States › California › Madera County › Wind
Wind in Madera County, California
13 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.
Madera County, California, has 13 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 12 different years.
February is the busiest month, with 2 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 4 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.1% of the 10,880 wind events recorded in California; its 0.6 per 100 square miles compares with 7.0 statewide.
2 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 0 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Compared with California
| Measure | Madera County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 13 | 10,880 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.6 | 7.0 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.8 | 2.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 133 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | February | January | June |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
2Mar
2Apr
2May
2Jun
0Jul
1Aug
1Sep
0Oct
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 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Mar 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 55 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 55 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Oct 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | — | $7.8M | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Feb 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $5K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1957 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Madera County had?
13 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 Madera County?
2 Mar 2019 (Thunderstorm Wind, 55 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Madera County?
The thunderstorm wind of 7 Apr 2001, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $0 and crop damage at $7.8M.
How does Madera County compare with California for wind?
0.6 events per 100 square miles against 7.0 statewide; the county holds 13 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.