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Wind in Rusk County, Wisconsin
100 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 100 wind events in Rusk County, Wisconsin, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 37 years.
July is the busiest month, with 33 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 38 events against 51 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.7% of the 14,734 wind events recorded in Wisconsin; its 10.9 per 100 square miles compares with 27.2 statewide.
58 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 6 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 Wisconsin
| Measure | Rusk County | Wisconsin | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 100 | 14,734 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.9 | 27.2 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 70.8 | 25.0 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 42 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | July | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
3May
17Jun
27Jul
33Aug
16Sep
3Oct
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 100 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 100 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2014 | High Wind | 49 mph | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Aug 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2004 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 79 mph | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $230K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1990 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1983 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1982 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1981 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1980 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1980 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1962 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1960 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Rusk County had?
100 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 Rusk County?
15 May 2025 (Thunderstorm Wind, 70 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Rusk County?
The thunderstorm wind of 11 Jun 2001, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0M.
How does Rusk County compare with Wisconsin for wind?
10.9 events per 100 square miles against 27.2 statewide; the county holds 100 of the state's 14,734 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.