California damaging wind history
From 2016 to 2025, the NOAA Storm Prediction Center logged 507 damaging thunderstorm wind reports in California, 329 of them 58 mph or more and 35 of 75 mph or more (measured or estimated), on 170 storm days. The day with the most reports since 1955 was February 17, 2026 (50 reports in California). The highest wind on record is 107 mph, on February 18, 1993. 2026 so far: 114 preliminary reports.
California's biggest wind day since 2016: February 17, 2026
50 damaging wind reports in California, 2 of 75 mph or more. All storm reports that day →
Source: National Storms (nationalstorms.com), CC BY 4.0, data from NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports.
Days with the most damaging wind reports in California
| Storm day | Wind reports | 75 mph+ | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 17, 2026 | 50 | 2 | 78 mph |
| February 16, 2026 | 22 | 1 | 81 mph |
| August 25, 2025 | 17 | 2 | 76 mph |
| January 10, 2023 | 17 | 1 | 75 mph |
| September 11, 2017 | 17 | 1 | 100 mph |
| February 7, 2024 | 16 | 2 | 82 mph |
| January 31, 2016 | 15 | 1 | 78 mph |
| August 24, 2025 | 13 | 0 | 58 mph |
| September 3, 2017 | 13 | 1 | 81 mph |
| May 28, 2009 | 12 | 0 | 63 mph |
| October 14, 2025 | 11 | 0 | 71 mph |
| August 19, 2023 | 11 | 0 | 62 mph |
| February 28, 2014 | 11 | 0 | 64 mph |
| October 29, 2007 | 11 | 0 | 71 mph |
| September 18, 2025 | 10 | 0 | 64 mph |
Highest wind speeds reported in California
| Storm day | Wind reports | 75 mph+ | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 18, 1993 | 3 | 1 | 107 mph |
| March 21, 2017 | 2 | 1 | 105 mph |
| September 1, 1997 | 3 | 2 | 104 mph |
| August 3, 1973 | 2 | 1 | 101 mph |
| September 11, 2017 | 17 | 1 | 100 mph |
| December 24, 2015 | 1 | 1 | 100 mph |
| September 15, 2007 | 1 | 1 | 100 mph |
| April 18, 2000 | 3 | 2 | 100 mph |
| April 17, 2000 | 5 | 5 | 100 mph |
| August 12, 1981 | 3 | 1 | 100 mph |
California damaging wind reports by year
| Year | Damaging wind reports | 58 mph+ | 75 mph+ | Highest | Days with reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 114 | 42 | 4 | 89 mph | 20 |
| 2025 | 103 | 89 | 9 | 96 mph | 24 |
| 2024 | 73 | 47 | 9 | 97 mph | 26 |
| 2023 | 78 | 25 | 2 | 83 mph | 20 |
| 2022 | 43 | 38 | 0 | 72 mph | 22 |
| 2021 | 43 | 23 | 2 | 78 mph | 18 |
| 2020 | 20 | 15 | 1 | 81 mph | 6 |
| 2019 | 23 | 13 | 1 | 78 mph | 14 |
| 2018 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 75 mph | 12 |
| 2017 | 64 | 40 | 5 | 105 mph | 16 |
| 2016 | 45 | 31 | 5 | 96 mph | 12 |
| 2015 | 32 | 23 | 1 | 100 mph | 21 |
| 2014 | 33 | 12 | 2 | 75 mph | 12 |
| 2013 | 30 | 20 | 2 | 75 mph | 19 |
| 2012 | 27 | 22 | 3 | 87 mph | 19 |
| 2011 | 32 | 28 | 3 | 81 mph | 15 |
| 2010 | 29 | 28 | 4 | 93 mph | 13 |
| 2009 | 32 | 30 | 2 | 77 mph | 13 |
| 2008 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 69 mph | 9 |
| 2007 | 31 | 26 | 2 | 100 mph | 18 |
| 2006 | 18 | 18 | 3 | 84 mph | 15 |
| 2005 | 29 | 29 | 2 | 81 mph | 19 |
| 2004 | 19 | 19 | 1 | 86 mph | 10 |
| 2003 | 12 | 12 | 3 | 92 mph | 10 |
| 2002 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 72 mph | 9 |
| 2001 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 89 mph | 10 |
| 2000 | 22 | 21 | 9 | 100 mph | 12 |
| 1999 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 79 mph | 12 |
| 1998 | 37 | 26 | 6 | 86 mph | 15 |
| 1997 | 27 | 24 | 4 | 104 mph | 15 |
| 1996 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 92 mph | 9 |
| 1995 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 82 mph | 9 |
| 1994 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 60 mph | 7 |
| 1993 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 107 mph | 5 |
| 1992 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 78 mph | 3 |
| 1991 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 69 mph | 4 |
| 1990 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 78 mph | 8 |
| 1989 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 70 mph | 3 |
| 1988 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 75 mph | 4 |
| 1987 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 72 mph | 4 |
| 1986 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 86 mph | 6 |
| 1985 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 60 mph | 4 |
| 1984 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 67 mph | 8 |
| 1983 | 23 | 10 | 0 | 70 mph | 12 |
| 1982 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 68 mph | 8 |
| 1981 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 100 mph | 5 |
| 1980 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 81 mph | 9 |
| 1979 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 72 mph | 1 |
| 1978 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 92 mph | 6 |
| 1977 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 81 mph | 3 |
| 1976 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 70 mph | 2 |
| 1975 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 78 mph | 3 |
| 1974 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 63 mph | 3 |
| 1973 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 101 mph | 5 |
| 1972 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 67 mph | 4 |
| 1970 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 81 mph | 5 |
| 1969 | 2 | – | – | – | 2 |
| 1966 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 62 mph | 2 |
| 1964 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 71 mph | 1 |
| 1962 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| 1960 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 83 mph | 3 |
| 1959 | 2 | – | – | – | 2 |
| 1958 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 75 mph | 6 |
| 1957 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 81 mph | 6 |
| 1955 | 3 | – | – | – | 2 |
* 2026: preliminary SPC reports; many have no wind speed yet.
More for California: tornado history and paths · hail history · all states · derechos
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Severe Weather Database (SVRGIS) damaging-wind reports, 1955–2025, and SPC preliminary storm reports for 2026 (data through November 6, 2026). Wind speeds are measured or estimated by spotters, the public and NWS staff; SPC records them in knots and we show mph. 58 mph is the National Weather Service's severe-thunderstorm wind threshold.
Guide: Hail vs wind damage