EF1 tornado in Roosevelt County, New Mexico

Overall rating is EF-1 with 90 mph windspeeds based on what damage indicators there were from power pole damage as no structures were impacted. Damage survey found tree damage at the start of the tornado about 3 miles SW of Floyd before tracking northeast over open fields and crossing road NM-267 about 1.5 miles SE of Floyd. The tornado snapped 10 to 15 power poles near the bases of the poles as it continued to move northeast. Another 20 power poles were snapped on Roosevelt Road 3. This stretch of the tornado track includes its peak intensity and width with low end EF-1 damage (winds speeds near 90 mph). The tornado weakened as it tracked NE towards Roosevelt Road 2 and a dairy plant. There was a mangled farm sprinkler system to the SW of the dairy and minor damage to fences and metal roofing at the dairy plant.

Higher moisture moved into eastern New Mexico early on May 25th behind a backdoor cold front. This added moisture combined with lift ahead of a weakening upper low over Utah resulting in the development of scattered showers and storms along and east of the central mountain chain. Several of these storms became strong to severe with one producing quarter size hail near Tierra Monte in the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and another producing a tornado near Floyd in western Roosevelt County and quarter to ping pong ball size hail between Cannon Air Force Base and downtown Clovis. Storms across eastern New Mexico mostly tapered off around sunset while the convectively enhanced backdoor front pushed west through the gaps of the central mountain chain.

Key Words: Severe Thunderstorm Winds, Large Hail, Tornado, Funnel Cloud.

Another round of showers and storms developed and moved across north central and eastern New Mexico during the afternoon and evening hours of May 26th due to higher surface moisture in place combining with added lift and instability from the upper level disturbance moving overhead. Penny to golf ball size hail was observed at several locations, a brief tornado was observed near Montezuma northeast of Las Vegas, and damaging straight line winds resulted in a flipped and overturned an 18-wheeler trailer near Forrest in southern Quay County. Storms exited east into Texas around sunset.