Lawton, OK Tornado History — 138 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Lawton, OK had?
Lawton has had 138 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 8 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Lawton?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lawton was an EF0 on May 2, 2025.
When is tornado season in Lawton?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lawton, with 62 on record. April through June account for 101 of the 138 tornadoes on record near Lawton.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Lawton
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 37 total, averaging 1.9 per year over this window.
What storm spotters reported near Lawton
One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Lawton and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on May 1, 2025 and the most recent on May 1, 2025. It is already counted in the Lawton totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.
An EF0 tornado touched down near US-277/281 north of Cookietown. One home received roof damage. (OUN)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Tornadoes by Decade
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.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Lawton
11 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Lawton since 1950, across 4 events. 145 injuries have been reported across all events. 1979 was the deadliest year on record near Lawton.
The deadliest single event was an F4 on May 24, 1957, which caused 4 fatalities along a 21.6-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Lawton
What the record shows near Lawton
The 2010s were the busiest decade near Lawton, with 23 of the 138 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 13 so far. The Lawton record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Lawton, 107 reached EF0 or EF1 and 24 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Lawton is rated EF4, of which 3 are logged. A further 7 near Lawton are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Lawton has averaged 1.9 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 37 in total. 2017 was the busiest of them with 6, and 5 of those years passed with none at all.