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Wind in Wallowa County, Oregon

42 damaging wind events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Thunderstorm Wind, High Wind, Strong Wind.

42 events · 0 deaths recorded · peak month November · county share of state 1.1%

Wind event locations in and around Wallowa County. Dots: Wind event locations in the kept record. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

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.

Wallowa County, Oregon, has 42 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.

November is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 21 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1.1% of the 3,741 wind events recorded in Oregon; its 1.3 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.

26 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 10 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 Oregon

Measure	Wallowa County	Oregon	US
Wind events since 1950	42	3,741	701,953
Per 100 square miles	1.3	3.9	19.9
Per 10,000 residents	55.7	8.8	21.1
Deaths recorded	0	42	2,166
Busiest month	November	December	June

By year

195019882026

Wind events recorded in Wallowa County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
3Feb
2Mar
1Apr
0May
2Jun
8Jul
3Aug
2Sep
1Oct
3Nov
10Dec
7

Wind events in Wallowa County by month of occurrence, all years.

Magnitude distribution

under 58 mph15

58–73 mph16

74–95 mph10

96 mph and over0

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 42 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 Jul 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	County
24 Jul 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	County
24 Oct 2021	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
17 Nov 2020	High Wind	79 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Nov 2017	High Wind	66 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Oct 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	70 mph	—	—	—	—	County
19 Jul 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
5 Feb 2015	High Wind	86 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Dec 2014	High Wind	75 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Jan 2014	High Wind	59 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Aug 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	County
19 Nov 2012	High Wind	68 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Jun 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
22 Jun 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	59 mph	—	—	—	—	County
16 Nov 2010	High Wind	74 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Jun 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
28 Jun 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	County
17 Nov 2009	High Wind	87 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Jan 2008	High Wind	81 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Dec 2007	High Wind	84 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
12 Nov 2007	High Wind	78 mph	$500K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
15 Nov 2006	High Wind	62 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
12 Nov 2006	High Wind	81 mph	$50K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
4 Jun 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	County
1 Nov 2005	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Sep 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	County
30 Jan 2004	Strong Wind	52 mph	$500	—	—	—	Forecast zone
4 Dec 2003	High Wind	60 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Nov 2003	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Oct 2003	High Wind	63 mph	$1K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Jun 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	58 mph	$1K	—	—	—	County
24 May 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	County
15 Dec 2002	High Wind	93 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Dec 2002	High Wind	84 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Mar 2002	High Wind	58 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
7 Feb 2002	High Wind	61 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Dec 2001	High Wind	69 mph	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 May 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	70 mph	$10K	—	—	—	County
14 Dec 2000	High Wind	52 mph	$10K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Jun 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	—	$1K	—	—	—	County
26 Jun 1988	Thunderstorm Wind	0 mph	—	—	—	—	County
14 Aug 1956	Thunderstorm Wind	0 mph	—	—	—	—	County

Questions and answers

How many wind events has Wallowa County had?

42 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 Wallowa County?

24 Jul 2024 (Thunderstorm Wind, 58 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Wallowa County?

The high wind of 12 Nov 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.

How does Wallowa County compare with Oregon for wind?

1.3 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 42 of the state's 3,741 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.