting in snapped trees and the loss of shingles to a local residence. The tornado then continued east, reaching Thomas Road near the intersection of Old Golden Highway where more trees were snapped and uprooted and a barn/shed experienced damage to the roof. The tornado then began to pick up in intensity as it moved across Oak Hill Road where numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. As the…

7. Mar 18, 2008Flash Flood$300,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Several secondary roads were flooded and under water including Highway 70. Water was reported in several homes in town. Highway 70 was closed.

8. Apr 28, 2020Tornado$300,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   An EF-2 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 125 mph touched down in a heavily wooded area along Union Valley Road, snapping and uprooting numerous trees. The tornado moved south southeast, tossing two barges over 100 yards and lifting a large portion of the roof deck of a home, causing it to collapse. The tornado then completely destroyed a single-wide manufactured home, with the base frame of the home twisted and tossed 100 yards to the east. Further to the south, another home sustained significant roof and structural damage when large gas tanks were tossed into it. The tornado then continued to snap numerous trees along Cascade Creek Road and along Wyr 20000 Road, as well…

9. Nov 4, 2022Tornado$300,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   An EF-2 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 125 mph touched down in extreme Northwest McCurtain County near the Pickens community. The tornado touched down off of Pickens Road where it completed destroyed a chicken house, removed large sections of a roof of a home, and snapped multiple hardwood trees. The tornado then impacted a double-wide mobile home that was tied down with straps, which were snapped or footings pulled out of the ground. The mobile home was vaulted to the northwest and led to a fatality of a 90 year old male inside. A vehicle was also tossed and rolled at this location as well. The tornado continued moving northeast and uprooted multiple hardwood and…

10. May 1, 2003Tornado$260,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A supercell thunderstorm moved southeast across Broken Bow, OK. Two new frame homes under construction had roofs torn off. A total of 30 to 40 wood frame homes had roof and frame damage with windows broken. One home was destroyed. Numerous trees uprooted and snapped. Several power poles blown down.

1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

All-time high

114°FAug 10, 1936

All-time low

−14°FFeb 2, 1951

Warmest night

82°F2 times, most recently Jun 28, 1952

Coldest day

17°F2 times, most recently Feb 16, 2021

Wettest day

8.72 inApr 11, 2017

Snowiest day

9.5 inJan 28, 2000

Hottest year

1938mean 65.0°F

Coldest year

2014mean 59.2°F

Wettest year

195776.94 in

Driest year

194325.09 in

Snowiest season

12.5 in1999-00

Station Dequeen (USC00031948), 407 ft elevation, 26.9 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1902 to October 27, 2026; 98.3% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Neighbouring counties

• Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
• Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
• Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
• Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
• Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
• Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00031948.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
• Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.