The severe wind outbreak of July 18, 2016

300 wind reportsMaine, Massachusetts, Virginia and 25 more states

300 damaging wind reports across 28 states between 1:10 AM and 12:56 AM the next day CDT, 8 of them 65 knots (75 mph) or stronger; the strongest measured gust was 75 mph in Meade County, SD. 59 hail reports and 2 tornadoes the same day.

Watch the day unfold

Severe wind day · July 18, 2016

How the day unfolded

Every damaging wind report of the day at its logged time, with the day's hail reports and tornadoes, and the counties they reached.

About this replay

Central time—Historical replay — logged report times

Wind reports—of 300 that day

Strongest gust—measured, so far

Largest hail—so far

The day’s milestones

Wind reportsLarger and brighter with speed; filled when measured, a ring when estimated

Hail and tornadoesHail reports as diamonds; the day's tornado paths in green

Counties reportingLit at their first report, brighter with a 65-knot gust or 2-inch hail

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database (wind, hail and tornado reports with their logged times and places). Each report is a damage or measurement report, not a separate storm; several can describe one gust front. Tornado paths are drawn at a typical forward speed of 35 mph. Times are Central Daylight Time.

The day in numbers

Wind reports: 300; on Monday, July 18, 2016
75 mph or more: 8; 2 of 86 mph (75 knots) or more
Strongest measured gust: 75 mph; 65 knots, Meade County, SD
Measured: 21; reports with an instrument reading; the rest are estimates from damage
Killed by wind: 0; 3 injured
Counties reporting: 128; in 28 states

Hour by hour

Damaging wind reports in each hour, Central Daylight Time.

The strongest winds

The 100 strongest reports with a speed. Measured gusts come from an instrument; estimated speeds are judged from damage.

Strongest wind reports, July 18, 2016

2:05 PM	Somerset County ME	90 mph	78	Estimated
2:18 PM	Rockingham County NH	90 mph	78	Estimated
2:25 PM	Essex County MA	81 mph	70	Estimated
8:20 PM	Maricopa County AZ	81 mph	70	Estimated
8:05 PM	Meade County SD	75 mph	65	Measured
8:09 PM	Pennington County SD	75 mph	65	Measured
1:45 AM	Taylor County IA	75 mph	65	Estimated
4:20 PM	Delaware County NY	75 mph	65	Estimated
12:14 AM	Custer County NE	72 mph	63	Measured
12:51 AM	Valley County MT	71 mph	62	Measured
3:48 PM	Hudson County NJ	70 mph	61	Measured
2:30 PM	Warren County NJ	70 mph	61	Estimated
2:43 PM	Delaware County PA	70 mph	61	Estimated
2:47 PM	Penobscot County ME	70 mph	61	Estimated
2:47 PM	Penobscot County ME	70 mph	61	Estimated
3:34 PM	Union County NJ	70 mph	61	Estimated
6:45 PM	Muscogee County GA	70 mph	61	Estimated
7:00 PM	Pennington County SD	70 mph	61	Estimated
7:13 PM	Pennington County SD	70 mph	61	Estimated
8:50 PM	Pennington County SD	70 mph	61	Estimated
9:40 PM	Maricopa County AZ	70 mph	61	Estimated
12:45 PM	Berkshire County MA	69 mph	60	Estimated
12:45 PM	Berkshire County MA	69 mph	60	Estimated
12:45 PM	Berkshire County MA	69 mph	60	Estimated
12:45 PM	Berkshire County MA	69 mph	60	Estimated
2:08 PM	Lehigh County PA	69 mph	60	Estimated
3:15 PM	Penobscot County ME	69 mph	60	Estimated
5:10 PM	Aiken County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated
5:13 PM	Aiken County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated
5:21 PM	Aiken County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated
5:25 PM	Aiken County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated
5:43 PM	Edgefield County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated
6:05 PM	Weld County CO	69 mph	60	Estimated
3:55 PM	Union County NJ	68 mph	59	Measured
12:56 AM	Valley County MT	68 mph	59	Measured
10:33 PM	Phillips County CO	67 mph	58	Measured
3:40 PM	Union County NJ	64 mph	56	Measured
5:45 PM	Sussex County DE	64 mph	56	Measured
10:32 PM	Phillips County CO	64 mph	56	Measured
12:44 AM	Valley County MT	64 mph	56	Measured
1:35 PM	Piscataquis County ME	64 mph	56	Estimated
1:35 PM	Piscataquis County ME	64 mph	56	Estimated
1:35 PM	Piscataquis County ME	64 mph	56	Estimated
1:45 PM	Piscataquis County ME	64 mph	56	Estimated
2:00 PM	Lehigh County PA	64 mph	56	Estimated
2:15 PM	Penobscot County ME	64 mph	56	Estimated
2:50 PM	Washington County ME	64 mph	56	Estimated
2:57 PM	Penobscot County ME	64 mph	56	Estimated
3:28 PM	New Castle County DE	64 mph	56	Estimated
3:25 PM	Orange County FL	63 mph	55	Measured
8:09 PM	Maricopa County AZ	63 mph	55	Measured
12:25 PM	Oneida County NY	63 mph	55	Estimated
12:43 PM	Berkshire County MA	63 mph	55	Estimated
5:21 PM	Aiken County SC	63 mph	55	Estimated
5:35 PM	Saluda County SC	63 mph	55	Estimated
5:45 PM	Newberry County SC	63 mph	55	Estimated
2:08 PM	Lehigh County PA	62 mph	54	Measured
6:34 PM	Custer County SD	62 mph	54	Measured
11:32 PM	Phillips County MT	62 mph	54	Measured
7:06 PM	Custer County SD	60 mph	52	Measured
9:58 PM	Fergus County MT	60 mph	52	Measured
1:10 AM	Montgomery County IA	60 mph	52	Estimated
1:30 AM	Montgomery County IA	60 mph	52	Estimated
1:34 AM	Page County IA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:49 AM	Wayne County MI	60 mph	52	Estimated
10:39 AM	Vermilion County IL	60 mph	52	Estimated
10:40 AM	Champaign County IL	60 mph	52	Estimated
11:00 AM	Vermilion County IL	60 mph	52	Estimated
11:10 AM	Union County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
11:20 AM	Lycoming County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
12:15 PM	Columbia County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
12:15 PM	Columbia County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
12:41 PM	Lancaster County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
1:20 PM	Piscataquis County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated
1:25 PM	Piscataquis County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated
1:28 PM	Piscataquis County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated
1:50 PM	Warren County VA	60 mph	52	Estimated
1:58 PM	Berks County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
1:58 PM	Lehigh County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:00 PM	Lehigh County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:02 PM	Lehigh County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:05 PM	Lehigh County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:05 PM	Lehigh County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:05 PM	Lehigh County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:07 PM	Lehigh County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:09 PM	Lancaster County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:11 PM	Penobscot County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:14 PM	Lehigh County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:15 PM	Lancaster County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:18 PM	Penobscot County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:20 PM	Penobscot County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:21 PM	Culpeper County VA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:25 PM	Penobscot County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:25 PM	Aroostook County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:25 PM	Penobscot County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:28 PM	Montgomery County PA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:30 PM	Warren County NJ	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:31 PM	Culpeper County VA	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:35 PM	Aroostook County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated
2:40 PM	Penobscot County ME	60 mph	52	Estimated

By state

Severe weather reports by state, July 18, 2016

Maine	44	—	10	1.75
Massachusetts	37	—	0	—
Virginia	25	—	2	1.25
New York	24	58 mph	5	1.25
Pennsylvania	24	62 mph	3	1.75
Maryland	24	—	0	—
New Hampshire	15	—	3	1.75
New Jersey	14	70 mph	0	—
Vermont	13	—	6	1.75
South Dakota	11	75 mph	13	3.00
South Carolina	8	—	1	1.00
Delaware	8	64 mph	0	—
Montana	6	71 mph	5	1.75
Connecticut	6	—	0	—
Ohio	6	—	0	—
Arizona	5	63 mph	0	—
Colorado	4	67 mph	2	1.75
Iowa	4	—	2	1.75
Florida	4	63 mph	0	—
Georgia	4	—	0	—
District of Columbia	3	—	0	—
Illinois	3	—	0	—
Nebraska	2	72 mph	0	—
West Virginia	2	—	0	—
Wyoming	1	—	5	1.00
Michigan	1	—	0	—
North Carolina	1	—	0	—
Tennessee	1	—	0	—
Oregon	0	—	2	1.25

Counties with the most wind reports

Penobscot CountyME · 17 reports
Franklin CountyMA · 14 reports
Lehigh CountyPA · 11 reports
Suffolk CountyMA · 8 reports
Piscataquis CountyME · 7 reports
Allegany CountyMD · 6 reports
New Castle CountyDE · 6 reports
Montgomery CountyMD · 6 reports
Berkshire CountyMA · 6 reports
Union CountyNJ · 6 reports

Hail and tornadoes that day

59 hail reports, 6 of 2 inches or more; 2 tornadoes.

Largest hail, July 18, 2016

6:39 PM	Meade County SD	3.00
6:23 PM	Meade County SD	2.50
4:46 PM	Meade County SD	2.25
6:14 PM	Meade County SD	2.00
6:15 PM	Meade County SD	2.00
7:13 PM	Pennington County SD	2.00
1:22 AM	Taylor County IA	1.75
11:20 AM	Union County PA	1.75
12:15 PM	Coos County NH	1.75
1:05 PM	Franklin County ME	1.75
2:12 PM	Caledonia County VT	1.75
6:05 PM	Weld County CO	1.75
7:30 PM	Cascade County MT	1.75
1:45 PM	Somerset County ME	1.50
5:30 PM	Orange County VT	1.50
6:59 PM	Flathead County MT	1.50
7:08 PM	Pennington County SD	1.50
7:17 PM	Pennington County SD	1.50
8:50 PM	Judith Basin County MT	1.50
1:30 PM	Franklin County NY	1.25
3:48 PM	Greene County VA	1.25
6:00 PM	Weld County CO	1.25
7:45 PM	Union County OR	1.25
11:15 AM	Orleans County VT	1.00
11:35 AM	Oswego County NY	1.00
11:38 AM	Coos County NH	1.00
11:53 AM	Oswego County NY	1.00
2:05 PM	Somerset County ME	1.00
2:55 PM	Penobscot County ME	1.00
2:58 PM	Penobscot County ME	1.00
3:04 PM	Penobscot County ME	1.00
3:24 PM	Lawrence County SD	1.00
3:48 PM	Greene County VA	1.00
4:50 PM	Aroostook County ME	1.00
5:20 PM	Meade County SD	1.00
5:20 PM	Aroostook County ME	1.00
5:23 PM	Aroostook County ME	1.00
5:25 PM	Niobrara County WY	1.00
5:27 PM	Franklin County ME	1.00
6:15 PM	Franklin County VT	1.00
6:30 PM	Richland County SC	1.00
6:38 PM	Lincoln County MT	1.00
7:08 PM	Crook County WY	1.00
7:15 PM	Crook County WY	1.00
7:16 PM	Pennington County SD	1.00
8:30 PM	Judith Basin County MT	1.00
1:40 AM	Pottawattamie County IA	0.88
11:20 AM	Lycoming County PA	0.88
12:10 PM	Chittenden County VT	0.88
2:10 PM	Berks County PA	0.88

EF0 tornado11:42 AM CDT
EF0 tornado4:40 PM CDT

2016 · On this date in other years · The biggest severe wind days

A report is a single damage or measurement report to the National Weather Service. Several reports can describe one gust front, so reports are not storms.
Reporting has grown with population, spotter networks and the internet, so counts from different decades are not directly comparable.
Thunderstorm wind reports start at 50 knots (58 mph). SPC began flagging measured against estimated speeds in 2006; earlier reports are shown as estimated.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1955 to 2025. A day is SPC’s calendar date in Central Standard Time; a severe wind day here has 300 or more damaging wind reports, or 15 or more of 75 knots (86 mph) or more.