Look Back At Oklahoma’s Destructive Floods In History

April 1934 Hammon Flood

Ironically, this event happened during one of the worst droughts in U.S. History, the Dust Bowl Era. Unfortunately, due to severe flash flooding in the Washita River, 17 people lost their lives. Between April 3 and 4, there was an estimate of 6 to 14 inches of rainfall. According to the National Weather Service, "this band of heavy rain covered the eastern two thirds of Roger Mills, northwestern Custer, southeastern Ellis, and southwestern Dewey Counties. The most extreme rain was centered over Cheyenne, OK, where the U.S. Weather Bureau cooperative observer measured 14 inches, estimated to have come entirely between 6 pm and midnight."

May 1943 Flood

Imagine seeing an average of nearly 15 inches of rain - May of 1943 in Oklahoma was one of the wettest in history, seeing exactly that much rain and more. According to the National Weather Service, "rains resulted in the most severe floods in the history of Oklahoma in the counties along the Arkansas River and in the smaller streams of eastern Oklahoma. Damage estimates were not available, but were heavy."

May 1957 Floods

During the 1957 storms, things were more unusual than most other storm seasons, with the recurrence of flood-producing precipitation over a 2-week period. Heavy to severe thunderstorms and rainfall occurred over southern Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas between May 16 through May 21, 1957.

This storm season produced $20 million worth of agricultural damage and caused the first emergency spillover to be opened for Lake Texoma since it's completion in 1943.

Tulsa Flash Flood May 1984

The Tulsa Memorial Day Flood between May 26 and 27, 1984, was one of the worst in the cities history, happening because of a 6-15 inch deluge from a stalled cold front. Within just 8 hours, Mingo creek and the Tulsa metropolitan area flooded and proceeded to collapse.

There were 14 total fatalities, 6 of which were auto-related. Damages totaling to $108 million at that time pressed President Ronald Reagan to issue a major-disaster declaration for this event.

September and October 1986

Throughout these months, seeing 6-10 inches of rainfall were common, with 15-20 inches falling across the north central and northeast part of Oklahoma. During this time, Hardy, Oklahoma recorded their maximum amount of 21.79 inches. This heavy rainfall over previously saturated land caused tremendous runoff, which in turn caused major rivers and all streams and creeks to flood.

The Arkansas, Caney, Canadian, South Canadian, Cimarron, Washita, Salt Fork, Neosho, Verdigris Rivers, and the North Fork of the Red River set or nearly set record high crests. This event set new record high flood levels at 7 stream gaging sites.

Between September 29 and October 7, 1986, about 30,000 people had to be evacuated from about 25 towns in Oklahoma. After all was said and done, two people unfortunately passed away, 509 residences were destroyed, and 3,957 homes were damaged.