177
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$2.6M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Williams County, North Dakota: 177 recorded events between 1960 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 98. That places the county #1,246 nationally and #11 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Williams County, North Dakota: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Williams County is the 2020s, when 51 of the county's 177 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 Williams County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 38.3% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #1,246 for this hazard and #11 within North Dakota, putting it in the 60.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Williams County with 85 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 27, 1990 | 61 | 1 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 8, 2025 | TIOGA | 56 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2025 | TIOGA | 61 | $25K |
| Aug 8, 2025 | RAY | 53 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2025 | TIOGA | 57 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2025 | TIOGA | 51 | $0 |
| Jul 27, 2025 | RAY | 54 | $0 |
| Jul 26, 2025 | TIOGA | 58 | $0 |
| Jul 26, 2025 | WHEELOCK | 73 | $0 |
| Jun 16, 2025 | (ISN)SLOULIN FLD WIL | 54 | $0 |
| Sep 21, 2024 | (ISN)SLOULIN FLD WIL | 53 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Williams County
- Hail 229
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Analysis of damage photos indicated that the peak wind was around 80 mph. The Williston Airport ASOS measured 71 mph at 8:33 PM CDT, but the worst damage was in other parts of Williston. Large trees were snapped and uprooted, fences were destroyed, and vehicles were destroyed by falling trees. It was estimated that the high winds lasted for about 10 minutes. Half dollar sized hail was also reported at this time.
ASOS at the Williston, North Dakota Airport recorded a 65 knot (75 mph) wind gust at 4:18 a.m. CDT Monday, July 23rd. Williams County Emergency Manager indicated that nearly all of the damage was confined to the airport property. The city of Williston had no more damage than some small tree limbs broken. Many buildings on the airport property were damaged, along with several aircraft. Specifically, major damage occurred to three aircraft hangars, minor damage to three airplane storage buildings, and damage to two single engine aircraft and one twin engine aircraft. An electrical line was also damaged, support beams on buildings were buckled, and parts of roofs were blown off. A helicopter was pushed 50 feet and turned 90 degrees. With the damage confined to such a small area (the airport property), and a small area of the airport (less than 1/2 mile) it was determined that this event was a microburst. Based on the damage it was determined that the highest wind likely missed the ASOS and was on the order of 82 knots (94 mph), estimated.
Sheet metal walls from out-buildings were blown into vehicles, campers, and motorhomes causing damage in the Wildrose area. Some trees were uprooted, with a few large diameter trees snapped and blocking streets. Power was out to the entire town.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Williams County, North Dakota?
177 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Williams County between 1960 and 2025, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Williams County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Williams County measured 98.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Williams 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 Williams County, North Dakota.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-dakota/williams-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.