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Wind in McPherson County, Nebraska
68 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.
McPherson County, Nebraska, has 68 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 29 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 47 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 17,319 wind events recorded in Nebraska; its 7.9 per 100 square miles compares with 22.5 statewide.
53 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 4 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 Nebraska
| Measure | McPherson County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 68 | 17,319 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.9 | 22.5 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1,794.2 | 88.2 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 12 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | July | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
2Mar
4Apr
10May
9Jun
11Jul
13Aug
1Sep
2Oct
6Nov
4Dec
3
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 68 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jun 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2026 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Dec 2025 | High Wind | 77 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Nov 2025 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Apr 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2022 | High Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Apr 2022 | High Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Apr 2022 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Dec 2021 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jan 2021 | High Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Dec 2020 | High Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jul 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2020 | High Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Oct 2019 | High Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Mar 2019 | High Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 2018 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Sep 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Jan 2014 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2012 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Oct 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2011 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2010 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Jul 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2009 | High Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Nov 2008 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2006 | High Wind | 58 mph | $12K | — | — | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 7 Apr 2006 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Apr 2006 | High Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Nov 2005 | High Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Mar 2005 | High Wind | 46 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Feb 2002 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Oct 2001 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2001 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jul 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 1997 | High Wind | — | — | $20K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Oct 1996 | High Wind | 46 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Feb 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1981 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1981 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1977 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has McPherson County had?
68 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 McPherson County?
30 Jun 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 69 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in McPherson County?
The thunderstorm wind of 18 Feb 1994, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50K.
How does McPherson County compare with Nebraska for wind?
7.9 events per 100 square miles against 22.5 statewide; the county holds 68 of the state's 17,319 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.