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Wind in Clearwater County, Minnesota
85 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 85 wind events in Clearwater County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 35 years.
July is the busiest month, with 28 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 48 events against 29 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 15,237 wind events recorded in Minnesota; its 8.5 per 100 square miles compares with 19.1 statewide.
51 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 16 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Clearwater County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 85 | 15,237 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.5 | 19.1 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 99.1 | 26.7 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 30 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | July | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
8Jun
27Jul
28Aug
17Sep
4Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
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 85 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 Jul 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 100 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 90 mph | $700K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 90 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $300K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $200 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 79 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 21 Aug 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1978 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1976 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1969 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1969 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1966 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Clearwater County had?
85 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 Clearwater County?
27 Jul 2025 (Thunderstorm Wind, 70 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Clearwater County?
The thunderstorm wind of 20 Jun 2025, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $700K.
How does Clearwater County compare with Minnesota for wind?
8.5 events per 100 square miles against 19.1 statewide; the county holds 85 of the state's 15,237 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.