113
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
2
Direct injuries
$9.3M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Imperial County, California: 113 recorded events between 1955 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 87. That places the county #2,041 nationally and #4 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Imperial County, California: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Imperial County is the 2020s, when 53 of the county's 113 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 Imperial County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 44.0% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #2,041 for this hazard and #4 within California, putting it in the 35.1 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Aug is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Imperial County with 54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25, 2025 | SALTON CITY | 50 | 0 | 1 | $50K |
| Aug 11, 2021 | CALEXICO | 43 | 0 | 1 | $1K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2025 | MELOLAND | 56 | $12K |
| Sep 19, 2025 | (IPL)IMPERIAL CO ARP | 56 | $5K |
| Sep 19, 2025 | MELOLAND | 56 | $12K |
| Sep 19, 2025 | EL CENTRO | 56 | $12K |
| Sep 19, 2025 | CALEXICO | 56 | $1K |
| Sep 19, 2025 | (IPL)IMPERIAL CO ARP | 55 | $0 |
| Sep 19, 2025 | HEBER | 56 | $15K |
| Sep 19, 2025 | CALEXICO | 56 | $5K |
| Sep 5, 2025 | WINTERHAVEN | 50 | $1K |
| Aug 25, 2025 | WESTMORELAND | 52 | $500K |
Other hazards here
More from Imperial County
- Flash Flood 102
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Very strong, straight line winds caused significant damage to many homes and businesses including a fire station. The storm motion was toward the northeast. Power lines and poles were downed and many trees were uprooted.|Storm survey data indicated the most significant damage was about 651 pm PDT.
Multiple down power poles and power lines were reported near I-8 and Bonds Corner Road. This included downed high voltage transmission lines. Multiple motorists and nearby residents were reported to be trapped in the Holtville area due to all the downed power poles and power lines. No injuries were reported. Time estimated from radar.
An article from a local newspaper reported numerous transmission and distribution power poles were down in an area between Calipatria and Niland due to damaging wind gusts. According to the Imperial Irrigation District, over 100 power poles were knocked down by the storm. Photos shared on social media showed multiple power poles down along Lindsey Road and Gentry Road. No injuries were reported. Timing was estimated using radar.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Imperial County, California?
113 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Imperial County between 1955 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Imperial County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Imperial County measured 87.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Imperial 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 Imperial County, California.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/california/imperial-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.