1,335
Recorded events
56
Counties affected
20
Direct deaths
$56.2M
Property damage
California thunderstorm wind history: 1,335 recorded events across 56 counties between 1955 and 2026.
Decade by decade
California thunderstorm wind history by decade
The 2020s are the busiest decade on record with 409 reported thunderstorm 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 thunderstorm wind events in California
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | San Bernardino County | 197 | 2 | $5.4M | 1957–2026 |
| #2 | Riverside County | 168 | 0 | $13.6M | 1973–2026 |
| #3 | San Diego County | 118 | 5 | $7.2M | 1955–2026 |
| #4 | Imperial County | 113 | 0 | $9.3M | 1955–2025 |
| #5 | Los Angeles County | 105 | 0 | $63K | 1957–2026 |
| #6 | Fresno County | 78 | 1 | $3.8M | 1958–2024 |
| #7 | Kern County | 57 | 0 | $691K | 1960–2024 |
| #8 | Tulare County | 40 | 0 | $4.5M | 1966–2023 |
| #9 | Orange County | 38 | 0 | $1.2M | 1978–2026 |
| #10 | Santa Barbara County | 31 | 0 | $22K | 1982–2026 |
| #11 | Inyo County | 31 | 0 | $152K | 1982–2025 |
| #12 | Kings County | 27 | 0 | $406K | 1995–2023 |
| #13 | Humboldt County | 24 | 0 | $6K | 1982–2026 |
| #14 | Ventura County | 21 | 0 | $2K | 1998–2026 |
| #15 | San Mateo County | 20 | 0 | $60K | 1980–2025 |
| #16 | San Luis Obispo County | 16 | 0 | $54K | 1993–2026 |
| #17 | Siskiyou County | 15 | 0 | $200K | 1990–2024 |
| #18 | Sacramento County | 13 | 0 | $73K | 1973–2026 |
| #19 | Madera County | 13 | 0 | $187K | 1957–2019 |
| #20 | Lassen County | 13 | 0 | $2K | 1958–2017 |
| #21 | Mariposa County | 13 | 1 | $304K | 2002–2024 |
| #22 | Butte County | 12 | 0 | $5.0M | 1978–2023 |
| #23 | Stanislaus County | 9 | 0 | $154K | 1980–2025 |
| #24 | Tehama County | 8 | 0 | $13K | 1980–2023 |
| #25 | Merced County | 8 | 0 | $430K | 1957–2007 |
Significant events
Deadliest thunderstorm wind events in California
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 21, 2025 | El Dorado County | — | 8 | 0 |
| Mar 22, 2007 | San Diego County | — | 3 | 0 |
| Jan 31, 2016 | San Diego County | — | 1 | 2 |
| Jan 15, 2023 | San Francisco County | — | 1 | 0 |
| May 31, 1994 | Fresno County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jan 21, 2012 | Mariposa County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 2009 | San Bernardino County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Sep 5, 2022 | San Bernardino County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jan 19, 2010 | San Diego County | — | 1 | 0 |
All hazards in California · Thunderstorm Wind across the U.S.