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Fresh Snow and Temperature Outlook Ahead of Christmas Day

If you are looking for fresh snow by Christmas morning or are curious about potential travel disruptions, the best chances for at least 1" of new snowfall early this week exist across the mountainous West, Great Lakes, and Northeast. Otherwise, temperatures this last full week of December will average above normal for much of the lower 48 states. Read More >

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Tornado Track Map for Cherokee County, OK
 
Cherokee County, OK Tornadoes Prior to 1950
# Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
  05/02/1920 2035 3 800   60 80 Cherokee Peggs
  05/13/1933 1530 15 880   0 12 Cherokee Hulbert
  11/09/1935 1600 20 50   0 5 Wagoner/ Cherokee Porter - S of Wagoner - 4 N Hulbert (intermittent)
  04/12/1945 1700 4 220   4 8 Cherokee Near Hulbert
Cherokee County, OK Tornadoes (1950-Present*)
# Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
1 02/24/1956 2330 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Muskogee/ Cherokee near Fort Gibson - near 'Elm Grove'
2 05/05/1960 2040 5 10 F1 0 0 Cherokee Near Welling
3 11/15/1960 1420 1 50 F2 0 0 Cherokee 11 SE Tahlequah
4 05/10/1964 2215 2 440 F3 0 0 Cherokee 3 S Tahlequah
5 04/11/1966 2000 7 20 F2 0 0 Cherokee Near- 6 E Fort Gibson Dam
6 05/05/1971 1743 37 600 F3 0 0 Muskogee/ Wagoner/ Cherokee 4 W Haskell - Haskell - Okay - Sequoyah State Park - 7 W Tahlequah
7 04/13/1972 0100 41 50 F1 0 0 Cherokee 15 W Tahlequah - Tailholt
8 05/01/1973 1345 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Cherokee near Moodys
9 06/02/1973 1455 0.5 100 F1 0 0 Cherokee 2 W Hulbert
10 04/16/1982 1620 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Cherokee Near Cookson
11 03/15/1984 1603 0.3 50 F1 0 0 Cherokee Tahlequah
12 04/30/1985 1155 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Cherokee 3 W Tahlequah
13 10/08/1993 1836 0.1 30 F0 0 0 Cherokee 7 NE Tahlequah
14 04/17/1995 2232 0.2 50 F1 0 0 Cherokee 3 S Peggs
15 04/17/1995 2235-2245 7 200 F2 0 0 Cherokee Near Qualls- 8 S Tahlequah
16 10/26/1995 1816-1820 2 73 F0 0 0 Cherokee 8 SW- 6 SW Tahlequah
17 10/26/1995 1843 0.1 30 F0 0 0 Cherokee 5 S Tahlequah
18 04/22/1999 1840-1841 0.3 50 F0 0 0 Cherokee 5.5 N Hulbert
19 05/04/1999 0100-0101 3 100 F1 0 0 Cherokee 2.5 WNW - 3 N Hulbert
20 06/01/1999 1635-1643 2 350 F3 2 5 Cherokee 6.5 WNW - 6.5 WSW Hulbert
21 03/12/2006 2109-2142 29 440 F3 0 8 Cherokee/ Delaware 1 N Peggs - 4 NE Colcord
22 01/07/2008 2228-2230 1.8 500 EF0 0 0 Cherokee 2 NW - 2.5 N Moodys
23 06/06/2008 1447 0.1 75 EF0 0 0 Cherokee 4 S Hulbert
24 05/13/2010 0437-0441 4 200 EF1 0 0 Cherokee 1 E - 4.5 NE Hulbert
25 05/13/2010 0451-0455 4 200 EF1 0 0 Cherokee 2.5 E - 6.5 E Moodys
26 04/22/2011 1818-1819 1 200 EF1 0 0 Cherokee 2 SE - 2.5 ESE Moodys
27 05/22/2011 1827-1835 3 250 EF1 0 0 Cherokee 2 ESE - 5 E Peggs
28 05/22/2011 1850 0.1 50 EF0 0 0 Cherokee 3 W Scraper
29 08/10/2011 0232-0239 5 400 EF2 1 2 Mayes/ Cherokee/ Mayes 4.5 SSE - 5.5 ESE Locust Grove
30 04/15/2012 0822-0843 15 500 EF1 0 0 Cherokee/ Adair/ Cherokee/ Adair 9 SSE Tahlequah - 4 WSW Christie
31 07/09/2015 1608-1616 6 220 EF1 0 0 Cherokee 7 NE - 12.5 NE Tahlequah
32 04/26/2016 2246-2255 7 700 EF1 0 0 Cherokee 7.5 W Cookson - Lake Tenkiller - 1 NW Cookson
33 05/18/2017 2145-2159 17 650 EF1 0 0 Muskogee/ Wagoner/ Cherokee 5 W Fort Gibson - 5 NNW Hulbert
34 05/18/2017 2201-2207 6 800 EF1 0 0 Cherokee/ Mayes 6 SW - 2 NW Peggs
35 11/30/2018 2143-2246 47 1100 EF2 0 5 Sequoyah/ Cherokee/ Adair/ Delaware Blackgum - 2.7 SE Colcord
36 05/20/2019 2129-2156 21 2700 EF2 0 1 Cherokee/ Delaware 4 SW Peggs - 3.5 NW Kansas
37 10/20/2019 2239-2243 2.9 600 EF1 0 0 Cherokee 6.7 WNW - 4.1 NW Scraper
38 01/10/2020 1449-1457 5.8 250 EF1 0 0 Cherokee 3.1 WSW Keys - 1.7 SSE Park Hill
39 05/02/2022 2003 0.1 75 EF? 0 0 Cherokee 2.5 SW Tahlequah
 

Significant Tornadoes in Cherokee County

  Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
  05/02/1920 2035 3 800   60 80 Cherokee Peggs

This violent tornado began 2 miles southwest of Peggs, moved northeast, and cut a 3-mile-long, half-mile-wide swath of devastation that included the entire town of 250 people. Around 8:30 pm CST, a loud roar was heard by residents just before the tornado hit Peggs at 8:35 pm CST. The town was almost completely destroyed with only 7 buildings remaining partially intact. Only a small, wood house, used as the city jail and located next to a smashed concrete store, was still standing. A cement block schoolhouse that was located west of Peggs had only partly standing walls after the tornado hit it.

The tornado traveled at least as far as the Illinois River to the east of Peggs where a house was demolished. Wheat fields were scoured and trees were carried away by the storm, and scores of livestock were killed or injured. Eleven members of one family were killed by the tornado, and in one smashed house a total of 20 mud-covered bodies were recovered. A total of 71 persons were killed and another 100 were injured by the storm. Thus, nearly 30% of the town's population was killed and another 40% were injured.

  06/01/1999 1635-1643 2 350 F3 2 5 Cherokee 6.5 WNW - 6.5 WSW Hulbert

A strong tornado, rated an F3, touched down in far western Cherokee County, possibly as a waterspout on Fort Gibson Lake. The tornado moved south onshore and through the rural Amber Hills housing area, crossing OK Hwy 51, and lifting after tracking through much of the Sequoyah State Park.

In the Amber Hills and Hammer Hill Road areas, a total of 68 homes sustained some form of damage. Of that, 17 single-family dwellings and 13 mobile homes were destroyed. Eight single-family dwellings sustained major damage and 11 others had minor damage. One mobile home sustained minor damage. Fourteen other single-family dwellings and four other mobile homes were affected. In one of the destroyed mobile homes, an elderly man and woman were taking refuge inside. The woman was killed immediately, and the man was seriously injured, dying one week later in a hospital of tornado-related complications.

Across OK Highway 51 in Sequoyah State Park, between 400 and 500 trees were lost to the tornado. The carport at the park manager's residence was destroyed, and an RV was turned on its side. Fortunately, most Memorial Day campers had cleared out, therefore there were no injuries in the park.

  03/12/2006 2109-2142 29 440 F3 0 8 Cherokee/ Delaware 1 N Peggs - 4 NE Colcord

Thunderstorms developed ahead of a dry line late in the afternoon on March 12th. The atmosphere ahead of the dry line was highly unstable and had strong low level wind shear. The combination of the instability and wind shear promoted the development of supercell thunderstorms, which moved east-northeast across northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas during the evening. The southernmost supercell produced four tornadoes. The tornadoes were on the ground for a combined 65 miles.

This tornado touched down in northwestern Cherokee County and moved east-northeast producing up to F1 damage in the county as assessed by a survey team. In Cherokee County, several homes received minor damage, outbuildings were destroyed, power lines were downed, and numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.

The tornado continued into southern Delaware County. Damage suggested the tornado widened and strengthened as it moved through southern Delaware County reaching a maximum width of around 1/4 of a mile. The tornado damaged 95 homes, destroying 42 of those homes. Five businesses were also damaged. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted and about 100 power poles were downed, which resulted in more than 5000 people losing power as a result of the storm. The worst damage from this tornado was found from near Twin Oaks to about 4 miles west-southwest of Colcord. The tornado injured eight people in Delaware County.

  08/10/2011 0232-0239 5 400 EF2 1 2 Mayes/ Cherokee/ Mayes 4.5 SSE - 5.5 ESE Locust Grove

The tornado developed on the leading edge of a short convective line of thunderstorms that wasn't undercut by cold outflow. It moved northeast uprooting and snapping a number of large trees within this segment in Mayes County and then moved into the extreme northwestern corner of Cherokee County producing similar damage. The tornado then continued northeastward back into Mayes County.

As the tornado crossed back into Mayes County, it destroyed a double wide mobile home and damaged a single wide mobile home just north of the E590 Road. A woman was killed in the double wide mobile home and two people were injured in the other mobile home. Trees were uprooted and snapped and debris from the double wide mobile home was transported several hundred yards downstream. The tornado damaged another mobile home south of the E580 Road where it destroyed a greenhouse. Numerous trees were uprooted and snapped along the path until the tornado dissipated just south of the E570 Road.

August is one of the least active months for tornadoes in this part of the country so the intensity of this tornado was even more unusual. In fact, this is only the 4th strong tornado (EF-2 or EF-3) that has been confirmed in eastern Oklahoma since 1950.

  11/30/2018 2143-2246 47 1100 EF2 0 5 Sequoyah/ Cherokee/ Adair/ Delaware Blackgum - 2.7 SE Colcord

Thunderstorms developed during the evening hours of the November 30, 2018 across central and eastern Oklahoma. Moderately strong atmospheric instability across the area combined with very strong wind shear to produce organized severe thunderstorms, including supercells. Supercell thunderstorms produced several tornadoes and damaging thunderstorm wind gusts across eastern Oklahoma. One of the tornadoes was strong and exceptionally long-tracked, affecting Sequoyah, Cherokee, Adair, and Delaware Counties. A squall line moved rapidly across the area ahead of the surging cold front and produced additional tornadoes and damaging wind gusts.

This long-track tornado developed near Blackgum in Sequoyah where homes were damaged, barns and outbuildings were destroyed, and trees were snapped. The tornado moved north-northeast, snapping and uprooting numerous trees as it approached an inlet of Lake Tenkiller. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 100 to 110 mph.

The tornado moved into Cherokee County near an inlet of Lake Tenkiller, where boat docks, lake homes, boats, and outbuildings were destroyed, and trees and power poles were snapped. The tornado moved north-northeast along the eastern shores of Lake Tenkiller, passing through Cookson and Cherokee Landing State Park. Numerous homes were damaged or destroyed, numerous boat docks were destroyed, many boats were destroyed, outbuildings were destroyed, many trees and power poles were snapped, and hangars at the airport west of Cookson were destroyed. From Lake Tenkiller, the tornado continued to move north-northeast across less populated areas of southeastern Cherokee County where a few homes were damaged, outbuildings were destroyed, and trees were snapped or uprooted. The tornado moved into Adair County to the east-northeast of Welling. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 115 to 125 mph.

The tornado moved into Adair County southwest of Wauhillau and moved north-northeast across OK State Highway 51 and the E768 Road. A couple homes were damaged, outbuildings were damaged, and trees were uprooted. The tornado moved back into Cherokee County northwest of Wauhillau. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 90 to 100 mph.

In Cherokee County, the tornado uprooted trees, and then moved back into Adair County south-southwest of Proctor. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 90 to 100 mph.

This long-track tornado moved back into Adair County south-southwest of Proctor and moved north-northeast snapping and uprooting trees on the 754 Road. The tornado crossed U.S. Highway 62 near Proctor where homes were severely damaged, large outbuildings were destroyed, farm equipment was thrown large distances, and many trees were snapped and uprooted. It snapped and uprooted numerous trees and destroyed barns between U.S. Highway 62 and Chewey Road. Some of the tree damage in this heavily-wooded, rural area was extensive. The tornado continued to move north-northeast across heavily wooded terrain and then crossed River Road where numerous trees were uprooted, and finally into Delaware County near Dripping Springs. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 110 to 120 mph.

The tornado moved into Delaware County southwest of Dripping Springs and Natural Falls State Park, where trees were uprooted. The tornado tracked north-northeast damaging a few homes, destroying a couple outbuildings, and snapping and uprooting trees as it crossed OK State Highway 412. It dissipated southeast of Colcord. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 95 to 105 mph.

  05/20/2019 2129-2156 21 2700 EF2 0 1 Cherokee/ Delaware 4 SW Peggs - 3.5 NW Kansas

A strong, upper-level storm system moved into the Southern Plains from the Rockies on May 20th and 21st. The attendant warm front moved from northern Texas northward into northeastern Oklahoma during the day on May 20th, and then the cold front associated with this storm system moved through eastern Oklahoma during the late evening of May 20th and early morning hours of May 21st. Warm, moist, and very unstable air resided across eastern Oklahoma ahead of this system. This pattern resulted in multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms across eastern Oklahoma from the early afternoon of May 20th through late morning of May 21st. Very strong wind shear coexisting with the strong instability resulted in some supercell thunderstorms that produced large hail up to golfball size and multiple tornadoes on May 20th. A squall line developed along the cold front that moved into the area during the morning of May 21st, and that line of storms produced multiple tornadoes along the leading edge. Locally heavy rainfall and subsequent flash flooding occurred across northeastern Oklahoma as multiple rounds of thunderstorms affected generally the same area.

This large tornado developed southwest of the intersection of the N 420 Road and the W 660 Road. It moved northeast snapping and uprooting trees, and destroying outbuildings when it crossed those roads. Significant tree damage occurred as the tornado crossed the W 650 Road and approached OK State Highway 82, where homes and businesses were severely damaged and numerous trees were snapped in Peggs. After moving through Peggs, the tornado continued to move northeast across mainly rural, rugged terrain where significant tree damage was noted for several miles. It crossed the N 495 Road snapping trees, damaging homes, and destroying outbuildings, and then moved into Delaware County. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 110 to 120 mph.

The tornado moved into the far southwestern portion of Delaware County and moved northeast toward Leach. It damaged homes, destroyed outbuildings, and snapped or uprooted many trees. The tornado crossed the Cherokee Turnpike west of Twin Oaks and dissipated. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 110 to 120 mph.

 

Records taken from the Storm Prediction Center archive data, "Storm Data", and data from the National Weather Service office in Norman. Data modified as described in NOAA Tech Memo NWS SR-209 (Speheger, D., 2001: "Corrections to the Historic Tornado Database").

Historic data, especially before 1950, are likely incomplete.