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Chaves County Plains County, New Mexico
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1996 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
0
Tornado reports
0
Hail reports
0
Floods since 1996
285
All events
5
Deaths
$106.3M
Property damage
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Reports from the Dexter Fire Chief, Chaves County Emergency Manager and County Sheriff showed multiple multi-vehicle crashes between Roswell and Hagerman during this time. The relief route between West McGaffey Street and Sunset Place on the southwest side of Roswell was closed d…
Several media outlets and NMDOT reported that a woman and her one-year old son were killed by a semi trailer while crossing the south bound lanes of U.S. 285 at mile marker 96 south of Roswell. The driver of the semi trailer also was injured in the crash. Dense fog was noted as a…
Media reports indicated a 28 year old man from Roswell was killed when his car crashed into a semi-truck on Highway 380, near mile post 196 (approximately 6 miles west of Caprock, or 41 miles east of Roswell), in dense fog. Three other passengers in the vehicle were taken to the …
The combination of light accumulations of snow, sleet, and freezing rain with gusty winds and reduced visibilities impacted the region. Difficult driving conditions were reported across the area. A 4-old girl died and 2 adults injured when their vehicle rolled over on Highway 70 …
High winds gusting 60 to 70 mph produced brownout and zero visibility conditions along a large swath of Chaves County, including areas along U.S. Highway 285 from north of Roswell southward into Eddy County. Emergency management reported a 21 car pileup along U.S. Highway 285 at …
The Roswell airport reported peak wind gusts up to 68 mph for several hours. U.S. 285 was closed in Roswell due to a semi trailer rollover. Significant blowing dust resulted in near zero visibility along NM-2. Carports and other light weight structures were damaged across the Ros…
Heavy snow and high winds paralyzed the entire county through the 31st. A peak wind gust to 60 mph was reported at Bitter Lake and Elkins. Numerous motorists were stranded including rescue vehicles with the National Guard. Snowfall amounts of 10 to 20 inches were reported across …
Drought Drought
Severe drought persisted across the entire zone.
Drought Drought
Severe drought persisted across the entire zone.
Drought Drought
Severe drought was introduced to the entire zone.
High Wind High Wind
The ASOS at the Roswell Air Center measured a brief high wind gust of 62 mph during the cold front passage.
High Wind High Wind
The KROW ASOS measured a high wind gust of 59 mph.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
The ASOS at Roswell Air Center observed a minimum wind chill of 18 below zero. Elsewhere in the zone, mesonet stations in north Roswell, Dexter, and Bittler Lake Wildlife Refuge observed minimum wind chills between 5 below zero to 10 below zero.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
The mesonet station at Hagerman observed a minimum wind chill of 20 below zero. Elsewhere in the zone, the mesonet station at Dexter and the ASOS at the Roswell Air Center each observed a minimum wind chill of 19 below zero.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A CoCoRaHS observer a few miles west of Hagerman measured 0.3 inches of ice accretion from freezing rain late January 23rd into the morning of January 24th. This was followed with 8.8 inches of snowfall midday January 24th into the late morning hours of January 25th. Other snowfa…
Drought Drought
Severe drought was removed from nearly all of the zone.
Drought Drought
Severe drought remained persistent to the southern third of the zone.
Drought Drought
Severe drought was introduced to the southern third of the zone.
Drought Drought
Severe drought conditions were removed from the entire zone.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought conditions were removed from western and central portions of the zone. Severe drought conditions persist across much of the zone, outside of small northeastern portion.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
State Police reported blowing dust and areas with zero visibility on State Highway 2 between Chickasaw and Navajo as well as on the Roswell Relief Route between Sunset Avenue and Brasher Road. This stretch of State Highway 2 was closed during this time.
Drought Drought
Severe drought was removed from a small northeastern portion of the zone while severe to extreme drought persisted over the majority of the zone.
High Wind High Wind
The Roswell Air Center measured a 58 mph wind gust.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
Near zero visibility from blowing dust resulted in the closure of State Highway 2 from mile marker 17, Hagerman to mile marker 21, 1 mile north of Greenfield.
High Wind High Wind
The Roswell Air Center measured a peak wind gust of 68 mph.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
Near zero visibility from blowing dust resulted in the closure of the Roswell Relief Route on the southwest side of Roswell and the closure of State Highway 2 from mile marker 17, Hagerman to mile marker 21, 1 mile north of Greenfield.
High Wind High Wind
The Roswell Air Center measured a peak wind gust of 64 mph.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
Near zero visibility and brownout conditions from blowing dust closed north and southbound lanes of U.S. 285 in all directions at W Morgan Street, the Roswell Relief Route from Sunset Ave to Brasher Rd, and State Road 2 from Hagerman to Greenfield. Additionally, a trained spotter…
Drought Drought
Extreme drought was introduced to the southwestern half of the zone while severe drought persisted most other areas.
High Wind High Wind
The Roswell Airport ASOS station measured a peak wind gust of 75 mph, as well as a high sustained wind speed of 53 mph. Peak gusts of 60 to 61 mph were measured elsewhere in the zone.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
A historic high wind event producing massive areas of blowing dust resulted in road closures across Chaves County, including along NM 2 at Navajo Road, U.S. Highways 70, 285, and 380, and the Roswell Relief Route. A multi-vehicle pileup of at least 5 cars and 1 semi-truck occurre…
Dust Storm Dust Storm
Several roads were closed, impassable, or had extremely low visibility due to blowing dust in the Roswell area including South Sunset Road, the Roswell Relief Route, U.S. Highway 285 south of Roswell, NM 2, Hobson Road, McGaffey St., and Sycamore Sreet.
High Wind High Wind
The Roswell Airport ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 75 mph. Peak wind gusts of 58 and 63 mph were measured in Dexter and Hagerman respectively.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
The Roswell Relief Route from Sunset Avenue to Brasher Road, U.S. 285 from mile marker 105 to mile marker 110, and State Road 2 from mile marker 17, Hagerman to mile marker 21, 1 mile north of Greenfield due to near zero visibility from blowing dust. Visibility at the Roswell Air…
Dust Storm Dust Storm
State Road 2 was closed from mile marker 17 to mile marker 18 due to zero visibility from blowing dust.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
The Roswell Relief Route from mile marker 108, Sunset Avenue, to mile marker 111, McGaffey Road, was closed due to brownout conditions and near zero visibility from blowing dust.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
A photo shared on social media showed a plane landing in a near zero visibility brownout conditions at the Roswell Airport.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
High wind gusts of up to 61 mph observed across the area lofted blowing dust producing brownout and near zero visibility conditions. The NMDOT and local law enforcement closed portions of U.S. Highway 285 between Roswell and the Eddy County line, as well as the Roswell Relief Rou…
High Wind High Wind
The Roswell Airport ASOS station measured a peak wind gust of 75 mph. Severe blowing dust produced brownout conditions across the county as well.
Drought Drought
Severe drought conditions persisted across the far southern border of the zone around Lake Arthur.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
Blowing dust and brownout conditions caused by strong west winds resulted in the brief closure of the Roswell Relief Route from Sunset Avenue to Brasher Road.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
A CoCoRaHS observer measured 8.5 inches of snowfall in northern Chaves County. CoCoRaHS observers in Roswell generally measured 3 to 5 inches of snowfall. Slick and severe driving conditions from snow resulted in the closure of U.S. 285 from 1 mile north of Roswell to Ramon.
Drought Drought
Severe drought conditions persisted across the far southern border of the zone around Lake Arthur.
Drought Drought
Severe drought conditions persisted across the far southern border of the zone around Lake Arthur.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
NM State Police and NMDOT closed the Roswell Relief Route on the southwest side of town between Sunset Ave. and Brasher Rd. during the mid-to-late afternoon due to blowing dust, brown-out conditions, and zero visibility.
Drought Drought
Severe drought conditions persisted across the far southern border of the zone around Lake Arthur.
High Wind High Wind
Peak wind gusts of up to 67 mph were observed at the Roswell Air Center.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
Numerous road closures in the Roswell area due to blowing dust reported via NM DOT. Roads impacted from low visibility due to blowing dust included U.S. Highways 70, 285, and 380, NM State Highways 2, 246, 253, 254, 409, and the Roswell Relief Route between West Brasher Road and …
Drought Drought
Severe drought conditions were mostly removed from the southern half of the zone due to a record amount of rainfall observed on October 19th. Roswell observed 5.78 inches of rain on October 19th setting a new all-time record for daily rainfall in the city.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 9 | 0 |
| 2025 | 28 | 0 |
| 2024 | 34 | 0 |
| 2023 | 25 | 0 |
| 2022 | 16 | 0 |
| 2021 | 18 | 0 |
| 2020 | 12 | 0 |
| 2019 | 7 | 0 |
| 2018 | 14 | 0 |
| 2017 | 10 | 0 |
| 2016 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 | 16 | 0 |
| 2013 | 18 | 0 |
| 2012 | 19 | 0 |
| 2011 | 15 | 0 |
| 2010 | 6 | 0 |
| 2009 | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 | 7 | 0 |
| 2007 | 4 | 0 |
| 2006 | 3 | 0 |
| 2003 | 2 | 0 |
| 2002 | 2 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | 5 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Chaves County Plains County, measured to its path.
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