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Wind in Inyo County, California
31 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 31 wind events in Inyo County, California, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 15 years.
July is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 3 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.3% of the 10,880 wind events recorded in California; its 0.3 per 100 square miles compares with 7.0 statewide.
16 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 3 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Compared with California
| Measure | Inyo County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 31 | 10,880 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.3 | 7.0 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 16.3 | 2.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 133 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | July | January | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
2Apr
1May
2Jun
4Jul
10Aug
5Sep
5Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
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 31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jul 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 100 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 96 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 55 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 56 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 55 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1990 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Inyo County had?
31 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 Inyo County?
19 Jul 2025 (Thunderstorm Wind, 63 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Inyo County?
The thunderstorm wind of 1 Jul 2016, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $75K.
How does Inyo County compare with California for wind?
0.3 events per 100 square miles against 7.0 statewide; the county holds 31 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 30 Sep 2026. See the methodology, the Wind hub and the county page.