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Wind in Kern County, California
63 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.
Kern County, California, has 63 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
September is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 38 events against 23 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 10,880 wind events recorded in California; its 0.8 per 100 square miles compares with 7.0 statewide.
25 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 5 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Compared with California
| Measure | Kern County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 63 | 10,880 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.8 | 7.0 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.7 | 2.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 133 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | September | January | June |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
2Apr
1May
11Jun
1Jul
16Aug
10Sep
18Oct
1Nov
1Dec
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 63 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 40 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 45 mph | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 77 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 74 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 83 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 53 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 78 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2002 | High Wind | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2000 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2000 | High Wind | 51 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2000 | High Wind | 52 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2000 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2000 | High Wind | 33 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Nov 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1984 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1960 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Kern County had?
63 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 Kern County?
31 Mar 2024 (Thunderstorm Wind, 40 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Kern County?
The thunderstorm wind of 1 Sep 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $100K.
How does Kern County compare with California for wind?
0.8 events per 100 square miles against 7.0 statewide; the county holds 63 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.