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Wind in Bent County, Colorado

86 damaging wind events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Thunderstorm Wind, High Wind, Strong Wind.

86 events · 1 deaths recorded · peak month April · county share of state 1.0%

Wind event locations in and around Bent County. Dots: Wind event locations in the kept record. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

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 86 wind events in Bent County, Colorado, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 36 years.

April is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 51 events against 30 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1% of the 8,940 wind events recorded in Colorado; its 5.7 per 100 square miles compares with 8.6 statewide.

NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to damaging wind.

68 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 Colorado

Measure	Bent County	Colorado	US
Wind events since 1950	86	8,940	701,953
Per 100 square miles	5.7	8.6	19.9
Per 10,000 residents	149.3	15.4	21.1
Deaths recorded	1	27	2,166
Busiest month	April	June	June

By year

195019882026

Wind events recorded in Bent County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
2Feb
1Mar
6Apr
15May
15Jun
14Jul
13Aug
11Sep
0Oct
2Nov
5Dec
2

Wind events in Bent County by month of occurrence, all years.

Magnitude distribution

under 58 mph18

58–73 mph61

74–95 mph5

96 mph and over2

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 86 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
3 Jul 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	County
20 Jul 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	70 mph	—	—	—	—	County
5 Jul 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	69 mph	—	—	—	—	County
23 Jun 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
7 Aug 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	69 mph	—	—	—	—	County
14 May 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	County
14 May 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
6 Apr 2021	High Wind	59 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Mar 2019	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
12 Dec 2018	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Nov 2018	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Jun 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
17 Apr 2018	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Apr 2018	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Jul 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
27 May 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
24 Mar 2017	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Mar 2017	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Dec 2016	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Jun 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	75 mph	$20K	—	—	—	County
31 May 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
23 Mar 2016	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Nov 2015	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Apr 2014	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
27 Apr 2014	High Wind	64 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Mar 2014	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Oct 2013	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Jan 2013	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Nov 2012	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 May 2012	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Mar 2012	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Feb 2012	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Jan 2012	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Nov 2011	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Oct 2011	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Aug 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	70 mph	—	—	—	—	County
7 Jul 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	70 mph	—	—	—	—	County
6 Jul 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	70 mph	$5K	—	—	—	County
17 Jun 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	$1K	—	—	—	County
15 Apr 2011	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Apr 2011	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Apr 2011	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Jul 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
24 May 2010	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Apr 2010	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
4 Apr 2009	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 May 2008	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 May 2008	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Jun 2007	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 May 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
24 Apr 2007	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
21 Jun 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	71 mph	$7K	—	—	—	County
15 Jun 2006	High Wind	63 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
7 Apr 2006	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
27 Nov 2005	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Apr 2005	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
7 Aug 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	69 mph	—	—	—	—	County
20 Jun 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	75 mph	—	—	—	—	County
16 Jun 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	81 mph	$50K	—	—	—	County
15 Apr 2003	High Wind	59 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Aug 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	81 mph	$3K	—	—	—	County
9 Aug 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	69 mph	—	—	—	—	County
26 Jul 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
23 Jul 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	99 mph	$100K	—	—	—	County
14 Jul 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
20 May 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	64 mph	—	—	—	—	County
20 May 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
29 Apr 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
16 May 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
24 Jul 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	70 mph	—	—	—	—	County
23 Jul 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
31 Aug 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	69 mph	—	—	—	—	County
31 Aug 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	81 mph	—	—	—	—	County
31 Aug 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	115 mph	$80K	—	1	1	County
13 Aug 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	59 mph	—	—	—	—	County
3 Aug 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	62 mph	$75K	—	—	—	County
9 Jun 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
2 Jun 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	0 mph	—	—	—	—	County
14 Jul 1989	Thunderstorm Wind	0 mph	—	—	—	—	County
7 Aug 1988	Thunderstorm Wind	0 mph	—	—	—	—	County
15 Jun 1988	Thunderstorm Wind	0 mph	—	—	—	—	County
17 Jun 1982	Thunderstorm Wind	0 mph	—	—	—	—	County
27 May 1975	Thunderstorm Wind	0 mph	—	—	—	—	County
21 May 1973	Thunderstorm Wind	0 mph	—	—	—	—	County
15 Jun 1968	Thunderstorm Wind	66 mph	—	—	—	—	County
16 May 1962	Thunderstorm Wind	0 mph	—	—	—	—	County

Questions and answers

How many wind events has Bent County had?

86 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 Bent County?

3 Jul 2024 (Thunderstorm Wind, 58 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Bent County?

The thunderstorm wind of 23 Jul 2001, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $100K.

How does Bent County compare with Colorado for wind?

5.7 events per 100 square miles against 8.6 statewide; the county holds 86 of the state's 8,940 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.