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Wind in Avery County, North Carolina
101 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.
Avery County, North Carolina, has 101 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 31 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 41 events against 59 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 22,958 wind events recorded in North Carolina; its 40.8 per 100 square miles compares with 47.2 statewide.
27 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 1 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 North Carolina
| Measure | Avery County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 101 | 22,958 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 40.8 | 47.2 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 56.5 | 21.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 87 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | May | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
5Feb
8Mar
11Apr
9May
13Jun
9Jul
12Aug
13Sep
6Oct
1Nov
7Dec
7
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 101 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb 2026 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 46 mph | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 27 Feb 2023 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2019 | High Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Mar 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2018 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2016 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Feb 2015 | High Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Mar 2014 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jun 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Dec 2012 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Sep 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Dec 2009 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Aug 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2008 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2008 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2007 | High Wind | 69 mph | $500K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Apr 2007 | High Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2006 | High Wind | 58 mph | $20K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 2006 | High Wind | 63 mph | $20K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Aug 2005 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Aug 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2005 | High Wind | 69 mph | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Mar 2005 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2005 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Sep 2004 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Sep 2004 | High Wind | 63 mph | $40K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Sep 2004 | High Wind | 58 mph | $250K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2004 | High Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Nov 2003 | High Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Nov 2003 | High Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Oct 2003 | High Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2003 | High Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Dec 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Nov 2002 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Nov 2002 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Sep 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Sep 2002 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jul 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Feb 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Nov 2001 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2001 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Dec 2000 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Nov 2000 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2000 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Mar 2000 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jan 2000 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Dec 1999 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 1999 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Nov 1999 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Aug 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 1999 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Feb 1998 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Aug 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 1997 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Mar 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jan 1996 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Jul 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Avery County had?
101 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 Avery County?
7 Feb 2026 (High Wind, 58 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Avery County?
The high wind of 16 Apr 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Avery County compare with North Carolina for wind?
40.8 events per 100 square miles against 47.2 statewide; the county holds 101 of the state's 22,958 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.