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Wind in Lake County, Montana
46 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.
Lake County, Montana, has 46 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 27 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 21 events against 23 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.3% of the 14,438 wind events recorded in Montana; its 3.1 per 100 square miles compares with 9.9 statewide.
28 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 5 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Compared with Montana
| Measure | Lake County | Montana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 46 | 14,438 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.1 | 9.9 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 14.4 | 130.7 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 18 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | June | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
1May
5Jun
14Jul
10Aug
14Sep
0Oct
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 46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Aug 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | $2K | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 90 mph | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 1 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1961 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Lake County had?
46 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 Lake County?
23 Aug 2024 (Thunderstorm Wind, 60 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Lake County?
The thunderstorm wind of 31 May 1993, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Lake County compare with Montana for wind?
3.1 events per 100 square miles against 9.9 statewide; the county holds 46 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.