Deadly December Tornadoes In Oklahoma Are Rare But Not Uncommon

It's been suggested that Oklahoma could shift to a more active weather pattern into the middle of December. That doesn't always guarantee that tornadoes are imminent but it also doesn't rule them out completely. It's not uncommon for Oklahoma to see tornadoes during the month of December, some of them have even been violent and deadly.

Since 1950, the National Weather Service in Norman has been keeping records of Oklahoma's tornadoes. As of Dec. 6, 2024, Oklahoma has had 38 tornadoes during the month of December since 1950. Of the 38 December tornadoes, two are unrated, 18 were an EF0 to EF1 and 18 were an EF2 to an EF3.

Three EF3 tornadoes that occurred in December may still be remembered by Oklahomans alive today. The first EF3 tornado to occur in Oklahoma since 1950 was on Dec. 5 1975 in the areas of Okmulgee, Muskogee and Wagoner. That same day also saw a second EF3 tornado near Tulsa and had a recorded 28 injuries.

One of the deadliest December tornadoes to ever strike Oklahoma was on New Year's Eve 2010. On Dec. 31, 2010, an EF3 tornado struck the area Adair, Oklahoma, after crossing the Oklahoma/Arkansas border. On that day, state meteorologists weren't expecting the storm to ramp up like it did. The tornado caused four reported deaths and 10 reported injuries.

Will Oklahoma have tornadoes in December this year?

It's too early to tell if Oklahoma will see tornadoes this December, but they can never be 100 percent ruled out any given month. Oklahoma recently had a historically active November with 31 confirmed tornadoes. Last month broke the state's record for the amount of tornadoes in November, which was set in 1958 at 12 tornadoes.

After November, the state's yearly tornado count is now up to 145 tornadoes, which is just shy of the state's record of 149 tornadoes set in 2019.

Whether or not Oklahoma will see tornadoes in December is still a wait and see situation. Some meteorologists don't see any tornadic activity on the horizon. News On 6 Chief Meteorologist Travis Meyer posted on his official Facebook page earlier this week and stated there doesn't appear to be any systems in Oklahoma's extended forecast that could cause tornadoes, and added that December tornadoes in Oklahoma average one every two years.

But KFOR Meteorologist Mike Morgan recently hinted at Oklahoma shifting to a more active weather pattern towards mid-December. Stating that a similar pattern of weather that Oklahoma experienced the first two weeks of November could be headed to Oklahoma within the next week.

One things Oklahomans can count on is that the weather is hardly ever predictable. So either way, Oklahomans will want to remain prepared for any type of weather, especially in the winter.