Marine High Wind
NOAA Storm Events type · 1,016 records since 1996 · marine zones
The National Weather Service defines marine high wind as: "Non-convective, sustained winds or frequent gusts of 48 knots (55 mph) or more, resulting in a fatality, injury, or damage, over the waters and bays of the ocean, Great Lakes, and other lakes with assigned specific Marine Forecast Zones." NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,016 marine high wind records from 1996 through June 30, 2026, with 8 deaths recorded.
How the National Weather Service files marine high wind
Non-convective, sustained winds or frequent gusts of 48 knots (55 mph) or more, resulting in a fatality, injury, or damage, over the waters and bays of the ocean, Great Lakes, and other lakes with assigned specific Marine Forecast Zones. These conditions would correspond to a “storm” situation (48 to 63 knots/55 to 73 mph), or a “hurricane-force” wind situation (64 knots or higher/74 mph or higher).
National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605, Storm Data Preparation (July 26, 2021), Appendix A, entry 33
Source: National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605. Read the instruction (PDF).
Marine High Wind, 1996 to 2026
Records per year (2026 to June 30, 2026).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $10 million
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- $10 billion or more, or 1,000 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 1,0161996 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths
- 87 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $20Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026. Search the record at NCEI.
When do marine high wind records happen?
The busiest month is October.
The values, month by month
Jan 124 · Feb 126 · Mar 79 · Apr 80 · May 24 · Jun 20 · Jul 7 · Aug 23 · Sep 56 · Oct 168 · Nov 149 · Dec 160 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.