Tornado History

New Mexico Tornado History

This page summarizes tornado history for New Mexico. The local dataset contains 678 tornado records from 1950 through 2026, with a strongest listed rating of F3 (Severe damage) and at least $65.7M in reported property damage. The latest tornado record in this group is April 11, 2026. Across these records, NOAA lists 5 deaths and 163 injuries.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes678
Total Deaths5
Total Injuries163
Property Damage$65.7M
Avg Length2.8 mi
Avg Width59 yd

Key Tornado Facts for New Mexico

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 8.8 tornadoes per year (11.7/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 208 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: EF2 in New Mexico with 2 deaths
1991 was the most active year with 31 tornadoes
The 1990s had the most tornado activity (132 events)
Longest tornado: 400 miles in New Mexico
Widest tornado: 1,760.0 yards in New Mexico
Most tornadoes in one day: 12 on Jun 6, 1991

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In New Mexico, May is the most active month with 208 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

3121110

Summary: 1991 was the most active year with 31 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
F3
Unknown
EFU

Summary: F0 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 328 recorded events.

Property Damage Trends

Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.

$25.3M$2.5M$253K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1982 with at least $25.3M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Tornado Count By County

Compares the counties with the most tornado records in this state dataset.

Lea
Roosevelt
Eddy
Curry
Chaves
Union
Quay
Santa Fe
Lincoln
Colfax
San Miguel
Torrance
Otero
Bernalillo
Guadalupe
Dona Ana
Mora
San Juan
Sandoval
De Baca

Summary: Lea County has the highest count in this state group with 94 tornado records.

Historical Track Sketch

F3 October 12, 19571957F3 May 29, 19641964F3 May 14, 19771977F3 May 17, 19541954F2 May 27, 19821982EF2 March 23, 20072007F2 May 31, 19911991EF2 March 23, 20072007EF2 March 12, 20192019EF2 May 26, 20192019F2 July 25, 19961996EF2 May 23, 20102010F2 May 24, 19571957F2 June 18, 19681968F2 April 17, 1970F2 October 10, 1974F2 May 27, 1982F2 June 6, 1991F2 June 6, 1991F2 June 6, 1991F2 June 6, 1991F2 June 7, 1992EF2 May 23, 2010EF2 March 23, 2007F2 May 10, 1957F2 April 21, 1957F2 July 24, 1960F2 June 3, 1961F2 May 17, 1962F2 July 12, 1963F2 June 11, 1964F2 September 18, 1965F2 May 10, 1972F2 August 11, 1974F2 May 27, 1975F2 April 30, 1976F2 June 27, 1992EF2 March 12, 2019F2 June 12, 1962F2 June 11, 1964F2 May 7, 1972F2 June 14, 1972F2 June 4, 1978F2 June 25, 1965EF1 March 23, 2007EF1 December 27, 2019F1 December 26, 1966F1 August 19, 1979F1 July 5, 1981F1 September 13, 1988F1 June 27, 1992F1 June 27, 1992EF1 June 4, 2019EF1 May 23, 2010EF1 June 8, 2014EF1 September 29, 2014F1 May 6, 1997F1 September 2, 1993EF1 May 25, 2025F1 August 2, 1950F1 May 8, 1959F1 June 14, 1961F1 May 30, 1961F1 May 17, 1962F1 June 12, 1964F1 September 21, 1964F1 June 15, 1965F1 June 18, 1966F1 June 4, 1967F1 April 10, 1969F1 June 11, 1971F1 April 15, 1971F1 July 17, 1972F1 June 3, 1974F1 April 19, 1977F1 October 10, 1978F1 July 31, 1979F1 June 22, 1981F1 August 2, 1989F1 July 22, 1989© OpenStreetMap contributors
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Notable Tornado Records

The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
May 29, 1964F3Colfax, New Mexico3 mi33 yd18$250K
October 12, 1957F3Grant, New Mexico8.2 mi50 yd00$250K
May 14, 1977F3Harding, New Mexico0 mi33 yd02$25K
May 17, 1954F3Lea, New Mexico0 mi33 yd00$30
May 27, 1982F2Lea, New Mexico0 mi33 yd00$25.0M
March 23, 2007EF2Curry, New Mexico8.02 mi350 yd233$16.5M
May 31, 1991F2Eddy, New Mexico1 mi283 yd021$2.5M
March 23, 2007EF2Roosevelt, New Mexico4.43 mi350 yd00$2.5M
March 12, 2019EF2Chaves, New Mexico15.19 mi350 yd06$2.0M
May 26, 2019EF2Roosevelt, New Mexico9.5 mi200 yd00$2.0M
July 25, 1996F2Colfax, New Mexico2 mi50 yd05$1.7M
May 23, 2010EF2Union, New Mexico8.82 mi440 yd00$325K
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Source And Limits

Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.

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