Oklahoma city
Tornadoes in Oklahoma City
The OKC metro has the highest per-capita significant-tornado risk of any major city on Earth — two F5/EF5s have struck Moore alone since 1999. Here is Oklahoma City's tornado history and what residents should know.
The local risk
- Central Oklahoma sits at the climatological maximum for violent (EF4+) tornadoes.
- Moore, the southern suburb, was hit by the 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore F5 AND the 2013 EF5.
- The 2013 El Reno tornado — widest ever recorded at 2.6 miles — occurred 30 miles west.
- The metro has been struck by more than 150 documented tornadoes since 1890.
- Norman, home of the Storm Prediction Center and National Weather Center, is part of the metro.
Notable events
- May 3, 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore F5 — 36 dead, 301 mph measured winds (highest ever recorded).
- May 20, 2013 Moore EF5 — 24 dead including 7 children at Plaza Towers Elementary.
- May 31, 2013 El Reno EF3 — 2.6 miles wide, killed the TWISTEX research team.
- May 6, 2015 and multiple recent events — the metro is warned multiple times every season.
- 2023 Cole and 2024 events — activity continues in the surrounding counties.
How warnings reach you here
- The local NWS office issues tornado watches and warnings for the metro.
- Wireless Emergency Alerts push warnings to every phone in the polygon — no signup needed.
- Outdoor sirens cover most of the metro but are designed for people outdoors.
- NOAA Weather Radio with SAME county programming is the most reliable overnight alert.
- Local TV meteorologists provide wall-to-wall coverage during outbreaks.
Preparedness for this area
- Storm shelters are a way of life here — SoonerSafe offers a 75% rebate up to $2,000 for certified installs.
- New schools are required to include wind-safe rooms since HB 1990 (2014) — know if your child's school is retrofitted.
- Register your shelter with your county so first responders can find you post-storm.
- Local TV coverage (all four network affiliates) is among the best in the world during outbreaks — use it.
- The metro rule: never try to outrun a tornado on I-35 or I-40; shelter where you are.
Check your personal odds
Use our [tornado risk calculator](/tornado-risk-calculator/) to estimate your annual, 10-year, and lifetime odds of death, injury, or property damage — adjusted for your home type and shelter access.