Windstorm

About

HANZE windstorm impact dataset for Europe, 1950-2020

The European Windstorm Impact Database (EWSID) provides a harmonized, multi-source compilation of windstorm impacts across Europe between 1950 and 2020. Developed to support research in climate risk, disaster management, and socio-economic vulnerability, EWSID includes detailed records of individual storm events, including:

Event names and dates (where applicable),
Geographic scope,
Reported fatalities and injuries,
Estimates of economic losses,
Sector-specific impacts (e.g., forestry, infrastructure),
Source references for verification and further research.

Data were compiled from national and international databases, scientific publications, and insurance records, with all entries standardized for consistency and cross-country comparability. The dataset is provided in CSV and GIS-compatible formats and includes comprehensive metadata and documentation.

Funding: This dataset was prepared under the contract “Collection of records on Impacts of Wildfires and Windstorms in Europe” (Purchase Order No. C.B689357), commissioned by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), Unit C.6 – Economics of Climate Change, Energy and Transport. The work was conducted by the University of Szczecin, coordinated by Prof. Paweł Terefenko.

Citation

Terefenko, P., Paprotny, D., Śledziowski, J., & Giza, A. (2025). HANZE windstorm impact dataset for Europe, 1950-2020 (1.0) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15266959

Note on the data and documentation

The datasets are provided for research purposes only. No warranty is given as to their suitability for user applications. No liability is accepted by the authors for any errors or omissions in the data or associated information and/or documentation. Please consult the documentation and associated research papers on the methodology and sources of input data. When using the HANZE data for publications, please cite the appropriate research papers along with citation of the data.