160
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
3
Direct injuries
$24.3M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Washington County, Minnesota: 160 recorded events between 1960 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 85. That places the county #1,428 nationally and #30 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Washington County, Minnesota: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Washington County is the 2000s, when 53 of the county's 160 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 Washington County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 38.5% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #1,428 for this hazard and #30 within Minnesota, putting it in the 54.7 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Washington County with 53 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 15, 2008 | LANGDON | 52 | 0 | 2 | $0 |
| Jul 23, 2005 | STILLWATER | 52 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2025 | POINT DOUGLAS | 59 | $0 |
| Jul 29, 2025 | LAKE ELMO | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 29, 2025 | MARINE ON ST CROIX | 55 | $0 |
| Jun 29, 2025 | WOODBURY | 53 | $0 |
| Aug 29, 2024 | ST PAUL PARK | 56 | $0 |
| Aug 27, 2024 | LAKE ELMO | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 22, 2024 | WOODBURY | 59 | $0 |
| Jun 19, 2024 | AFTON | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 19, 2024 | HUGO | 52 | $0 |
| Aug 11, 2023 | WOODBURY | 50 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Washington County
- Hail 198
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Wind measured at Lake Elmo Airport. Thirtytwo aircraft damaged, structural damage to several hangars at the Lake Elmo Airport. Estimated damage of one million dollars at the airport, according to the Metropolitan Airports Commission. Forty homes damaged just west of the airport with another 0.5 million damage estimated. Most damage involved dislodged shingles, siding, garage doors damaged. Many large trees in the old village area of Lake Elmo suffered heavy damage, or were blown down. Some corn also flattened. Twenty thousand electrical customers out of power for several hours across Woodbury, Afton, and Lake Elmo.
Marina damaged. Pier broke lose from shore with 25 boats, some still occupied. Two other piers heavily damaged. Wind damage also reported in Oak Park Heights, Lake Elmo and Oakdale. Large tree limbs and power lines down.
There were numerous power lines downed, mainly caused by trees falling on the lines. The area along Olson Lake Road from 50th St N to 40th St N was particularly impacted by fallen trees on the lines. There were also a number of trees uprooted, some over 10 inches in diameter, in the area from 50th St N to Stillwater Blvd. Some of the portable tents at the Oakdale Summerfest held at a584 Hadley Ave N. were destroyed by wind.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Washington County, Minnesota?
160 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Washington County between 1960 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Washington County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Washington County measured 85.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Washington 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 Washington County, Minnesota.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/minnesota/washington-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.