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Wind in Benton County, Washington
52 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.
Benton County, Washington, has 52 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 21 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 30 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.9% of the 2,732 wind events recorded in Washington; its 3.1 per 100 square miles compares with 4.1 statewide.
39 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 2 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Compared with Washington
| Measure | Benton County | Washington | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 52 | 2,732 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.1 | 4.1 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.5 | 3.5 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 91 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | May | November | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
4May
14Jun
7Jul
6Aug
11Sep
10Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
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 52 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 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 68 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 77 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1978 | Thunderstorm Wind | 74 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Benton County had?
52 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 Benton County?
30 May 2020 (Thunderstorm Wind, 70 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Benton County?
The thunderstorm wind of 10 Aug 2000, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $20K.
How does Benton County compare with Washington for wind?
3.1 events per 100 square miles against 4.1 statewide; the county holds 52 of the state's 2,732 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.