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Bartlesville, OK Tornado History — 140 Tornadoes Since 1950

Oklahoma · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Bartlesville, OK had?

Bartlesville has had 140 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 7 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Bartlesville?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Bartlesville was an EF1 on April 2, 2025.

When is tornado season in Bartlesville?

April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Bartlesville, with 45 on record. April through June account for 104 of the 140 tornadoes on record near Bartlesville.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
140
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
7
5.0% of total
Peak Month
April
45 on record
Per Year Avg
1.8
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Bartlesville

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 49 total, averaging 2.5 per year over this window.

2026 0+2 prelim
2025 1
2024 10
2023 0
2022 0
2021 4
2020 0
2019 4
2018 0
2017 2
2016 2
2015 0
2014 0
2013 8
2012 5
2011 8
2010 1
2009 0
2008 3
2007 1

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Bartlesville since December 29, 2025

These are 2 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary April 27, 2026
4 SW Bigheart, Osage County, OK
Tornado on the ground for approximately 4 minutes...crossed Highway 99 north of U.S. Highway 60. Location based on Radar data. (TSA)
Preliminary January 8, 2026
Wynona, Osage County, OK
Damage survey identified damage to several homes... a destroyed outbuilding... and snapped tree limbs on the southeast side of town. Time estimated from radar. (TSA)

Within 25 miles of Bartlesville. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 17
1960s 8
1970s 12
1980s 20
1990s 24
2000s 14
2010s 30
2020s 15

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 59
EF1 50
EF2 19
EF3 5
EF4 2
Unrated 5

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 4
Feb 1
Mar 18
Apr 45
May 42
Jun 17
Jul 1
Aug 2
Sep 1
Oct 4
Nov 5
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Bartlesville

18 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Bartlesville since 1950, across 4 events. 299 injuries have been reported across all events. 1974 was the deadliest year on record near Bartlesville.

The deadliest single event was an F4 on June 8, 1974, which caused 14 fatalities along a 29.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Bartlesville

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on June 8, 1974 — 14 fatalities, 29.0 mi path, 400 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F2 on March 15, 1982 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF4 on May 6, 2024 — 1,700 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on March 26, 1961 — 49.6 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on April 2, 2025.

What the record shows near Bartlesville

The 2010s were the busiest decade near Bartlesville, with 30 of the 140 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 15 so far. The Bartlesville record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Bartlesville, 109 reached EF0 or EF1 and 26 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Bartlesville is rated EF4, of which 2 are logged. A further 5 near Bartlesville are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Bartlesville has averaged 2.5 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 49 in total. 2024 was the busiest of them with 10, and 8 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Bartlesville, OK had?
Since 1950, 140 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Bartlesville. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Bartlesville?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Bartlesville was an F4 on June 8, 1974, which caused 14 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Bartlesville?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Bartlesville, with 45 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
Has Bartlesville been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Bartlesville, there have been 0 EF5 and 2 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Bartlesville?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Bartlesville was an EF1 on April 2, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Bartlesville?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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