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Severe thunderstorm wind in the United States, by state

The national record since 1955 · Thunderstorm Wind

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 575,569 severe thunderstorm wind events in the United States from 1955 through June 30, 2026, about 15,642 a year since 2000. Texas records the most (36,939), Maryland the most per square mile. The deadliest storm in NOAA's record since 1955 is the July 19, 2018 thunderstorm wind in Missouri: 17 deaths.

What is a thunderstorm wind? How the National Weather Service files it

Winds, arising from convection (occurring within 30 minutes of lightning being observed or detected), with speeds of at least 50 knots (58 mph), or winds of any speed (non-severe thunderstorm winds below 50 knots) producing a fatality, injury, or damage. Maximum sustained winds or wind gusts (measured or estimated) equal to or greater than 50 knots (58 mph) will always be entered.
National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605, Storm Data Preparation (July 26, 2021), Appendix A, entry 46

Source: National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605. Read the instruction (PDF).

What is a derecho?

"A derecho (pronounced similar to "deh-REY-cho" in English [...]) is a widespread, severe windstorm that originates from a mid-latitude MCS that is driven by a cold pool and other possible internal forcing mechanisms." "By definition, if the swath of wind damage extends at least 250 miles (about 400 kilometers) long, includes wind gusts of at least 58 mph (93 km/h) along its length, with several, well-separated 75 mph (121 km/h) or greater gusts, and originates from an MCS that moves faster than the mean wind speed (thus being primarily cold pool driven), the event may be classified as a derecho."
NOAA Storm Prediction Center, Facts About Derechos

(An MCS is a mesoscale convective system, an organized cluster of thunderstorms.) In plainer words, from the same SPC page: "Although a derecho can produce destruction similar to that of a tornado, the damage typically occurs in one direction along a relatively straight path."

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no derecho type. The National Weather Service files convective winds of 50 knots (58 mph) or more as Thunderstorm Wind, so a derecho appears in the record as a line of Thunderstorm Wind entries along its path, county by county.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center; National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605. Facts About Derechos (SPC).

Severe thunderstorm wind, 1955 to 2026

Records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 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
  • 1996: all 48 event types recorded from 1996
Records
575,5691955 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
15,642average
Deaths
1,292recorded
Damage, 2025 dollars
$25.7BStorm Events, as filed

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.

Which states have the most severe thunderstorm wind events?

By count Texas (36,939), Kansas (26,021), Georgia (24,657) lead. Per 10,000 square miles Maryland (8719), New Jersey (8233), Massachusetts (5865) lead; large states collect more records by covering more ground.

By count since 1955

  1. Texas 36,939
  2. Kansas 26,021
  3. Georgia 24,657
  4. Pennsylvania 23,711
  5. Oklahoma 22,248
  6. Illinois 22,068
  7. Ohio 21,955
  8. Virginia 20,677
  9. Alabama 20,476
  10. North Carolina 20,476
  11. Missouri 20,293
  12. Tennessee 20,119
  13. New York 19,988
  14. Kentucky 19,621
  15. Mississippi 18,161

Per 10,000 square miles

  1. Maryland 8719
  2. New Jersey 8233
  3. Massachusetts 5865
  4. Delaware 5691
  5. South Carolina 5494
  6. Ohio 5373
  7. Pennsylvania 5299
  8. Virginia 5237
  9. Connecticut 5070
  10. Kentucky 4969
  11. Tennessee 4880
  12. Indiana 4681
  13. Georgia 4272
  14. New York 4242
  15. North Carolina 4211

Source: Land area: Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles are not ranked per square mile.

Alabama: 4,043 per 10,000 sq miAlaska: 0.3 per 10,000 sq miArizona: 361 per 10,000 sq miArkansas: 3,181 per 10,000 sq miCalifornia: 86 per 10,000 sq miColorado: 449 per 10,000 sq miConnecticut: 5,070 per 10,000 sq miDelaware: 5,691 per 10,000 sq miFlorida: 2,825 per 10,000 sq miGeorgia: 4,272 per 10,000 sq miHawaii: 61 per 10,000 sq miIdaho: 323 per 10,000 sq miIllinois: 3,975 per 10,000 sq miIndiana: 4,681 per 10,000 sq miIowa: 3,220 per 10,000 sq miKansas: 3,183 per 10,000 sq miKentucky: 4,969 per 10,000 sq miLouisiana: 2,929 per 10,000 sq miMaine: 980 per 10,000 sq miMaryland: 8,719 per 10,000 sq miMassachusetts: 5,865 per 10,000 sq miMichigan: 2,327 per 10,000 sq miMinnesota: 1,720 per 10,000 sq miMississippi: 3,870 per 10,000 sq miMissouri: 2,952 per 10,000 sq miMontana: 456 per 10,000 sq miNebraska: 1,773 per 10,000 sq miNevada: 97 per 10,000 sq miNew Hampshire: 2,645 per 10,000 sq miNew Jersey: 8,233 per 10,000 sq miNew Mexico: 198 per 10,000 sq miNew York: 4,242 per 10,000 sq miNorth Carolina: 4,211 per 10,000 sq miNorth Dakota: 998 per 10,000 sq miOhio: 5,373 per 10,000 sq miOklahoma: 3,243 per 10,000 sq miOregon: 62 per 10,000 sq miPennsylvania: 5,299 per 10,000 sq miRhode Island: 3,347 per 10,000 sq miSouth Carolina: 5,494 per 10,000 sq miSouth Dakota: 1,683 per 10,000 sq miTennessee: 4,880 per 10,000 sq miTexas: 1,414 per 10,000 sq miUtah: 301 per 10,000 sq miVermont: 2,541 per 10,000 sq miVirginia: 5,237 per 10,000 sq miWashington: 94 per 10,000 sq miWest Virginia: 3,516 per 10,000 sq miWisconsin: 2,401 per 10,000 sq miWyoming: 293 per 10,000 sq mi
  • 0.3-361
  • 361-2,327
  • 2,327-3,243
  • 3,243-4,880
  • 4,880+
Severe thunderstorm wind per 10,000 square miles by state since 1955. Each class holds about a fifth of the states; Alaska and Hawaii are drawn as insets, not to scale.

Every state

When is the severe thunderstorm season?

Nationally, 45% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The busiest month is June.

The values, month by month

Jan 9,441 · Feb 12,123 · Mar 25,867 · Apr 48,733 · May 83,449 · Jun 134,988 · Jul 124,797 · Aug 78,034 · Sep 25,440 · Oct 13,219 · Nov 11,907 · Dec 7,571 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1955.

The deadliest severe thunderstorm wind events on record

The 10 storms with the most deaths since 1955, by state
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2018-07-19 Thunderstorm WindNotch, Stone County, MO A line of severe thunderstorms producing 50 to 70 mph winds caused wind damage across Stone County. On Table Rock Lake, winds of over 60 mph led to high waves. An amphibious tourist vehicle sank with seventeen fatalities and numerous injuries reported. 52 kt wind 17 0 –
1984-07-07 Thunderstorm WindMadison County, AL Every thunderstorm wind record filed in the state that day (2, in 2 places; before 1996 NOAA filed no storm episodes); the totals are the day's. 11 3 –
1986-05-17 Thunderstorm WindPolk County, TX Every thunderstorm wind record filed in the state that day (5, in 3 places; before 1996 NOAA filed no storm episodes); the totals are the day's. 9 0 –
1995-10-05 Thunderstorm WindGaz001>17 19>23>30>34>41>46>52>57 66>70>78>80 89>93 102>106 120 122, GA Hurricane Opal, which formed in the Gulf of Mexico, began threatening the Florida panhandle and Alabama on Tuesday October 3. At approximately 1645 EDT on Wednesday October 4, Hurricane Opal made landfall just west of Fort Walton Beach Florida and began a northward track through eastern Alabama, where it was ... 8 7 $242M
2024-05-16 Thunderstorm WindNorthline Terrace, Harris County, TX One storm episode: 10 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. On the evening of May 16, a derecho moved into SE TX. This resulted in extensive wind damage across much of the Greater Houston area, including much of Downtown Houston. Maximum wind gusts were estimated to have reached over 100 mph. Additionally, the system produced two tornadoes and widespread flash flooding. Power ... 70 kt wind 8 0 $69M
2025-06-21 Thunderstorm WindFallen Leaf, El Dorado County, CA Buoy data on Lake Tahoe indicated a northerly wind gust of 45 mph from nearby showers and collapsing thunderstorms. This caused significant waves on Lake Tahoe, with multiple boats damaged and one boat capsized near Emerald Bay, causing 8 fatalities out of the 10 on board. The two that survived were wearing life ... 39 kt wind 8 0 –
2011-08-13 Thunderstorm WindShooters Hill, Marion County, IN One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. Thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front during the afternoon and evening of August 13. As these storms moved across central Indiana, they brought damaging winds and large hail to the area. The storms also caused part of a stage to collapse at the Indiana State Fair, resulting in fatalities. 61 kt wind 7 43 $1.3M
1986-08-16 Thunderstorm WindCalhoun County, AL Every thunderstorm wind record filed in the state that day (2; before 1996 NOAA filed no storm episodes); the totals are the day's. 6 2 –
1990-06-26 Thunderstorm WindGila County, AZ 6 0 –
1995-07-15 Thunderstorm WindLake Luzerne, Warren County, NY Every thunderstorm wind record filed in the state that day (24, in 14 places; before 1996 NOAA filed no storm episodes); the totals are the day's. 5 11 $355M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed, summed over each storm in each state (one episode, or a named storm filed by several offices); names from FEMA declaration titles.

The costliest severe thunderstorm wind events since 1993

The 8 most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1995-05-05 Thunderstorm WindNorth Centraltexas, Young County, TX Every thunderstorm wind record filed in the state that day (3, in 2 places; before 1996 NOAA filed no storm episodes); the totals are the day's. 0 0 $2.3B
2008-06-05 Thunderstorm WindAltus, Jackson County, OK One storm episode: 12 records in 8 places; the totals are the episode's. 76 kt wind 0 2 $1.0B
2009-05-10 Thunderstorm WindShelburn, East Carroll Parish, LA 70 kt wind 0 0 $963M
2013-06-05 Thunderstorm WindLubbock International Ar, Lubbock County, TX One storm episode: 8 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. 63 kt wind 0 0 $508M
1998-05-30 Thunderstorm WindBurnsville, Dakota County, MN One storm episode: 30 records in 11 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 22 $395M
2009-05-08 Thunderstorm WindNeunert, Jackson County, IL One storm episode: 6 records in 5 places; the totals are the episode's. 92 kt wind 1 29 $393M
1998-05-15 Thunderstorm WindSavage, Scott County, MN One storm episode: 14 records in 12 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 1 $386M
2005-09-21 Hurricane Katrina · Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Hennepin County, MN One named storm filed by several offices: 5 records in 2 episodes; the totals are the storm's. 70 kt wind 1 4 $370M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.

What the record files under severe thunderstorm wind

NOAA event types in this group
Event typeRecordsYearsKilledDamage
Thunderstorm Wind575,5691955-20261,292$25.7B

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event types as defined in NWS Instruction 10-1605.

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