National Weather ServiceHigh Wind WarningVTEC HW.WArchive to October 16, 2026
High Wind Warning: what it means and how often it is issued
The National Weather Service issued 620 high wind warnings in 2025 and 578 a year on average in 2008-2025; Wyoming, California and Texas got the most in 2021-2025. 2026 through September: 363, in line with the average of 371 for those months in 2008-2025.
What is a high wind warning?
A high wind warning means sustained winds of 40 mph or more for an hour or longer, or gusts of 58 mph or more, in most offices; some mountain and coastal offices use higher values. A warning means the hazard is happening, about to happen, or very likely: act now to protect people and property.
Source: National Weather Service directives and glossary.
How many high wind warnings a year?
National count: each high wind warning counted once, whatever the number of states it covers. 2026 is an outline: the year is not over.
The numbers
| Year | Count |
|---|---|
| 2026 (through September) | 384 |
| 2025 | 620 |
| 2024 | 620 |
| 2023 | 517 |
| 2022 | 726 |
| 2021 | 615 |
| 2020 | 569 |
| 2019 | 548 |
| 2018 | 476 |
| 2017 | 597 |
| 2016 | 489 |
| 2015 | 399 |
| 2014 | 568 |
| 2013 | 460 |
| 2012 | 695 |
| 2011 | 716 |
| 2010 | 550 |
| 2009 | 549 |
| 2008 | 681 |
Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of National Weather Service watches, warnings and advisories (VTEC); National Weather Service. Data as of October 16, 2026.
When in the year?
Sum of 2008-2025; the busiest month is labelled.
Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of National Weather Service watches, warnings and advisories (VTEC); National Weather Service. Data as of October 16, 2026.
Which states get the most high wind warnings?
Yearly average per state, 2021-2025. A high wind warning covering two states counts in both.
| State | A year, 2021-2025 | A year, 2008-2025 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 88 | 77 | 101 |
| California | 74 | 70 | 68 |
| Texas | 66 | 64 | 66 |
| New Mexico | 64 | 55 | 60 |
| Montana | 59 | 54 | 70 |
| Alaska | 51 | 54 | 52 |
| Colorado | 38 | 31 | 30 |
| Kansas | 31 | 25 | 33 |
| Nebraska | 31 | 23 | 46 |
| Oregon | 26 | 32 | 24 |
| South Dakota | 26 | 17 | 31 |
| Washington | 19 | 24 | 20 |
| Nevada | 13 | 16 | 13 |
| Oklahoma | 13 | 11 | 13 |
| Utah | 13 | 12 | 6 |
| New York | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Tennessee | 11 | 9 | 6 |
| Idaho | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| North Dakota | 10 | 8 | 14 |
| North Carolina | 9 | 12 | 11 |
| Virginia | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Minnesota | 9 | 6 | 19 |
| West Virginia | 8 | 6 | 12 |
| Iowa | 8 | 6 | 22 |
| Maine | 7 | 7 | 2 |
| Arizona | 7 | 7 | 3 |
| Massachusetts | 7 | 9 | 10 |
| Hawaii | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| Pennsylvania | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| Indiana | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Missouri | 5 | 4 | 10 |
| Kentucky | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Ohio | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Maryland | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| Michigan | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Illinois | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Vermont | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Mississippi | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| New Jersey | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Louisiana | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Florida | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Connecticut | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Delaware | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Georgia | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Alabama | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Arkansas | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of National Weather Service watches, warnings and advisories (VTEC); National Weather Service. Data as of October 16, 2026.
The latest high wind warnings in AreaZine's record
NWS AlbuquerqueWarningOctober 16, 2026
High Wind Warning: Lower Rio Grande Valley and Upper Tularosa Valley, NM
Expired 9:00 a.m. MDT, October 16, 2026
NWS JuneauWarningOctober 16, 2026
High Wind Warning: Ketchikan Gateway Borough and Annette Island, AK
Expired 7:00 a.m. AKDT, October 16, 2026
NWS San DiegoWarningOctober 16, 2026
High Wind Warning: San Diego County Mountains, CA
In force until 12:00 a.m. PDT, October 18, 2026
NWS TucsonWarningOctober 16, 2026
High Wind Warning: Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales, Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail, South Central Pinal County including Eloy/Picacho Peak State
In force until 5:00 a.m. PDT, October 17, 2026
NWS Midland/OdessaWarningOctober 15, 2026
High Wind Warning: Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County, Guadalupe Mountains Above 7000 Feet and Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains, NM and TX
In force until 12:00 a.m. MDT, October 17, 2026
NWS El Paso Tx/Santa TeresaWarningOctober 15, 2026
High Wind Warning: West Slopes Sacramento Mountains Below 7500 Feet, Sacramento Mountains Above 7500 Feet and East Central Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo, NM
In force until 12:00 p.m. MDT, October 16, 2026
This list is AreaZine's record of the NWS alert feed, kept since April 6, 2026; the counts above come from the complete IEM archive.
Source: National Weather Service alerts (api.weather.gov).
High Wind Warnings in states without a page of their own, in AreaZine's record
16 notices in AreaZine's record; the latest first below. Every one, oldest first: April 27, 2026 to October 10, 2026.
- High Wind Warning: Dade, Walker, Catoosa and 35 more, GA Dade, Walker, Catoosa and 35 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Dade, Walker, Catoosa and 41 more, GA Dade, Walker, Catoosa and 41 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Blount, Etowah, Calhoun and 2 more, AL Blount, Etowah, Calhoun and 2 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Madison, Morgan, Marshall and 3 more, AL Madison, Morgan, Marshall and 3 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Blount, Etowah, Calhoun and 2 more, AL Blount, Etowah, Calhoun and 2 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Madison, Morgan, Marshall and 3 more, AL Madison, Morgan, Marshall and 3 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Dade, Walker, Catoosa and 41 more, GA Dade, Walker, Catoosa and 41 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Dade, Walker, Catoosa and 41 more, GA Dade, Walker, Catoosa and 41 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Blount, Etowah, Calhoun and 2 more, AL Blount, Etowah, Calhoun and 2 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Northern New London, Southern Middlesex, Southern New London and 6 more, CT and NY Northern New London, Southern Middlesex, Southern New London and 6 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Southeast Providence, Western Kent and Eastern Kent, RI Southeast Providence, Western Kent and Eastern Kent expired
- High Wind Warning: Delaware Beaches, Eastern Monmouth, Atlantic Coastal Cape May and 2 more, DE and NJ Delaware Beaches, Eastern Monmouth, Atlantic Coastal Cape May and 2 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Southeast Providence, Western Kent and Eastern Kent, RI Southeast Providence, Western Kent and Eastern Kent expired
- High Wind Warning: Kane, DuPage, Kendall and 6 more, IL Kane, DuPage, Kendall and 6 more expired
- High Wind Warning: Marquette, Green Lake, Sauk and 1 more, WI Marquette, Green Lake, Sauk and 1 more expired
- High Wind Warning: McHenry, Lake, De Kalb and 4 more, IL McHenry, Lake, De Kalb and 4 more expired
Source: National Weather Service alerts (api.weather.gov). A U.S. Government work, in the public domain.
High Wind Warning or high wind watch?
A high wind watch (for a wide area, hours or days ahead) means the conditions are possible: be ready; a high wind warning (from the local NWS office, for the area at risk) means the hazard is happening or imminent: act now. A high wind watch means winds reaching high wind warning values are possible. A watch means the conditions for the hazard are possible or favourable, but it is not yet happening: be ready to act if a warning follows. The NWS issued 434 high wind watches in 2025, against 620 high wind warnings. The high wind watch record.