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Wind in Washington County, North Carolina
88 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 88 wind events in Washington County, North Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 37 years.
June is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 50 events against 30 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 25.4 per 100 square miles compares with 47.2 statewide.
17 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 | Washington County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 88 | 22,958 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 25.4 | 47.2 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 80.8 | 21.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 87 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | June | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
6Feb
1Mar
5Apr
14May
16Jun
21Jul
18Aug
4Sep
0Oct
0Nov
1Dec
2
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 88 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 Jun 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 2022 | Strong Wind | 55 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jan 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jan 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Nov 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2000 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1990 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1990 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1984 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1984 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1984 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1977 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1977 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1970 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Washington County had?
88 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 Washington County?
23 Jun 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 58 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Washington County?
The thunderstorm wind of 15 Jun 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $30K.
How does Washington County compare with North Carolina for wind?
25.4 events per 100 square miles against 47.2 statewide; the county holds 88 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.