PlainHazard

Minnesota high wind and dust storms

Every recorded high wind record since 1996 · 86 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,541 high wind and dust records in Minnesota from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 43 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the December 9, 2023 strong wind in Nobles County: 3 deaths across 3 records. Minnesota ranks 30th of 52 states and territories by count and 41st of 51 per square mile.

High wind and dust storms in Minnesota, 1996 to 2026

Wind records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.

  • 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
Records
1,5411996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
43average
Deaths
827 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$24Mas filed
Busiest year
1999127 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 high wind and dust records common in Minnesota?

Minnesota averages about 43 high wind and dust records a year since 2000, 30th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 1999 (127). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Minnesota records 194 high wind and dust records since 1996, 41st of 51 states and territories by that measure.

  1. 1. Rhode Island 7061
  2. 2. New Jersey 4882
  3. 3. Massachusetts 4776
  4. 4. Delaware 3705
  5. 5. Maryland 1330
  6. 6. Connecticut 1301
  7. 7. Vermont 1178
  8. 8. Hawaii 1067
  9. 9. New York 1028
  10. 10. Wyoming 900
  11. 41. Minnesota 194

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, 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 Minnesota have the most high wind and dust records?

Per square mile, Rock County leads Minnesota: 43 days with a high wind record since 1996, 89.1 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Lyon County has the most wind records (52 since 1996); 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).

  1. Rock County 89.1 (45)
  2. Pipestone County 83.9 (39)
  3. Lincoln County 83.8 (45)
  4. Ramsey County 78.8 (12)
  5. Lyon County 72.8 (52)
  6. Cottonwood County 68.8 (45)
  7. Nobles County 64.3 (48)
  8. Jackson County 61.2 (44)
  9. Murray County 55.3 (39)
  10. Big Stone County 48.1 (24)
  11. Wilkin County 42.6 (37)
  12. Scott County 42.1 (15)

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is the windy season in Minnesota?

Minnesota's high wind and dust records by month. The busiest month is April (262 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 46 · Feb 139 · Mar 173 · Apr 262 · May 143 · Jun 117 · Jul 37 · Aug 16 · Sep 21 · Oct 231 · Nov 167 · Dec 189 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest high wind and dust records in Minnesota?

Minnesota: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2023-12-09 Strong WindNobles County · forecast zone Nobles One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. Strong winds developed as low pressure deepened and moved across Minnesota toward the Great Lakes. A band of snowfall rotated through prior to the beginning of the period of strongest wind across southwest Minnesota with up to a half inch accumulation resulting in spotty slick road conditions. 39 kt wind 3 0 –
2009-06-28 Strong WindItasca County · forecast zone Southern Itasca Two men drowned while attempting to assist children in a youth group on rough waters on Pokegama Lake. Winds gusted to over 40 mph at times during the afternoon, which was enough to generate 2 to 3 foot waves on the lake and overcome the two men. The wind measurment is from the Grand Rapids, MN automated weather ... 37 kt wind 2 0 –
1997-05-05 Strong WindMcLeod County · forecast zone McLeod Gradient wind gust caused apartment building under construction in Hutchinson to collapse, killing one worker and injuring 10. Wind gust of 50 knots recorded at local radio station. 1 10 –
2021-08-12 High WindSt. Louis County · forecast zone Central St. Louis Two men went canoeing on Sand Lake near Britt, Minnesota, during the afternoon of the 12th. Strong west-northwest winds of 15 to 20 mph with gusts of 25 to 30 mph generated waves on Sand Lake that began to flood the canoe. Both men tried to swim for shore and one made it to an island and was rescued. The other man did ... 28 kt wind 1 0 –
2020-05-20 Strong WindCook County and Lake County · forecast zone Northern Cook / Northern Lake A canoe with three people aboard capsized on Tuscarora Lake within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness at around 2PM the afternoon of the 20th. Winds at the time were from the south and gusting to 15 to 20 mph. Water temperatures were also extremely cold. All three occupants were wearing life jackets and two ... 17 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 high wind and dust records in Minnesota

Minnesota: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2001-04-07 High WindWatonwan County · forecast zone Watonwan 69 kt wind 0 0 $13M
2008-06-11 High WindOtter Tail County · forecast zone West Otter Tail One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. 40 kt wind 0 0 $2.1M
2008-06-11 High WindOtter Tail County · forecast zone West Otter Tail One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. 39 kt wind 0 0 $822K
2022-11-10 Strong WindCarlton County and St. Louis County · forecast zone Southern St. Louis / Carlton 47 kt wind 0 0 $807K
1998-11-10 High WindFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 1 $634K
2021-12-15 High WindFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore 52 kt wind 0 0 $621K
2005-01-21 High WindLyon County · forecast zone Lyon 39 kt wind 0 0 $453K
2013-06-21 High WindTodd County · forecast zone Todd 56 kt wind 0 0 $329K

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

Are high wind and dust records becoming more frequent in Minnesota?

Minnesota'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.

High wind and dust storms: Minnesota and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
DecadeMinnesotaUnited StatesMinnesota's share
1996-9933114,0262.4%
2000s50937,2541.4%
2010s27941,7480.7%
2020-2642236,3001.2%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent high wind and dust records in Minnesota

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-29 High WindClay County · forecast zone Clay 52 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-29 High WindClay County · forecast zone Clay 61 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-29 High WindClay County · forecast zone Clay 53 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-29 High WindClay County · forecast zone Clay 53 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-29 High WindClay County · forecast zone Clay 54 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-29 High WindClay County · forecast zone Clay 55 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-29 High WindClay County · forecast zone Clay 59 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-29 High WindOtter Tail County · forecast zone East Otter Tail 54 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-29 High WindOtter Tail County · forecast zone East Otter Tail 54 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-05-15 High WindKittson County · forecast zone Kittson 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-05-15 High WindRoseau County · forecast zone Roseau 52 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-05-14 High WindLyon County · forecast zone Lyon 50 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.

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