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Wind in Pawnee County, Nebraska
81 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 81 wind events in Pawnee County, Nebraska, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 36 years.
July is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 38 events against 29 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 17,319 wind events recorded in Nebraska; its 18.8 per 100 square miles compares with 22.5 statewide.
46 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 8 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 | Pawnee County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 81 | 17,319 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 18.8 | 22.5 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 317.9 | 88.2 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 12 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | July | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
2Mar
6Apr
6May
13Jun
14Jul
18Aug
8Sep
3Oct
5Nov
1Dec
4
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 81 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 May 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | High Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Mar 2025 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Sep 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 83 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jan 2019 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2009 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2002 | High Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Sep 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2001 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Jul 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 1999 | High Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Nov 1998 | High Wind | 52 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 86 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 1997 | High Wind | 53 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Jun 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1997 | High Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Oct 1996 | High Wind | 51 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Oct 1996 | High Wind | 52 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Apr 1996 | High Wind | 49 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 1996 | High Wind | 48 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 1996 | High Wind | 48 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jul 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1978 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1978 | Thunderstorm Wind | 92 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Dec 1975 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Dec 1975 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1973 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1973 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1971 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1961 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1957 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Pawnee County had?
81 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 Pawnee County?
18 May 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 81 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Pawnee County?
The thunderstorm wind of 15 May 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $150K.
How does Pawnee County compare with Nebraska for wind?
18.8 events per 100 square miles against 22.5 statewide; the county holds 81 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.