Severe Weather History


California High Wind History: 7,119 Recorded Events

7,133

Recorded events

6

Counties affected

42

Direct deaths

$404.6M

Property damage

California high wind history: 7,133 recorded events across 6 counties between 1996 and 2026.

Decade by decade

California high wind history by decade

California high wind history: recorded events per decade
California high wind history: recorded events per decade

The 2000s are the busiest decade on record with 13 reported high wind events across California. 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 high wind events in California

RankCountyEventsDeathsDamageSpan
#1Kern County60$25K2000–2002
#2Los Angeles County40$02002–2002
#3Merced County20$02001–2002
#4Humboldt County10$01996–1996
#5Mendocino County10$1K2024–2024
#6Tulare County10$02000–2000
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · ranked by recorded event count

All hazards in California · High Wind across the U.S.