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Wind in Humboldt County, California
25 damaging wind events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Thunderstorm Wind, High Wind, Strong Wind.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 25 wind events in Humboldt County, California, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 12 years.
January is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.2% of the 10,880 wind events recorded in California; its 0.7 per 100 square miles compares with 7.0 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to damaging wind.
13 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 1 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Compared with California
| Measure | Humboldt County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 25 | 10,880 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.7 | 7.0 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 133 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | January | January | June |
By year
Seasonality
8Feb
6Mar
3Apr
1May
1Jun
2Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
1Nov
2Dec
1
Magnitude distribution
NWS wind thresholds
- under 58 mph
- below severe threshold
- 58–73 mph
- severe
- 74–95 mph
- hurricane-force
- 96 mph and over
- extreme
Wind speed converted from the knots NCEI records; estimated and measured gusts are combined. Events without a speed are not binned.
Recorded events
All 25 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Nov 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 35 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 37 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 35 mph | — | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 25 Feb 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 86 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Dec 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Nov 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Oct 1996 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jan 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jan 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Humboldt County had?
25 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of damaging wind became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded wind event in Humboldt County?
3 Jan 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 60 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Humboldt County?
The thunderstorm wind of 24 May 1995, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2K.
How does Humboldt County compare with California for wind?
0.7 events per 100 square miles against 7.0 statewide; the county holds 25 of the state's 10,880 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Wind hub and the county page.