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Wind in Modoc County, California
60 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.
Modoc County, California, has 60 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 19 different years.
December is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 52 events against 8 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 1.5 per 100 square miles compares with 7.0 statewide.
54 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 7 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.
Compared with California
| Measure | Modoc County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 60 | 10,880 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.5 | 7.0 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 69.3 | 2.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 133 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | December | January | June |
By year
Seasonality
6Feb
10Mar
5Apr
5May
1Jun
0Jul
6Aug
0Sep
0Oct
5Nov
7Dec
15
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 60 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Mar 2025 | High Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Mar 2025 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2024 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2022 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 May 2022 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Apr 2022 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Apr 2022 | High Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Dec 2021 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Oct 2021 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Nov 2020 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Jan 2019 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Dec 2018 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Apr 2018 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Apr 2018 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jan 2018 | High Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Dec 2017 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Nov 2017 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Feb 2017 | High Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2017 | High Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Feb 2017 | High Wind | 74 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Jan 2017 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Dec 2016 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Nov 2016 | High Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Oct 2016 | High Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Oct 2016 | High Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2016 | High Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Feb 2016 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Dec 2015 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 2015 | High Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Feb 2015 | High Wind | 78 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Feb 2015 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Dec 2014 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Oct 2014 | High Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Oct 2014 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2014 | High Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Dec 2012 | High Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2012 | High Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2012 | High Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Nov 2012 | High Wind | 87 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Nov 2012 | High Wind | 87 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Apr 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2012 | High Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2011 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Feb 2011 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Nov 2009 | High Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jan 2008 | High Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Jan 2008 | High Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Dec 2007 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Dec 2007 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Feb 2004 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 2004 | High Wind | 46 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Dec 2002 | High Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Dec 2002 | High Wind | 46 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Nov 2002 | High Wind | 76 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 79 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | $16K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Modoc County had?
60 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 Modoc County?
27 Mar 2025 (High Wind, 67 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Modoc County?
The thunderstorm wind of 6 Jul 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $20K.
How does Modoc County compare with California for wind?
1.5 events per 100 square miles against 7.0 statewide; the county holds 60 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.