National Weather ServiceHigh Wind WarningVTEC HW.WArchive to October 1, 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) | 363 |
| 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 1, 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 1, 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 1, 2026.
The latest high wind warnings in AreaZine's record
NWS Great FallsWarningSeptember 28, 2026
High Wind Warning: East Glacier Park Region, Northern High Plains and Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera, MT
Expired 12:00 p.m. MDT, September 29, 2026
NWS HonoluluWarningSeptember 26, 2026
High Wind Warning: Lanai Mauka, Maui Leeward West, Kohala and 9 more, HI
Expired 6:00 p.m. HST, September 27, 2026
NWS UptonWarningSeptember 26, 2026
High Wind Warning: Northern New London, Southern Middlesex, Southern New London and 6 more, CT and NY
Expired 12:00 p.m. EDT, September 27, 2026
NWS Boston/NortonWarningSeptember 26, 2026
High Wind Warning: Southeast Providence, Western Kent and Eastern Kent, RI
Expired 8:00 a.m. EDT, September 27, 2026
NWS Great FallsWarningSeptember 25, 2026
High Wind Warning: Eastern Toole and Liberty, Hill County, Northern Blaine County and 1 more, MT
Expired 6:00 a.m. MDT, September 26, 2026
NWS PortlandWarningSeptember 25, 2026
High Wind Warning: North Oregon Coast Range, OR
Expired 11:00 a.m. PDT, September 25, 2026
NWS Mount HollyWarningSeptember 25, 2026
High Wind Warning: Delaware Beaches, Eastern Monmouth, Atlantic Coastal Cape May and 2 more, DE and NJ
Expired 6:00 a.m. EDT, September 27, 2026
NWS AnchorageWarningSeptember 24, 2026
High Wind Warning: Unalaska and Nikolski, AK
Expired 4:00 p.m. AKDT, September 26, 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 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.