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Wind in Swain County, North Carolina
105 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 105 wind events in Swain County, North Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 34 years.
July is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 48 events against 55 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 22,958 wind events recorded in North Carolina; its 19.9 per 100 square miles compares with 47.2 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to damaging wind.
25 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 0 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 | Swain County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 105 | 22,958 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 19.9 | 47.2 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 74.3 | 21.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 87 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | July | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
7Feb
5Mar
5Apr
9May
17Jun
14Jul
21Aug
7Sep
4Oct
5Nov
6Dec
5
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 105 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jun 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 46 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2016 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Oct 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Dec 2009 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jun 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2007 | High Wind | 69 mph | $500K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Apr 2007 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 2006 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Aug 2005 | High Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | 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 | $25K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Jul 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2004 | High Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Nov 2003 | High Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Oct 2003 | High Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 2003 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Nov 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Sep 2002 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jul 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jan 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2001 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Nov 2001 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Oct 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2001 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2001 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Dec 2000 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Nov 2000 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 1999 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Nov 1998 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jul 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Mar 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jan 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Dec 1996 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 May 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jan 1996 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Apr 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1990 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Swain County had?
105 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 Swain County?
24 Jun 2025 (Thunderstorm Wind, 58 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Swain County?
The high wind of 16 Apr 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Swain County compare with North Carolina for wind?
19.9 events per 100 square miles against 47.2 statewide; the county holds 105 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.