236
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
3
Direct injuries
$9.6M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Columbia County, Wisconsin: 236 recorded events between 1973 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 87. That places the county #768 nationally and #12 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Columbia County, Wisconsin: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Columbia County is the 2000s, when 71 of the county's 236 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Columbia County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 46.9% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #768 for this hazard and #12 within Wisconsin, putting it in the 75.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Columbia County with 73 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 7, 2008 | RIO | 50 | 0 | 1 | $25K |
| May 31, 1998 | COUNTYWIDE | 0 | 0 | 1 | $3.6M |
| May 25, 1989 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 2026 | COLUMBUS | 61 | $30K |
| Apr 13, 2026 | LODI | 61 | $35K |
| Apr 13, 2026 | PORTAGE | 61 | $50K |
| Aug 16, 2025 | PARDEEVILLE | 50 | $2K |
| Aug 16, 2025 | PORTAGE | 50 | $1K |
| Aug 16, 2025 | LEWISTON | 50 | $2K |
| Jun 23, 2025 | POYNETTE | 60 | $1K |
| Jun 23, 2025 | LEWISTON | 50 | $20K |
| May 22, 2024 | COLUMBUS | 56 | $3K |
| May 22, 2024 | OKEE | 65 | $15K |
Other hazards here
More from Columbia County
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Widespread tree damage in the city of Columbus with many of the roads blocked by debris. A State of Emergency was declared in the city. Numerous large tree branches and trunks snapped. Some large trees uprooted. A few trees downed on homes. Some power poles knocked down or leaning. The Red Cross opened a shelter at Columbus Middle School for those without power in order to seek relief from the heat and humidity.
The Columbia County 911 Call Center reported approximately 100 trees were blown down, many power lines downed and scattered clusters of damage along a 17 mile-wide path from 5 miles southwest of Portage to Columbus from damaging thunderstorm wind gusts that were estimated up to 80 mph. A trained spotter recrded a 71 mph wind gust in Pardeeville. The roof was blown off a home and a garage was destroyed in Fall River. A home was destroyed and 2 houses damaged in the Town of Dakorra. Heavy rain accompanying the storms, with 1.58 inches measured in 45 minutes 3 miles east of Poynette, produced street flooding in Portage and Pardeeville.
Numerous trees and branches down from the Portage area toward Pardeeville, some landing on homes, sheds, and vehicles. Some shingle and shutter damage to homes. Damage to street signs, billboards and other large signs. A large 5th wheel camper tipped over near the Swan Lake State Wildlife area.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Columbia County, Wisconsin?
236 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Columbia County between 1973 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Columbia County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Columbia County measured 87.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Columbia County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Columbia County, Wisconsin.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/wisconsin/columbia-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.