Wind Speeds Are Rising in These Counties

By Evan Comen  •  October 22, 2025
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After decades of decline, average wind speeds are rising again. While scientists once blamed global stilling on land-based changes like taller buildings and increased surface drag, researchers have found that long-standing ocean-atmosphere oscillations – invisible tides of pressure and temperature swinging over decades – may be a larger causal factor in changing
wind speeds.

New data shows that changes in wind speeds around the world are far from uniform, and have a
complex relationship with rising temperatures. A changing climate may mean faster winds in
some areas and slower winds in others. Even in the United States, there is high variability, with wind speeds rising in portions of the South and Ohio Valley and falling in portions of the Northeast. A closer look at historic wind gust data reveals the counties where wind speeds are rising the fastest.

To determine the counties where wind speeds are rising the fastest, Climate Crisis 247 reviewed
data on historical wind patterns from the Storm Prediction Center of the NOAA’s National Weather Service. Counties were ranked based on the average annual change in the speed of wind gust events from 1950 to 2023. Only counties with at least 10 reported wind gust events were considered.

25. Sullivan County, PA

Photo by Gene Samit on Pexels

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.33 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 59.68 mph
  • County seat: Laporte
 

24. Todd County, KY

Photo by Intricate Explorer on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.33 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 67.63 mph
  • County seat: Elkton
 

23. Calhoun County, AR

Photo by RoonZ nl on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.33 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 61.11 mph
  • County seat: Hampton
 

22. Adair County, OK

Photo by Skyler Smith on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.33 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 66.88 mph
  • County seat: Stilwell
 

21. Spencer County, IN

Photo by Ivan Nemchinov on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.33 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 64.94 mph
  • County seat: Rockport
 

20. Hamilton County, IL

Photo by Roger Starnes Sr on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.34 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 64.37 mph
  • County seat: McLeansboro
 

19. Iberville Parish, LA

Photo by Nicole Herrero on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.34 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 61.67 mph
  • County seat: Plaquemine
 

18. Polk County, AR

Photo by Ryan Arnst on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.35 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 60.72 mph
  • County seat: Mena
 

17. Montour County, PA

Photo by Mila Young on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.35 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 60.03 mph
  • County seat: Danville
 

16. Calloway County, KY

Photo by Nathaniel Hutcheson on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.35 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 65.71 mph
  • County seat: Murray
 

15. Carlisle County, KY

Photo by Joshua Michaels on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.36 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 63.37 mph
  • County seat: Bardwell
 

14. Cleveland County, AR

Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.37 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 62.43 mph
  • County seat: Rison
 

13. Monroe County, AR

Photo by Roseley14 on Pixabay

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.38 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 61.20 mph
  • County seat: Clarendon
 

12. Cleburne County, AR

Photo by Josiah Weiss on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.38 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 61.47 mph
  • County seat: Heber Springs
 

11. Johnson County, IL

Photo by Satya dheeraj P on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.38 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 62.79 mph
  • County seat: Vienna
 

10. Schleicher County, TX

Photo by Roger Starnes Sr on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.41 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 67.40 mph
  • County seat: Eldorado
 

9. Warrick County, IN

Photo by Adam Bouse on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.41 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 64.90 mph
  • County seat: Boonville
 

8. Decatur County, TN

Photo by nathan kosmak on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.45 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 62.63 mph
  • County seat: Decaturville
 

7. Edwards County, TX

Photo by Gower Brown on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.47 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 62.46 mph
  • County seat: Rocksprings
 

6. East Feliciana Parish, LA

Photo by Jp Valery on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.47 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 61.50 mph
  • County seat: Clinton
 

5. Dallas County, AR

Photo by seth schwiet on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.48 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 61.19 mph
  • County seat: Fordyce
 

4. Austin County, TX

Photo by Alisa Matthews on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.49 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 64.54 mph
  • County seat: Bellville
 

3. Menominee County, WI

Photo by Josie Weiss on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.52 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 62.19 mph
  • County seat: Keshena
 

2. Madison County, AR

Photo by Sean Davis on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.52 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 67.22 mph
  • County seat: Huntsville

1. St. Helena Parish, LA

Photo by Saad Chaudhry on Unsplash

  • Avg. annual increase in wind gust speed, 1950-2023: +0.93 mph per year
  • Avg. speed of wind gust events: 62.78 mph
  • County seat: Greensburg
 

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