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Wind in Jefferson County, Montana
58 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 58 wind events in Jefferson County, Montana, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 29 years.
January is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 36 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 14,438 wind events recorded in Montana; its 3.5 per 100 square miles compares with 9.9 statewide.
44 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 Montana
| Measure | Jefferson County | Montana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 58 | 14,438 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.5 | 9.9 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 46.5 | 130.7 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 18 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | January | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
8Feb
4Mar
2Apr
2May
3Jun
8Jul
5Aug
6Sep
8Oct
5Nov
4Dec
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 58 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Sep 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2021 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Mar 2021 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jan 2021 | High Wind | 74 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jan 2021 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jun 2020 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jan 2019 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Nov 2018 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Nov 2018 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2018 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2016 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2016 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Oct 2014 | High Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jan 2014 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 79 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 2012 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Oct 2012 | High Wind | 77 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Mar 2012 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Feb 2012 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2011 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 2011 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 May 2010 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Aug 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jan 2008 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 100 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jan 2007 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Nov 2003 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Oct 2003 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Sep 2002 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Jun 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 2002 | High Wind | 115 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jan 2002 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Oct 2001 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Oct 2001 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Jun 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1970 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1970 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1969 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1968 | Thunderstorm Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 1967 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1966 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1964 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1960 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1960 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 1958 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Jefferson County had?
58 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 Jefferson County?
14 Sep 2025 (Thunderstorm Wind, 61 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Jefferson County?
The thunderstorm wind of 27 May 1994, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50K.
How does Jefferson County compare with Montana for wind?
3.5 events per 100 square miles against 9.9 statewide; the county holds 58 of the state's 14,438 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.