States › Iowa › Lucas County › Wind
Wind in Lucas County, Iowa
104 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.
Lucas County, Iowa, has 104 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 33 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 26 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 49 events against 48 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 20,854 wind events recorded in Iowa; its 24.1 per 100 square miles compares with 37.3 statewide.
79 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 5 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 Iowa
| Measure | Lucas County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 104 | 20,854 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 24.1 | 37.3 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 119.4 | 65.3 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 25 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | June | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
4Feb
1Mar
5Apr
12May
11Jun
26Jul
17Aug
11Sep
5Oct
6Nov
3Dec
3
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 104 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Mar 2025 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Oct 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | High Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 71 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Oct 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $50K | $500K | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jan 2014 | High Wind | 58 mph | $25K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Aug 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $25K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $10K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2008 | High Wind | 40 mph | $25K | $25K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 2006 | High Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Nov 2005 | High Wind | 40 mph | $50K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2005 | High Wind | 40 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Aug 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | $5K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2004 | High Wind | 40 mph | $75K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Apr 2004 | High Wind | 40 mph | $80K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Nov 2003 | High Wind | 58 mph | $50K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Aug 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | $5K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2002 | High Wind | — | $50K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Mar 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Oct 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Oct 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $30K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $7K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2001 | High Wind | 58 mph | $50K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $3K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $50K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $100K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2000 | High Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $15K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 1998 | High Wind | 70 mph | $300K | $5K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $20K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | $15K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $50K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1998 | High Wind | — | $50K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jun 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1997 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Apr 1997 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Oct 1996 | High Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Apr 1996 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Mar 1996 | High Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 1996 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jan 1996 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jul 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1981 | Thunderstorm Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Dec 1975 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1975 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1973 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Lucas County had?
104 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 Lucas County?
5 Mar 2025 (High Wind, 60 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Lucas County?
The thunderstorm wind of 28 Jul 2015, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50K and crop damage at $500K.
How does Lucas County compare with Iowa for wind?
24.1 events per 100 square miles against 37.3 statewide; the county holds 104 of the state's 20,854 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.