13,559
Recorded events
87
Counties affected
16
Direct deaths
$973.7M
Property damage
Minnesota thunderstorm wind history: 13,559 recorded events across 87 counties between 1955 and 2026.
Decade by decade
Minnesota thunderstorm wind history by decade
The 2010s are the busiest decade on record with 3,699 reported thunderstorm wind events across Minnesota. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most thunderstorm wind events in Minnesota
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | St. Louis County | 633 | 0 | $376K | 1955–2026 |
| #2 | Hennepin County | 494 | 2 | $160.0M | 1955–2025 |
| #3 | Otter Tail County | 405 | 0 | $14.1M | 1955–2025 |
| #4 | Polk County | 318 | 0 | $1.8M | 1956–2025 |
| #5 | Olmsted County | 315 | 1 | $4.3M | 1956–2025 |
| #6 | Stearns County | 308 | 0 | $3.5M | 1965–2025 |
| #7 | Itasca County | 293 | 1 | $276K | 1959–2025 |
| #8 | Crow Wing County | 293 | 0 | $1.4M | 1956–2025 |
| #9 | Wright County | 270 | 0 | $22.9M | 1968–2025 |
| #10 | Cass County | 255 | 1 | $76K | 1970–2025 |
| #11 | Dakota County | 244 | 0 | $181.6M | 1957–2025 |
| #12 | McLeod County | 239 | 0 | $651K | 1965–2025 |
| #13 | Beltrami County | 234 | 0 | $15.3M | 1960–2025 |
| #14 | Anoka County | 208 | 0 | $87.2M | 1958–2025 |
| #15 | Carver County | 199 | 0 | $15.1M | 1964–2025 |
| #16 | Fillmore County | 194 | 0 | $1.5M | 1969–2026 |
| #17 | Scott County | 188 | 0 | $187.9M | 1964–2025 |
| #18 | Winona County | 188 | 0 | $2.6M | 1955–2025 |
| #19 | Mower County | 185 | 0 | $8.0M | 1959–2025 |
| #20 | Clay County | 182 | 0 | $644K | 1960–2025 |
| #21 | Aitkin County | 180 | 0 | $41K | 1972–2025 |
| #22 | Kandiyohi County | 180 | 1 | $16.8M | 1955–2025 |
| #23 | Goodhue County | 171 | 1 | $3.4M | 1968–2025 |
| #24 | Ramsey County | 170 | 0 | $25.8M | 1963–2025 |
| #25 | Becker County | 170 | 0 | $2.1M | 1966–2025 |
Significant events
Deadliest thunderstorm wind events in Minnesota
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 21, 2016 | Lake County | — | 2 | 2 |
| Sep 17, 2021 | Blue Earth County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 3, 2012 | Itasca County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 14, 2000 | Cass County | — | 1 | 0 |
| May 12, 2022 | Kandiyohi County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 20, 2016 | Cook County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 3, 2003 | Lake County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jun 21, 2022 | Douglas County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Apr 26, 1991 | Freeborn County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Dec 16, 2021 | Olmsted County | — | 1 | 0 |
All hazards in Minnesota · Thunderstorm Wind across the U.S.