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Wind in McLean County, Kentucky
126 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.
McLean County, Kentucky, has 126 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 41 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 82 events against 35 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 22,160 wind events recorded in Kentucky; its 49.9 per 100 square miles compares with 56.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to damaging wind.
37 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 8 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 Kentucky
| Measure | McLean County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 126 | 22,160 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 49.9 | 56.1 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 138.5 | 49.1 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 39 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | April | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
11Feb
16Mar
14Apr
19May
13Jun
12Jul
9Aug
5Sep
2Oct
2Nov
10Dec
13
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 126 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 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Mar 2025 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2024 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Dec 2024 | Strong Wind | 44 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jan 2024 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Mar 2023 | High Wind | 58 mph | $50K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Feb 2023 | Strong Wind | 55 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Feb 2023 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Feb 2023 | Strong Wind | 47 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jan 2023 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Nov 2022 | Strong Wind | 49 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2022 | Strong Wind | 46 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Feb 2022 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Mar 2021 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Dec 2020 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Nov 2020 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Nov 2019 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Jun 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2019 | Strong Wind | 49 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Mar 2019 | Strong Wind | 52 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2019 | Strong Wind | 46 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Feb 2019 | Strong Wind | 43 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jan 2019 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Dec 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 85 mph | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Nov 2018 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2018 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2018 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2018 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Nov 2017 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Apr 2017 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jan 2017 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2016 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Apr 2016 | Strong Wind | 47 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Feb 2016 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2015 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Apr 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Strong Wind | 49 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jan 2014 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Dec 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 2013 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jan 2013 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Dec 2012 | Strong Wind | 51 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 85 mph | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Nov 2011 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | $7K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2011 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Feb 2011 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Nov 2010 | Strong Wind | 46 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Dec 2009 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Dec 2009 | Strong Wind | 43 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Feb 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 2009 | High Wind | 64 mph | $50K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Dec 2008 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Dec 2008 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Sep 2008 | High Wind | 64 mph | $4.5M | $3.2M | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 May 2008 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Feb 2008 | Strong Wind | 47 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2006 | Strong Wind | 33 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 2006 | Strong Wind | 30 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Nov 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2005 | Strong Wind | 46 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Aug 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $7K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2002 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Feb 2002 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Nov 2001 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Oct 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 2000 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Nov 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2000 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 1999 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Apr 1997 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jul 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1990 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1981 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1978 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1978 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1974 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1973 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 1967 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has McLean County had?
126 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 McLean County?
27 Apr 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 70 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in McLean County?
The high wind of 14 Sep 2008, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $4.5M and crop damage at $3.2M.
How does McLean County compare with Kentucky for wind?
49.9 events per 100 square miles against 56.1 statewide; the county holds 126 of the state's 22,160 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.