Washita County
Population 10,884 (2025) 1,003 sq mi
Washita County has recorded 57 tornadoes since 1950, 46th most of 77 counties in Oklahoma; the most recent was on November 18, 2024.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 195057
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger1
- Wildfire burn scars since 19842
At a glance
The record for Washita County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Acres burned since 1984
4,549
62nd of 77 in Oklahoma
2 large fires; the largest was Unnamed, 2008
DetailsTropical cyclones within 50 mi
1
31st of 77 in Oklahoma
None at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsStrongest tornado
F4
May 25, 1962, 7.2 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1900, 49.9 miles away
Federal disaster declarations
37
Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2025
DetailsTornadoes
About one every 1.3 years since 1950, 7 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
May 25, 1962
F4, 7.2 mile path
250 yards wide.
Deadliest
May 16, 2017
1 killed, EF2
10 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Monday, November 18, 2024
EFU, 1.0 mile path
2 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Nov 18, 2024 | EFU | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 18, 2024 | EFU | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2024 | EF1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 12, 2021 | EFU | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2019 | EFU | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2019 | EF2 | 8.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 2017 | EFU | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 2017 | EFU | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 2017 | EF1 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 2017 | EF2 | 18.0 | 10 | 1 |
| May 12, 2010 | EF1 | 10.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 18, 2007 | EF0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2002 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 9, 2001 | F3 | 13.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 9, 2001 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 9, 2001 | F3 | 6.0 | 9 | 0 |
| Oct 9, 2001 | F3 | 11.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 2001 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 2000 | F0 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 7, 2000 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1999 | F1 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 6, 1994 | F1 | 5.5 | 2 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 1986 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 17, 1986 | F1 | 34.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 13, 1983 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 1982 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 1982 | F2 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 22, 1981 | F2 | 15.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 22, 1981 | F2 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 22, 1981 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 22, 1981 | F2 | 6.9 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1980 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 23, 1979 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 12, 1977 | F1 | 6.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 12, 1977 | F1 | 6.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 12, 1977 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 1975 | F1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 1975 | F3 | 4.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 27, 1975 | F1 | 20.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 22, 1972 | F1 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 7, 1971 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 11, 1970 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1966 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1965 | F2 | 3.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 6, 1964 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 11, 1963 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1962 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1962 | F4 | 7.2 | 9 | 0 |
| May 25, 1962 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1962 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 1959 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 22, 1957 | F2 | 14.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 22, 1957 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1951 | F3 | 10.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 28, 1950 | F3 | 20.8 | 1 | 1 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Washita County: 0.
- 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.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
1 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 10, 1900
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
49.9 miles at closest approach, winds near 45 mph.
Most recent
August 19, 2007
Erin, Remnant low
0.0 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
- 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.
Wildfire and smoke
4,549 acres burned in 2 large fires since 1984, equal to 0.7% of the land.
Largest
March 1, 2008
Unnamed Fire, 2,997 acres
3,000 acres inside Washita County.
Most recent
August 6, 2011
Colony Fire
1,544 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Colony | 2011 | 1,548 | 1,544 |
| Unnamed | 2008 | 3,000 | 2,997 |
- 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
Smokiest year
2021: 40 days
Heavy smoke on 12 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
16.0 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
4 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 19 so far in 2026.
- 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.
Floods and flood insurance
5 federal flood insurance claims since 1982, with $105,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 73632 | 5 | $105,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood15
- Flood2
- Heavy Rain2
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.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 141 of 1,581 months since 1895 (9%); the longest spell lasted 15 months.
141
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
45
Months in extreme drought
9%
Share of all months, severe or worse
125
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
July 2011
−6.42, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
15 months
July 1952 to September 1953.
Latest month
September 2026
−6.37, extreme drought
- 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.
Earthquakes
1 earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.2 in 1959.
1
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
61
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
1
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
June 17, 1959
Magnitude 4.2
3 km ENE of Central High, Oklahoma; 45.2 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
February 19, 2026
Magnitude 3.1
8 km ENE of Calumet, Oklahoma; 34.9 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Jun 17, 1959 | 4.2 | 45.2 |
- 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).
- 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.
Severe weather and other events
1,111 events in the National Weather Service record, 816 of them since 1996.
284
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
51
Hail, 2 inches or larger
230
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
52
Winter weather events since 1996
49
Heat events since 1996
11
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
July 31, 1977
4.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
April 2, 1980
92 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 3 | 0 |
| Dust storms and dust devils | 1 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 5 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Oct 9, 2001Tornado$100 million
National Weather Service narrative
C1. This tornado developed on the southwest side of Cordell, where a mobile home and metal warehouse were blown into a farmhouse. The tornado then moved through south, east and northeast portions of Cordell, including a business district and a large residential area. Most damage south of Main Street was rated F0 or F1. North of Main Street, the damage path widened to approximately 500 yards, with the tornado then inflicting widespread F1 to F2 damage up to 12th Street. Hundreds of homes were damaged in this area. As the tornado began to exit the northeast side of Cordell, F3 damage was sustained to several homes on 9th Street, just west of Crider Road. An F4 rating was considered;…
- Nov 27, 2015Ice Storm, Washita$616,000
National Weather Service narrative
Observed 0.75 inches of ice accumulation. Ice caused power outages for 3000 customers. Damage estimates are from local power cooperatives.
- Oct 9, 2001Tornado$600,000
National Weather Service narrative
D2. Washita County portion. Extensive tree damage was observed from the Kiowa/Washita County border, northeastward to near State Highway 115, where the tornado leveled (rated F2) the Oakdale Schoolhouse, an old structure built in the 1920s. Across the street from the schoolhouse, a diesel shop was leveled, along with a barn, garage, and an unanchored wood-floor home. Several vehicles and large pieces of farm equipment were also tossed and destroyed. About 4 miles north-northeast of Mountain View, 3 homes suffered major damage, with one rated F3. As the tornado continued northeastward, F3 damage was inflicted on a farm, where a house and several barns and outbuildings were leveled.…
- Apr 30, 2024Tornado$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Cordell Tornado developed about a mile south of Cordell along County Road E1200 just west of US Highway 183. A couple of metal buildings were damaged along E1200 Road along with trees and power lines. Debris from these buildings were found about 300 yards north. The tornado moved north and northeast into Cordell near US-183 and Caddo Street and moving across the southern and eastern portions of Cordell causing roof damage for dozens of homes and a few businesses. The tornado dissipated soon after moving through a neighborhood on the northeast edge of Cordell.
- May 7, 2019Tornado$120,000
National Weather Service narrative
This tornado developed as another tornado just a mile to the southeast was dissipating in northern Kiowa County. This second tornado moved north-northeast directly into the town of Rocky. Fortunately the tornado was relatively weak in Rocky and the damage in town was generally EF0 tree damage. The tornado turned more northeast after moving through Rocky and intensified to EF2 intensity. Northeast of town, a transmitter shelter building was damaged, a few mobile homes were significantly damaged, outbuildings damaged or destroyed, and a number of trees and power poles were damaged. Some debris from mobile homes and/or outbuildings were blown about 3/4 of a mile to the northeast. For…
- Dec 26, 2000Winter Storm, Washita$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
A major winter storm developed during the evening of the 25th across all of western, central, and southeast Oklahoma, with significant accumulations of snow and ice beginning shortly after 0000 CST on the 26th. Mainly snow fell across northwest Oklahoma with accumulations between 8 and 12 inches reported across northern Beckham, Roger Mills, and southern Ellis Counties. Snow amounts varied widely across the rest of northwest Oklahoma with 4 to 8 inches falling across portions of Dewey and Custer Counties, and only 1 to 2 inches across Woods and Alfalfa Counties, however even in areas where snow amounts were light, significant disruptions in travel and power outages were reported.A…
- May 26, 2004Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
A wind gust, possibly from a wet microburst, caused some damage in Bessie. Three empty grain cars of a train were toppled onto their side. There was also some minor roof damage and downed trees. The Bessie Fire Department also sustained some roof damage.
- Apr 24, 1999Hail$75,000
National Weather Service narrative
Severe thunderstorms accompanied by lots of large hail developed across portions of the west central and southwest Oklahoma during the late morning and early afternoon of the 24th. Wheat crop was reported to be damaged by golf ball-size hail 3 miles southwest of Dill City in Washita County.
- Jul 4, 2026Thunderstorm Wind$75,000
National Weather Service narrative
Images showing a large metal hay barn destroyed, with debris landing on nearby vehicles, were shared. The event time is estimated based on radar observations.
- Jun 5, 2025Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
A barn was destroyed, a roof was damaged and trees were blown down near the intersection of County Roads 2420 and 1110. The location is approximate, and the event time is estimated from radar observations.
- 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.
Weather records
From Clinton-sherman Airport, 9 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1958.
- All-time high
- 112°FJul 19, 2022
- All-time low
- −6°FFeb 15, 2021
- Warmest night
- 84°FJul 20, 2022
- Coldest day
- 7°F2 times, most recently Jan 24, 2026
- Wettest day
- 6.35 inMay 31, 1968
- Snowiest day
- 9.2 inFeb 4, 1964
- Hottest year
- 2012mean 63.6°F
- Coldest year
- 1968mean 57.5°F
- Wettest year
- 201538.81 in
- Driest year
- 20039.05 in
Station Clinton-sherman Airport (USW00003932), 1,918 ft elevation, 9.0 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1958 to October 26, 2026; 98.7% 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.
Federal disaster declarations
37 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, March 18, 2025.
| Mar 18, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4862-OK |
| Apr 30, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4776-OK |
| Feb 24, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4587-OK |
| Feb 17, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3555-OK |
| Dec 21, 2020 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4575-OK |
| Apr 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4530-OK |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3462-OK |
| Jun 1, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4438-OK |
| Jul 25, 2017 | Tornado | DR-4324-OK |
| May 26, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4315-OK |
| Feb 10, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4256-OK |
| Dec 29, 2015 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4247-OK |
| May 26, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4222-OK |
| Apr 8, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4109-OK |
| Feb 2, 2011 | Severe Storm | EM-3316-OK |
| Mar 5, 2010 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1883-OK |
| Feb 25, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1876-OK |
| Jan 30, 2010 | Severe Storm | EM-3308-OK |
| Jul 9, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1775-OK |
| Dec 10, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3280-OK |
| Aug 24, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1718-OK |
| Jul 7, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1712-OK |
| Feb 1, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1678-OK |
| Jan 14, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3272-OK |
| Jan 10, 2006 | Fire | DR-1623-OK |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3219-OK |
| Feb 4, 2003 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1452-OK |
| Feb 1, 2002 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1401-OK |
| Oct 25, 2001 | Severe Storm | DR-1395-OK |
| Jun 29, 2001 | Severe Storm | DR-1384-OK |
| Jan 5, 2001 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1355-OK |
| Sep 1, 1995 | Severe Storm | DR-1066-OK |
| Jun 26, 1995 | Tornado | DR-1058-OK |
| May 12, 1993 | Severe Storm | DR-991-OK |
| Oct 14, 1986 | Flood | DR-778-OK |
| Jun 18, 1982 | Flood | DR-662-OK |
| Jun 13, 1973 | Severe Storm | DR-392-OK |
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.
How this compares
Where Washita County stands among 77 counties in Oklahoma and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 57 | 46 / 77 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 7 | 19 / 77 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 1 | 31 / 77 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 4,549 | 62 / 77 |
| Flood insurance claims | 5 | 59 / 77 |
| Flood insurance paid | $105,000 | 55 / 77 |
| Disaster declarations | 37 | 15 / 77 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 19 | 67 / 77 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 531 | 28 / 77 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 52 | 30 / 77 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $103 million | 9 / 77 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 0 | — |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 141 | 45 / 77 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 16.0 | 53 / 77 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 1 | 59 / 77 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 1 | 50 / 77 |
Neighbouring counties
| Beckham County | 75 | 0 |
| Caddo County | 132 | 1 |
| Custer County | 74 | 0 |
| Kiowa County | 95 | 1 |
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- 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 USW00003932.
- 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.