 Primarily in the spring and early summer months , the city is subjected to severe thunderstorms containing large hail , damaging winds , and , occasionally , tornadoes , providing the area with a disproportionate share of its annual rainfall . Severe weather is not limited to this season , however . For instance , on December 5 , 1975 , and on December 24 , 1982 , Tulsa experienced tornadoes . Due to its potential for major flooding events , the city has developed one of the most extensive flood control systems in the nation . A comprehensive flood management plan was developed in 1984 following a severe flood caused by a stalled weather front that dropped 15 in ( 380 mm ) of rain overnight , killing 14 , injuring 288 , and destroying 7 @,@ 000 buildings totaling $ 180 million in damage . In the early 1990s and again in 2000 , the Federal Emergency Management Agency honored Tulsa as leading the nation in flood plain management . 
