Tulsa County's storm record, and what it does to a roof

The midtown tornado of August 6, 2017

The EF2 tornado of August 6, 2017 formed over a neighborhood east of South Harvard Avenue and south of East 36th Street, snapping large tree limbs and damaging homes. It moved east-southeast across South Yale Avenue, snapping trees and power poles, and damaged or destroyed numerous businesses between Yale and South Sheridan Road. NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 30 injuries and an estimated $50 million in damage.

Tornado damage is concentrated. Homes a few blocks off a path like that one can come through with loose shingles and scattered debris impacts, while homes on the path may need decking, framing or a full tear-off. That spread is why two neighbors after the same tornado often end up with very different roofing jobs.

The same county saw an earlier EF2 on March 30, 2016 along East 46th Street North, which damaged more than 300 homes and 13 churches and businesses and injured seven people in north Tulsa.

June 17, 2023: a countywide windstorm

The thunderstorm of June 17, 2023 is the costliest single event in Tulsa County's storm record since 2000. The database's estimate of at least $160 million includes about $57 million for debris removal and damage to utility infrastructure, and gusts were measured at 100 mph near East 31st Street and South Peoria Avenue. FEMA declared a major disaster for the storms of that period, DR-4721, on July 19, 2023.

Wind of that strength can lift, crease or tear off shingles across whole neighborhoods at once. Whether yours is a repair depends on how many slopes are affected and whether the shingles can still seal, so ask for photos of each slope before you agree to a scope.

Hail over Tulsa County

From 2016 through 2025, NOAA's database records 190 hail events of 1 inch or larger in Tulsa County, including 34 of at least 1.75 inches and 10 of at least 2 inches, spread over 45 separate days (NCEI).

• Hail larger than golf balls damaged homes, businesses and vehicles in Jenks on May 19, 2025.
• The county's largest stone since 2000, 4.25 inches, fell at Tulsa International Airport on March 25, 2015.
• On April 5, 2005, a supercell laid a swath of large hail several miles wide from Jenks across the city of Tulsa, with stones up to 3 inches and an estimated $65 million in damage.
• Baseball-size hail at 31st and Harvard on November 18, 2003 broke windows and damaged numerous roofs.

Creek County and Sapulpa

Creek County, which takes in Sapulpa, logged 45 hail events of 1 inch or larger over the same decade (NCEI). Hail up to hen-egg size damaged homes and vehicles in Sapulpa on May 21, 2024, and an EF1 tornado crossed Sapulpa roughly between East Taft and East Dewey avenues on May 25, 2019.

Reading a Tulsa roof claim

Replacement cost coverage carries a higher premium, and it pays in two steps. According to the Oklahoma Insurance Department's FAQ, the insurer first pays the actual cash value of the damaged property, then makes an additional payment for the difference once the property has been replaced. If your policy covers the roof at actual cash value, depreciation for age and condition comes off, which can make a repair the more practical choice on an older roof.

The department's after-the-disaster checklist says to insist on a written estimate before repairs begin, collect several estimates to compare bids, and get a detailed contract listing labor and material prices, cleanup and start and finish dates. The directory's explainer on the roof insurance claim process walks through the insurer's side.

Roofers in Tulsa and nearby towns

The National Roofing Directory lists roofers in Tulsa and roofers in Jenks.

Frequently asked questions

How often does Tulsa County get hail of 2 inches or more?

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 10 hail events of 2 inches or larger in Tulsa County from 2016 through 2025 (NCEI), against 190 events of 1 inch or larger.

Does an Oklahoma roofer have to give me a written contract?

Yes. The Roofing Contractor Registration Act requires registrants to use a valid written contract, and the contract must say that all workers on the job are covered by workers' compensation insurance.

Should I sign my insurance check over to the roofer?

The Oklahoma Insurance Department advises against it. Its after-the-disaster guidance says not to pay a contractor the full amount up front or sign over your insurance settlement payment.