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Wind in Pennington County, Minnesota
83 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 83 wind events in Pennington County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 29 years.
July is the busiest month, with 23 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 47 events against 24 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 15,237 wind events recorded in Minnesota; its 13.5 per 100 square miles compares with 19.1 statewide.
53 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 12 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 Minnesota
| Measure | Pennington County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 83 | 15,237 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 13.5 | 19.1 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 60.2 | 26.7 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 30 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | July | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
0Apr
1May
14Jun
17Jul
23Aug
20Sep
2Oct
2Nov
3Dec
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 83 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Sep 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2022 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 77 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jun 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 2015 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 85 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2014 | High Wind | 46 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 100 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 121 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 115 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 2011 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 85 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Nov 2005 | High Wind | 46 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2002 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Feb 2002 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Aug 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 1999 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1980 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1977 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1975 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1975 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1975 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1973 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1973 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1962 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1962 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1961 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 1956 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Pennington County had?
83 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 Pennington County?
12 Sep 2025 (Thunderstorm Wind, 60 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Pennington County?
The thunderstorm wind of 22 Jul 1994, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50K.
How does Pennington County compare with Minnesota for wind?
13.5 events per 100 square miles against 19.1 statewide; the county holds 83 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 30 Sep 2026. See the methodology, the Wind hub and the county page.