2024 Comes In 2nd For Most Tornadoes In A Year

A very active November put this year one tornado away from tying the record of most tornadoes in one year for Oklahoma.

Since 1950, the record for tornadoes for one year in Oklahoma is 149. That record set in 2019. The second most is this year at 148, followed by 1999 at 145. Our most active tornado months are April & May but this year, our fall severe weather picked up in November to put us 4 tornadoes behind the leading spot.

33 November Tornadoes: New Statewide Record

The old record for tornadoes in the month of November was shattered this year. 33 reported tornadoes beat out the old record of 12 in 1958. Oklahoma typically has a shorter severe weather season in the fall with most of our fall tornadoes occurring in October. This year was a little different, with more storm systems swinging through in November.

56 April Tornadoes: New Statewide Record

We can’t forget April 2024, another record setting month for tornadoes. 2024 had 56 tornadoes which beat out the old record of 52 in 2012. We average 11.8 in April. An outbreak on April 27 had 34 tornadoes alone. Two EF-3’s and one EF-4 killed 4 people and injured 40 in that outbreak.

2 EF-4 Tornadoes: First Violent Tornado in 8 years

On April 27, an EF-4 tornado hit Marietta, Oklahoma. It was the first violent tornado in the state since May 9, 2016. It killed 1 person and injured 6 with winds estimated 165 to 170 mph. The second EF-4 hit Barnsdall, Oklahoma on May 6, killing 2 people. This was the first time since 2013 that Oklahoma has had two or more violent tornadoes in the same year.

What Comes Next

It’s important to know that severe weather can happen in Oklahoma anytime of the year. You should stay up-to-date on your severe weather safety plan. The safest places to be are safe rooms, storm shelters or basements. You want to be on the lowest level and most interior room with as many walls between you and the outside as possible. You can find more safety tips here.