476
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
12
Direct injuries
$3.3M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Surry County, North Carolina: 476 recorded events between 1974 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 75. That places the county #129 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Surry County, North Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Surry County is the 2010s, when 183 of the county's 476 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 Surry County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 62.8% of all recorded severe weather across 10 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #129 for this hazard and #2 within North Carolina, putting it in the 96.0 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Surry County with 117 recorded events, while Dec 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 1988 | 0 | 0 | 6 | $0 | |
| May 19, 2000 | ELKIN | 0 | 0 | 2 | $75K |
| Apr 28, 2023 | ELKIN | 74 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
| Jun 24, 2012 | WOODVILLE | 50 | 0 | 1 | $50K |
| Jul 26, 1995 | Bottom | 0 | 0 | 1 | $3K |
| Aug 10, 1986 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 2025 | LEVEL CROSS | 50 | $2K |
| Jul 20, 2025 | MT AIRY | 50 | $1K |
| Jul 19, 2025 | BANNERTOWN | 50 | $2K |
| Jul 19, 2025 | CRUTCHFIELD | 50 | $500 |
| Jul 19, 2025 | BURCH | 50 | $2K |
| Jul 18, 2025 | WOODVILLE | 50 | $500 |
| Jul 18, 2025 | WOODVILLE | 50 | $500 |
| Jul 16, 2025 | MT AIRY SURRY CO ARP | 50 | $500 |
| Jul 16, 2025 | WESTFIELD | 50 | $500 |
| Jul 16, 2025 | WOODVILLE | 50 | $500 |
Other hazards here
More from Surry County
- Hail 144
- Flash Flood 62
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A swath of thunderstorm straight line wind damage occurred within an area almost five miles long and around three miles wide near Elkin. The damage consisted of multiple locations with scattered to numerous trees and power lines downed. Additionally, there was wind damage to some small barns and outbuildings, and trees and tree limbs were downed on many homes. In one case of home damage, a sunroom was partially destroyed by a fallen tree. One person was trapped under a fallen tree, sustained minor injuries and required hospitalization. Occurring within this path of destruction was a brief EF-0 tornado which is discussed in detail in a 15:44 EST Tornado report. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew several power lines down. A store's sign and outdoor storage racks were blown away, and a tree was also blown down. A large Billboard and road signs were also blown down at and near the Family Dollar Store. Damage values are estimated..
This particular storm had very strong winds with much of its life with reports of damaging winds and large hail. The storm went directly through Mt. Airy where numerous trees were blown down in multiple locations. Reports ended in the Flat Rock area where downed trees and power lines were widespread.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Surry County, North Carolina?
476 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Surry County between 1974 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Surry County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Surry County measured 75.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Surry 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 Surry County, North Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-carolina/surry-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.