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Wind in Highland County, Virginia
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.
Highland County, Virginia, has 68 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 30 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 35 events against 29 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.3% of the 22,882 wind events recorded in Virginia; its 16.4 per 100 square miles compares with 58.0 statewide.
21 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 1 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 Virginia
| Measure | Highland County | Virginia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 68 | 22,882 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 16.4 | 58.0 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 305.5 | 26.5 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | July | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
4Feb
5Mar
5Apr
9May
8Jun
9Jul
12Aug
8Sep
2Oct
1Nov
2Dec
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 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | $250 | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | $250 | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2008 | High Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2007 | Strong Wind | 46 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Jan 2006 | High Wind | 58 mph | $60K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Apr 2005 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2004 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Nov 2003 | Strong Wind | 49 mph | $3K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Nov 2003 | Strong Wind | 49 mph | $3K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Sep 2003 | High Wind | 58 mph | $50K | $50K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 May 2003 | Strong Wind | 55 mph | $3K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Feb 2003 | Strong Wind | 35 mph | $100 | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jan 2003 | High Wind | 40 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 2002 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2002 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Feb 2002 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Dec 2001 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Mar 2001 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Feb 2001 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jan 2001 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Dec 2000 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jan 2000 | High Wind | — | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $7K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $15K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 1998 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Mar 1997 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Sep 1996 | High Wind | — | $25K | $250K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 May 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1976 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1974 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Highland 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 Highland County?
30 May 2025 (Thunderstorm Wind, 60 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Highland County?
The high wind of 6 Sep 1996, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25K and crop damage at $250K.
How does Highland County compare with Virginia for wind?
16.4 events per 100 square miles against 58.0 statewide; the county holds 68 of the state's 22,882 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.