207
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$6.1M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Polk County, Wisconsin: 207 recorded events between 1966 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 83. That places the county #979 nationally and #20 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Polk County, Wisconsin: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Polk County is the 2000s, when 59 of the county's 207 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 Polk County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 56.4% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #979 for this hazard and #20 within Wisconsin, putting it in the 68.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Polk County with 84 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.
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2025 | FREDERIC | 55 | $0 |
| May 15, 2025 | LUCK | 50 | $0 |
| May 15, 2025 | MILLTOWN | 50 | $0 |
| May 15, 2025 | LUCK | 50 | $0 |
| Aug 29, 2024 | BALSAM LAKE | 52 | $0 |
| Aug 27, 2024 | LITTLE FALLS | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 19, 2024 | CENTURIA | 61 | $0 |
| Jun 19, 2024 | CENTURIA | 56 | $0 |
| Jun 19, 2024 | UBET | 56 | $0 |
| Jun 19, 2024 | DRESSER | 61 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Polk County
- Hail 109
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Straight line winds estimated around 85 MPH produced significant damage on the south and east side of Amery. Emergency management reported minor damage to 26 residential and 3 business structures, major damage to 1 residential and 12 business structures, and the destruction of 7 business structures in town. Six hangars at the Amery airport including the airplanes and supplies inside were destroyed. Four other hangars received moderate damage. Debris from the airport was found up to 2 miles away. A nearby feed mill and warehouse at the local farmers co-op was a complete loss. Highway 46 South was closed for several hours due to debris in the roadway. Dozens of trees in the damage path were snapped 20 to 30 feet above the ground.
Numerous trees down, some on houses and vehicles, in a wide swath across the county. One tree fell through a trailer in Balsam Lake. Pole barn collapsed on western edge of Balsam Lake. Tree fell through apartment building in Balsam Lake. Building under construction in Centuria was taken down.
A large swath of damage occurred from the northwestern edge of Pipe Lake on 220th Avenue, south and east along Pipe Lake, then southeast to the southeast side of Long Lake. The winds caused damage to boat lifts, boat docks, and buildings near Pipe Lake and around Johnstown Township. At least 100 large trees were downed, with some falling on homes, vehicles, and outbuildings. This wind damage was associated with the rear flank downdraft portion of a tornadic thunderstorm.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Polk County, Wisconsin?
207 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Polk County between 1966 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Polk County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Polk County measured 83.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Polk 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 Polk County, Wisconsin.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/wisconsin/polk-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.