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Wind in Towner County, North Dakota
98 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 98 wind events in Towner County, North Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 39 years.
July is the busiest month, with 26 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 47 events against 36 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1% of the 9,530 wind events recorded in North Dakota; its 9.6 per 100 square miles compares with 13.8 statewide.
53 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 12 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 Dakota
| Measure | Towner County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 98 | 9,530 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.6 | 13.8 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 457.9 | 123.0 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 7 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | July | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
4Mar
3Apr
0May
9Jun
21Jul
26Aug
21Sep
1Oct
5Nov
6Dec
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 98 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Feb 2025 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Oct 2024 | High Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jun 2024 | High Wind | 45 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 May 2024 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jun 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2022 | Strong Wind | 43 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Aug 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2022 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jul 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2021 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Jan 2021 | High Wind | 43 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jun 2019 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | — | $10K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 92 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 86 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2017 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2017 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Aug 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 90 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 98 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2016 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Nov 2015 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Oct 2015 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 May 2015 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2013 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 2011 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2010 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Jan 2009 | High Wind | 46 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Oct 2008 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Aug 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 13 Nov 2007 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Jul 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Nov 2005 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Aug 2005 | High Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Aug 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 74 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 74 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 90 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2005 | High Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Mar 2005 | High Wind | 46 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jul 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $200 | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 1999 | High Wind | 76 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Oct 1999 | High Wind | 61 mph | $4K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Nov 1997 | High Wind | 54 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Sep 1997 | High Wind | 55 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Jun 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $300K | $200K | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1981 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1980 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1980 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1979 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 1978 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 1978 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1976 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1975 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1974 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1971 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1971 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1970 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1970 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1965 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Towner County had?
98 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 Towner County?
28 Feb 2025 (High Wind, 60 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Towner County?
The thunderstorm wind of 28 Jun 1996, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $300K and crop damage at $200K.
How does Towner County compare with North Dakota for wind?
9.6 events per 100 square miles against 13.8 statewide; the county holds 98 of the state's 9,530 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.