States › Texas › Sterling County › Wind
Wind in Sterling County, Texas
42 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.
Sterling County, Texas, has 42 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 27 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 27 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.1% of the 43,222 wind events recorded in Texas; its 4.5 per 100 square miles compares with 16.5 statewide.
31 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 Texas
| Measure | Sterling County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 42 | 43,222 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.5 | 16.5 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 304.1 | 14.6 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 129 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | May | May | June |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
2Mar
5Apr
2May
14Jun
9Jul
0Aug
3Sep
1Oct
3Nov
1Dec
1
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 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 Sep 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 78 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 77 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Dec 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jan 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2009 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2007 | High Wind | 47 mph | $2K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Nov 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1968 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Sterling 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 Sterling County?
24 Sep 2025 (Thunderstorm Wind, 78 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Sterling County?
The thunderstorm wind of 14 Jun 1997, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50K.
How does Sterling County compare with Texas for wind?
4.5 events per 100 square miles against 16.5 statewide; the county holds 42 of the state's 43,222 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.