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Wind in Mitchell County, North Carolina
84 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 84 wind events in Mitchell County, North Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 29 years.
March is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 32 events against 50 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 38.0 per 100 square miles compares with 47.2 statewide.
20 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 | Mitchell County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 84 | 22,958 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 38.0 | 47.2 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 56.1 | 21.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 87 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | March | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
4Feb
8Mar
10Apr
6May
8Jun
10Jul
8Aug
10Sep
4Oct
1Nov
9Dec
6
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 84 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2026 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2019 | High Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Mar 2018 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Apr 2016 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Feb 2015 | High Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Aug 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 2014 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Dec 2012 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jul 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Dec 2009 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jun 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2008 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 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 |
| 31 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 2006 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Apr 2005 | High Wind | 69 mph | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2005 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2005 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2004 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Sep 2004 | High Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Sep 2004 | High Wind | 63 mph | $30K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2004 | High Wind | 58 mph | $20K | — | — | — | 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 | 63 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 2003 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Dec 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Nov 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Nov 2002 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Nov 2002 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Nov 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Sep 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Sep 2002 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Mar 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Feb 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2001 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 26 Dec 1999 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Nov 1999 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Nov 1999 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Aug 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 1999 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Feb 1998 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Mar 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jan 1996 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Jul 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Mitchell County had?
84 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 Mitchell County?
16 Mar 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 58 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Mitchell County?
The high wind of 16 Apr 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Mitchell County compare with North Carolina for wind?
38.0 events per 100 square miles against 47.2 statewide; the county holds 84 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.