California severe thunderstorm wind
Every recorded severe thunderstorm wind event since 1955 · 56 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,337 severe thunderstorm wind events in California from 1955 through June 30, 2026, about 36 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the June 21, 2025 thunderstorm wind in El Dorado County: 8 deaths. California ranks 43rd of 52 states and territories by count and 48th of 51 per square mile.
Severe thunderstorm wind in California, 1955 to 2026
Thunderstorm wind records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996.
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1996: all 48 event types recorded from 1996
- Records
- 1,3371955 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 36average
- Deaths
- 2351 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $219Mas filed
- Busiest year
- 202598 records
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
Are severe thunderstorm wind events common in California?
California averages about 36 severe thunderstorm wind events a year since 2000, 43rd of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2025 (98). Per 10,000 square miles of land, California records 86 severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955, 48th of 51 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1955, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in California have the most severe thunderstorm wind events?
Per square mile, Orange County leads California: 30 days with a severe thunderstorm wind event since 1955, 37.8 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, San Bernardino County has the most thunderstorm wind records (197 since 1955); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1955 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is the severe thunderstorm season in California?
California's severe thunderstorm wind events by month. The busiest month is August (285 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 107 · Feb 145 · Mar 94 · Apr 60 · May 68 · Jun 46 · Jul 207 · Aug 285 · Sep 196 · Oct 53 · Nov 27 · Dec 49 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1955.
What were the deadliest severe thunderstorm wind events in California?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindFallen Leaf, El Dorado County 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 | – |
| 2007-03-22 | Thunderstorm WindLake Henshaw, San Diego County A closed low over northern Baja created conditions favorable for the formation of high based convection across southern California. Thunderstorms initiated over the deserts in the afternoon and then quickly moved westward over the mountains and towards the coast. An inverted V signature was noted above the 950 mb ... | 30 kt wind | 3 | 0 | – |
| 2016-01-31 | Thunderstorm WindPacific Beach, San Diego County A pine tree 8 ft in diameter succumbed to strong winds, falling on 4 cars and killing a 48 year old woman who was driving down Ingraham Street. An additional tree fell during the cleanup operations, injuring 2 reporters. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 2 | $92K |
| 2012-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindHolmes, Humboldt County Gusty wind conditions that were below severe criteria caused a tree to fall onto highway 36. A car drove into the fallen tree resulting in one fatality. The wind event was preceded by an atmospheric river rain event that saturated soils and therefore exacerbated the vulnerability of trees to wind damage. | 30 kt wind | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2012-01-21 | Thunderstorm WindYosemite Vlg, Mariposa County A thunderstorm with heavy rain and lightning moved across Yosemite Valley on the morning of the 21st during a strong winter storm. The thunderstorm briefly generated gusty winds estimated at 40 to 45 mph which caused a tree to fall on a tent. Inside the tent was a park service employee who was killed by the tree fall. | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $6K |
| 2010-01-19 | Thunderstorm WindSan Diego Gille, San Diego County One storm episode: 3 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. The second in a series of powerful winter storms wreaked havoc on Southern California on January 19th. A strong southerly 925 mb jet ahead of the cold front contributed to moderate low-level wind shear. A line of thunderstorms with embedded rotation moved through Orange County late in the morning, bringing ... | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $643K |
| 2009-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindMoonridge, San Bernardino County A wind gust from a thunderstorm snapped a pine tree along the 400 block of Catalina Road near Avalon Drive in Big Bear Lake. The tree fell on a passing vehicle, crushing the car and killing the driver. | 48 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $28K |
| 2024-07-13 | Thunderstorm WindYosemite Natl Park, Mariposa County Media report of a 20 year old hiker slipping and falling off of cables while descending Half Dome during a thunderstorm which was producing heavy rainfall and gusty winds. The fall resulted in fatal injuries. | 35 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2023-01-14 | Thunderstorm WindCrissy Aaf, San Francisco County A jogger near the intersection of JFK Drive and 30th Avenue within the Golden Gate Park noticed a woman down next to a fallen tree branch. Firefighters arrived to provide life-saving measures, but said that the victim had died. At the time of the incident, a Special Weather Statement was valid for the area, with wind ... | 13 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2022-09-04 | Thunderstorm WindHavasu Lake, San Bernardino County Waves estimated to be six feet high swept across Lake Havasu due to severe thunderstorm winds. Multiple boaters in distress were rescued from their crafts and from the water. One person was trapped under a capsized craft near the Havasu Landing Casino and drowned. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.
The costliest severe thunderstorm wind events in California
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindEaston, Fresno County 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. | 0 | 0 | $56M | |
| 2001-04-07 | Thunderstorm WindTraver, Tulare County One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $51M | |
| 1995-05-01 | Thunderstorm WindFresno County 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. | 0 | 0 | $34M | |
| 2019-07-23 | Thunderstorm WindThermal Airport, Riverside County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $9.2M |
| 2004-12-29 | Thunderstorm WindSan Diego County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7.8M |
| 2019-09-18 | Thunderstorm WindOroville, Butte County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7.5M |
| 2007-09-15 | Thunderstorm WindPalo Verde, Imperial County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.7M |
| 2014-02-28 | Thunderstorm WindPorterville, Tulare County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.1M |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are severe thunderstorm wind events becoming more frequent in California?
California's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | California | United States | California's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955-59 | 27 | 3,482 | 0.78% |
| 1960s | 9 | 10,124 | 0.09% |
| 1970s | 36 | 18,714 | 0.19% |
| 1980s | 95 | 39,604 | 0.24% |
| 1990s | 167 | 85,554 | 0.20% |
| 2000s | 264 | 129,990 | 0.20% |
| 2010s | 329 | 161,286 | 0.20% |
| 2020-26 | 410 | 126,815 | 0.32% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent severe thunderstorm wind events in California
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindFallen Leaf, El Dorado County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-11 | Thunderstorm WindPolk, Sacramento County | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-11 | Thunderstorm WindFair Oaks Phoenix Ar, Sacramento County | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-11 | Thunderstorm WindFranklin, Sacramento County | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-09 | Thunderstorm WindGasquet, Del Norte County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | Thunderstorm WindBig Bear City, San Bernardino County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | Thunderstorm WindRancho Santa Fe, San Diego County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | Thunderstorm WindBuena Park, Orange County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | Thunderstorm WindWeisel, Riverside County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | Thunderstorm WindBlue Jay, San Bernardino County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | Thunderstorm WindSugarloaf, San Bernardino County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | Thunderstorm WindSanta Catalina, Los Angeles County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Federal disaster declarations for severe thunderstorm wind events in California
FEMA files hail and wind disasters under the incident type Severe Storm: 23 declarations in California, 23 of them major disasters; the latest on April 19, 2024.
| Declared | Number | Title | Areas named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-19 | DR-4773 | Severe Winter Storm | 1 |
| 2024-04-19 | DR-4772 | Severe Storms and Flooding | 1 |
| 2024-04-13 | DR-4769 | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | 9 |
| 2023-05-25 | DR-4714 | Severe Storm and Flooding | 1 |
| 2023-05-18 | DR-4713 | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding | 1 |
| 2023-04-03 | DR-4699 | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | 46 |
| 2019-05-17 | DR-4434 | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | 18 |
| 2019-05-01 | DR-4431 | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | 11 |
| 2019-04-08 | DR-4425 | Severe Storms and Flooding | 1 |
| 2019-03-28 | DR-4423 | Severe Storms and Flooding | 1 |
| 2019-03-26 | DR-4422 | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | 1 |
| 2017-05-02 | DR-4312 | Flooding | 1 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Next
- Orange County: the county's whole recordThe California county with the most severe thunderstorm wind events per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind across the United StatesEvery state ranked, by year and month
- Every natural hazard in CaliforniaTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
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