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Wind in Sacramento 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.
NCEI records 13 wind events in Sacramento County, California, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 9 years.
January is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 6 events against 2 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 1.3 per 100 square miles compares with 7.0 statewide.
8 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 2 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Compared with California
| Measure | Sacramento County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 13 | 10,880 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.3 | 7.0 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.1 | 2.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 133 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | January | January | June |
By year
Seasonality
4Feb
2Mar
0Apr
3May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
1Oct
0Nov
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $20K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 19 Jan 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jan 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Dec 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 92 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Nov 1981 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 1978 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jan 1978 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 1973 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Sacramento 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 Sacramento County?
11 Apr 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 40 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Sacramento County?
The thunderstorm wind of 19 Jan 2016, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $40K.
How does Sacramento County compare with California for wind?
1.3 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.