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Powerful Storms to Impact the Western U.S. and Northern Plains

A strong, long-duration atmospheric river will bring excessive rainfall, flash flooding, and very strong winds to southwest Oregon and northwest California through Thursday. A High Risk (level 4 of 4) of Excessive Rainfall has been issued. A storm system over the northern Plains will produce locally heavy snow in North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Read More >

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Tornado Track Map for Comanche County, OK
 
Comanche, OK Tornadoes Prior to 1950
# Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
  04/29/1887 2000       0 0 Comanche Fort Sill
  06/03/1904 l af       1 1 Cotton/ Comanche Near Walters and Geronimo (was just Comanche County... but part of area is now in Cotton County)
  04/08/1922 0715   n   3 18 Comanche W side Lawton
  05/22/1923 1600   150   0 0 Comanche S of Elgin
  05/03/1930 1530 2 n   0 0 Comanche 1.5 SW Fletcher
  03/31/1933 1700 3 440   0 0 Comanche Fletcher
  06/05/1936 1800 5 1760   0 0 Comanche 4 S Cache ("Painter Township")
  04/19/1941 0110 5 880   0 1 Comanche Cache
  06/20/1948 1730 20     0 0 Tillman/ Comanche 8 SW Chattanooga - near Lawton
  04/30/1949 1500 30 250   0 4 Comanche/ Grady NE part of Lawton - southern Grady county
Comanche County, OK Tornadoes (1950-Present*)
# Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
1 05/18/1951 1730 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Comanche near Porter Hill and Elgin
2 05/18/1951 1730 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Comanche near Porter Hill and Elgin
3 05/18/1951 1730 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Comanche near Porter Hill and Elgin
4 05/23/1952 0445 0.3 150 F2 0 1 Comanche Lawton
5 05/23/1952 0500 0.1 200 F2 0 0 Comanche Fort Sill
6 03/29/1953 1925 1 100 F1 0 0 Comanche Lawton Municipal Airport
7 04/29/1954 2145 0.1 20 F1 0 0 Comanche/ Stephens near Lawton - near Marlow
8 05/22/1957 0600 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Comanche near Chattanooga
9 05/24/1957 1730 22 880 F4 4 5 Cotton/ Comanche Near Ahpeatone - Just S of Lawton
10 05/24/1957 2000 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Comanche in Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge
11 04/02/1958 1755 15 880 F1 0 1 Comanche/ Caddo Near Elgin - E of Cement
12 05/19/1959 1900 23 880 F1 0 0 Kiowa/ Comanche E Kiowa County - NW Comanche County (11 E Mountain Park)
13 05/04/1960 1830 0.1 10 F1 0 3 Comanche 1.5 SW Richards Spur
14 05/04/1960 1845 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Comanche NE of Letitia
15 06/07/1961 0520 0.1 10 F? 0 0 Comanche 8 NW Lawton
16 05/20/1962 2010 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Comanche 10 SW Lawton
17 05/24/1962 1815 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Comanche ~10 SW of Lawton
18 04/23/1964 1650 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Comanche 4 E Lawton
19 08/06/1965 1700 0.7 10 F2 0 0 Comanche 2 N Letitia
20 05/02/1968 1930 0.1 17 F1 0 0 Comanche Lawton (2700 block Fort Sill Blvd)
21 05/29/1968 2125 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Comanche 7 SW Lawton - Just SE of Lawton
22 06/15/1968 1720 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Comanche Lawton (near front gate of Fort Sill)
23 02/18/1971 1240 0.2 100 F1 0 1 Comanche NE shore of Lake Ellsworth
24 03/13/1973 1227 0.1 10 F2 0 5 Comanche Near Geronimo
25 05/24/1973 1600 0.4 33 F0 0 0 Comanche Near Lawton
26 06/02/1973 0015 n/a 100 F2 0 2 Comanche Near Geronimo
27 04/05/1978 1955 12 150 F2 0 0 Comanche/ Stephens 6 SW- ~4 ENE Pumpkin Center
28 09/05/1978 1700 0.5 20 F0 0 0 Comanche Fort Sill
29 04/10/1979 1555 74 10 F2 1 3 Wilbarger TX/ Wichita TX/ Tillman OK/ Cotton OK/ Comanche OK/ Stephens OK Harrold TX- 9 NNE Electra TX- Grandfield OK- Pumpkin Center OK- W of Marlow OK [One Fatality and 0 injuries in Texas. Zero fatalities and 3 injuries in Oklahoma. ]
30 04/10/1979 1635 7 100 F1 0 0 Comanche 2 SW-5 NE Faxon
31 04/10/1979 1705 5 170 F3 3 100 Comanche Lawton (.5 N Airport - ~2 E Lawton)
32 06/08/1979 1400 0.3 17 F1 0 0 Comanche Near Indiahoma
33 09/08/1980 1455 3 50 F1 0 0 Comanche 6 E- 7 ENE Fort Sill Base Tower
34 05/05/1982 1610 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Comanche 2 SE Faxon
35 05/16/1982 2055 4 50 F0 0 0 Comanche 2 W Lawton - W range of Fort Sill
36 05/20/1982 1933 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Comanche just S of Fort Sill
37 05/20/1982 1937 0.5 50 F1 0 0 Comanche Fort Sill
38 05/13/1983 2225 0.1 50 F0 0 0 Comanche Lawton (near Wolf Creek)
39 06/13/1983 1940 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Comanche near Chattanooga
40 10/19/1983 1803 3 50 F2 0 0 Comanche 2 NW Elgin
41 02/14/1987 1800 4 200 F2 0 1 Comanche Medicine Park- Lake Lawtonka
42 04/02/1991 1712 0.3 50 F0 0 0 Comanche 1 NNE Pumpkin Center
43 06/23/1992 1300 0.1 20 F0 0 0 Comanche Medicine Park
44 04/16/1995 1600 0.2 33 F1 0 0 Comanche 3 E Faxon
45 07/23/1995 2010 0.4 30 F0 0 0 Cotton/ Comanche 10 NNW Cookietown
46 05/25/1997 1627 0.2 23 F0 0 0 Caddo/ Comanche 4 SW Cyril/1 N Fletcher
47 10/04/1998 1714 0.3 50 F0 0 0 Comanche 5 N Medicine Park
48 05/03/1999 1551-1552 0.5 n/a F0 0 0 Comanche 7 ENE Medicine Park
49 05/03/1999 1555 0.1 n/a F0 0 0 Comanche 3 W Elgin
50 03/17/2003 1803 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Comanche near Pumpkin Center
51 06/04/2005 1707-1713 4 150 F0 0 0 Comanche 3 SW - 1 ESE Pumpkin Center
52 09/30/2005 2015-2023 4 250 F1 0 0 Comanche 6 NW Cache - 4.8 SW Meers
53 05/08/2007 1915 0.2 30 EF0 0 0 Comanche 3 W Lake Ellsworth
54 11/07/2011 1552-1618 13 500 EF0 0 0 Kiowa/ Comanche/ Kiowa 6 ENE Mountain Park - 1 ENE Saddle Mountain
55 04/17/2013 1750-1756 3 100 EF0 0 0 Comanche 5 SW Cache - 7 W Lawton
56 05/07/2014 1806-1809 1.5 400 EF0 0 0 Comanche 2.5 NNE - 4 NNE Wichita Mountains NWR Headquarters (Moko Mountain)
57 05/27/2014 1300 0.1 50 EF0 0 0 Comanche 6 NE Faxon
58 05/16/2015 1814-1824 7 400 EF1 0 0 Comanche 6 SW - 1.5 N Meers
59 05/16/2015 1858-1908 6 50 EF0 0 0 Comanche 4 SW - 4 ESE Geronimo
60 04/29/2016 1429-1438 4 700 EF1 0 0 Comanche 2 WNW Elgin - 1 WSW Fletcher
61 10/21/2017 1705 0.2 30 EF? 0 0 Comanche 2 E Indiahoma
62 05/18/2019 0637-0638 0.5 60 EF2 0 1 Comanche 2.5 E - 3 E Geronimo
63 04/21/2020 2228-2230 0.3 100 EF1 0 0 Comanche/ Grady 7 SSW Acme
64 10/12/2021 1926-1944 8 900 EF1 0 0 Kiowa/ Comanche 6 ESE Snyder - 9 NNW Indiahoma
65 10/12/2021 2000-2007 2.6 50 EF? 0 0 Comanche 6 W - 5 WNW Meers
66 06/15/2023 1558-1602 4 50 EF0 0 0 Comanche 3 NE - 5 E Faxon
 

Significant Tornadoes in Comanche County

  Date Time
(CST)
Length
of Path
(miles)
Width
of Path
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Location
  05/23/1952 0445 0.3 150 F2 0 1 Comanche Lawton

A tornado touched down briefly in the business section of Lawton and moved eastward for 3 blocks. Several buildings were damaged and 1 person was injured. Damages were estimated at $500,000.

  05/24/1957 1730 22 880 F4 4 5 Cotton/ Comanche Near Ahpeatone - Just S of Lawton

This violent tornado originated east of the town of Ahpeatone in northwestern Cotton County and moved northeast to 7 mile southeast of Lawton in Comanche County before it lifted. The tornado had a multi-vortex phase as observers reported seeing 3 funnels at one time on the ground. Unfortunately, 2 couples were killed when their 2 homes were leveled. One person was seriously injured when his house was destroyed. Four other persons received minor injuries from flying debris. At least 12 homes and many farmsteads were also destroyed along the damage path, and F4 damage occurred 6 miles south of Lawton. A total of 5 cars were also destroyed, and fences were rolled into 50-foot in diameter balls.  Up to 70 head of cattle and a number of chickens were killed.

  04/02/1958 1755 15 880 F1 0 1 Comanche/ Caddo Near Elgin - E of Cement

Extensive damage resulted from a tornado which hit in the Elgin area in Comanche County at about 6:00 pm CST. Roofs and porches on some houses as well as a church, the high school gymnasium, and utility poles received damage from the storm. One injury was reported. The tornado moved northeastward and crosses into Caddo County where it hit a pear orchard and farm just east of Cement. Many trees were uprooted in the orchard.

  05/04/1960 1830 0.1 10 F1 0 3 Comanche 1.5 SW Richards Spur

A tornado touched down briefly at 6:30 pm CST 1.5 miles southwest of Richards Spur in Comanche County. A barn was unroofed at this location and two mobile homes were destroyed just south of Richards Spur as the tornado moved northeastward. A mother a 2 children were injured in one of the mobile homes. A woman in the other mobile home was only slightly bruised.

  02/18/1971 1240 0.2 100 F1 0 1 Comanche NE shore of Lake Ellsworth

A small, brief tornado struck Fisherman's Cove on the northeastern shore of Lake Ellsworth near Lawton. Five mobile homes, 2 pickup trucks, and a concession stand were demolished. One woman was injured.

  03/13/1973 1227 0.1 10 F2 0 5 Comanche Near Geronimo

A tornado touched down briefly near Geronimo and destroyed 2 mobile homes. Four people were injured in one mobile home and one person was injured in the other mobile home. Roof damage occurred to other homes in the area.

  06/02/1973 0015 n/a 100 F2 0 2 Comanche Near Geronimo

A tornado in injured 2 people after it destroyed a mobile home in Geronimo. The tornado caused $100,000 in damages as it moved eastward at 30-35 mph through Geronimo. Two other mobile homes were destroyed and several others were damaged. A church, the high school building, grain elevator, and grain storage tanks were also damaged.

  04/10/1979 1555 74 10 F2 1 3 Wilbarger TX/ Wichita TX/ Tillman OK/ Cotton OK/ Comanche OK/ Stephens OK Harrold TX- 9 NNE Electra TX- Grandfield OK- Pumpkin Center OK- W of Marlow OK [One Fatality and 0 injuries in Texas. Zero fatalities and 3 injuries in Oklahoma. ]

The tornado first touched down in the vicinity of Harrold, Texas at about 3:55 pm CST. One person was killed as the tornado crossed U.S. Highway 287 near Harrold. The tornado moved northeast and crossed the Red River at about 4:10 pm CST. It then began to intensify and reached maximum strength at the Grandfield Airport at about 4:30 pm CST and then crossed OK State Highway 5 west of Walters. It continued northeast and crossed U.S. Highway 281/177 about 11 miles south of the Lawton Airport. The tornado passed through the Pumpkin Center area around 5:30 pm CST and moved across OK State Highway 7, where it damaged homes on both sides of the highway.

This was a very wide tornado, and 55 miles of its of 64-mile path were traversed in Oklahoma. Large hail was reported with the storm. In the Grandfield area, it damaged or destroyed 8 homes and 4 mobile homes. The Grandfield Airport was demolished, with 8 planes being destroyed and 1 damaged. Near Grandfield, 1 man was seriously injured when he tried to outrun the tornado but was overtaken. Two additional injuries were reported in the area.

Northwest of Walters, 4 houses and 1 mobile home were destroyed and 4 other homes were damaged. A grain elevator was demolished on OK State Highway 5, and another was destroyed near Hulen. In the Pumpkin Center area, 5 homes and 8 mobile homes were destroyed. Some of these homes had been hit by a tornado on April 5, 1978.

  04/10/1979 1705 5 170 F3 3 100 Comanche Lawton (.5 N Airport - ~2 E Lawton)

This tornado touched down about a half mile north of the terminal building of the Lawton Airport. The path extended northeast to Lee Boulevard and 2nd Street where the tornado made a gentle right turn. It moved east and crossed Cache Creek north of Highway 7. From there it made a series of rather complicated left and right turns before dissipating.

Witnesses reported heavy rain and hail before the tornado hit, and a loud roar was heard by many people. One man was killed when a garage wall collapsed on him. An elderly woman died when her home was destroyed. A young child was killed when the car she was riding in was blown off the road.

A total of 449 structures received damage and 116 were destroyed. Ninety-two structures received major damage and 241 incurred minor damage. The damage total included 9 destroyed mobile homes and 3 with minor damage.

  02/14/1987 1800 4 200 F2 0 1 Comanche Medicine Park- Lake Lawtonka

Severe thunderstorms produced hail, ranging from 0.75 to 1.75 inches, and strong winds across portions of southern and central Oklahoma. A tornado touched down in Medicine Park at 6:00 pm CST and moved northeastward for about 4 miles, before lifting at 6:10 pm CST. One church and 39 houses were damaged while 8 houses were destroyed in Medicine Park. The tornado moved into a recreational area at Lake Lawtonka, destroying 8 boathouses, 46 wet stalls, 1 dry dock, and 6 mobile homes. One woman was injured in a mobile home. Damage amounts were estimated at $1 million.

  05/18/2019 0637-0638 0.5 60 EF2 0 1 Comanche 2.5 E - 3 E Geronimo

A QLCS tornado destroyed two homes about three miles east of Geronimo. One home had most exterior walls collapsed while another house just across the street to the north had its roof removed and many of the exterior walls collapsed. A few power poles were snapped and a tree was uprooted.

 

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.