276
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$9.1M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Okaloosa County, Florida: 276 recorded events between 1961 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 94. That places the county #553 nationally and #23 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Okaloosa County, Florida: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Okaloosa County is the 2010s, when 65 of the county's 276 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 Okaloosa County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 47.7% of all recorded severe weather across 10 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #553 for this hazard and #23 within Florida, putting it in the 82.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Okaloosa County with 53 recorded events, while Oct 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 1993 | Ft. Walton Beach | 0 | 0 | 1 | $50K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25, 2026 | VALPARAISO | 51 | $0 |
| May 10, 2024 | CRESTVIEW | 73 | $0 |
| May 10, 2024 | CRESTVIEW | 70 | $0 |
| May 10, 2024 | BAKER | 83 | $0 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | DESTIN FT WALTON ARP | 52 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2023 | HOLT | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 26, 2023 | EGLIN AFB | 58 | $0 |
| Jun 18, 2023 | DESTIN FT WALTON ARP | 66 | $0 |
| Jun 18, 2023 | LONGWOOD | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 17, 2023 | DESTIN | 56 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Okaloosa County
- Tornado 100
- Hail 66
- Flash Flood 65
- Lightning 46
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A line of severe thunderstorms moved through the county between 1230 am and 130 am. Trees and power lines were blown down throughout the county. Most of the damage occurred in the south part of the county. Hurlburt field reported a gust of 70 mph and Eglin reported a gust of 59 mph. On Eglin Air Force Base the wind damaged three aircraft. One of the aircraft was picked up and blown across a barrier. This aircraft suffered the most damage. A spokesman estimated wind gusts of 92 mph near where the aircraft were damaged. Some minor structural damage occurred in Valparaiso and Niceville. No injuries were reported.
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across the coastal portions of the county during the early morning hours. The most intense part of the line of storms was along the coast in the vicinity of Okaloosa Island in the Fort Walton Beach area. Very strong straight line winds associated with a "bow echo" along the line storms produced extensive wind damage to the west wing of the Blue Horizon Beach Resort . The strong blast of wind tore the roof off of the three story west wing of the condos, and deposited it in the adjacent parking lot and onto Santa Rosa Blvd., the highway located just north of the condominium complex. Some of the roof debris also hit and damaged the Sugar Isle Motel, which is located next door to the Blue Horizon. About 60 rooms of the Blue Horizon's west wing received major structural and water damage, and significant damage also occurred to automobiles in the adjacent parking lot, which were hit by flying debris. In addition, power lines and power polls along Santa Rosa Blvd were also downed by debris and high winds.
An apparent downburst of wind caused minor damage to temporary roofing on the gym and auditorium of Niceville High School. The school had suffered damage from Hurricane Opal and had a temporary roof on it. The wind peeled away the temporary roof and rains damaged the auditorium. The roof damage is an estimate to fix the total damage, although most of the damage occurred with Opal. Four residences near the high school also had some shingles blown from their homes and an automobile had its rear window knocked out by debris.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Okaloosa County, Florida?
276 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Okaloosa County between 1961 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Okaloosa County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Okaloosa County measured 94.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Okaloosa 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 Okaloosa County, Florida.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/florida/okaloosa-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.