Home / States / New Mexico
Southwest Mountains County, New Mexico
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 2009 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
229
All events
0
Deaths
$5.0M
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.
This human caused wildfire, named the Miller Fire, began at the end of April and continued well into June, burning within the steep and rugged terrain of the Gila Wilderness. Four, generally unused, trailers burned near the Gila Cliff Dwellings Visitor Center in May, but fortunat…
The Whitewater/Baldy fire consumed nearly 300,000 acres by the end of June.
The Whitewater/Baldy Complex has burned approximately 20 structures by the end of May. Damages estimated this month are for these structures only, though the fire will continue to burn well into June.
Wildfire Wildfire
The lightning caused Sacaton fire was located in an extremely remote area of the Gila National Forest within the 2012 Whitewater-Baldy burn scar. The very rugged and remote area made fire suppression activities difficult. Combined with critical fire weather conditions, the fire w…
Wildfire Wildfire
The lightning caused Bear Wildfire grew under critical fire weather conditions June 9th through the 15th. The fire was located east of Mangus Mountain in the Quemado Ranger District of the Gila National Forest, burning a total of 7,769 acres. No damage or loss of property was rep…
Drought Drought
Extreme drought remained persistent over the northwest and north central portion of the zone.
Wildfire Wildfire
The Six Mile wildfire was discovered during the afternoon of May 8th, burning in the southern portion of the Magdalena Mountains in western Socorro County. The fire grew in a extremely remote area within the Cibola National Forest area, threatening only trails. It eventually grew…
Wildfire Wildfire
The Hummingbird Wildfire was a lightning caused fire starting in a remote region of the Gila Wilderness in Catron County. The wildfire began April 20th and continued into the first week of May burning within dead and downed trees within the old 2012 Whitewater-Baldy burn scar. Th…
Drought Drought
Extreme drought remained persistent over the northwest and north central portion of the zone.
Wildfire Wildfire
The Hummingbird Wildfire was a lightning caused fire starting in a remote region of the Gila Wilderness, in Catron County. The wildfire was discovered during the afternoon of April 20th, growing within dead and downed trees within the old 2012 Whitewater-Baldy Fire burn scar, rea…
Drought Drought
Extreme drought remained persistent over the northwest and north central portion of the zone.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought remained persistent over the northwest and north central portion of the zone.
High Wind High Wind
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory measured high wind gusts peaking at 60 mph.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought remained persistent over the northwest and north central portion of the zone.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
The Silver Creek Divide SNOTEL observed an estimated 16 inches of snowfall. CoCoRaHS observers along U.S. Highway 60 between Quemado and Datil measured an overall 3 to 5 inches of snowfall.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought remained persistent over the northwest and north central portion of the zone.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought remained persistent over the northwest and north central portion of the zone.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought remained persistent over the northwestern portion of the zone, removed elsewhere.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought remained persistent over the western third of the zone.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought persisted over a majority of the western half of the zone with the removal of a small area of exceptional drought over the far southern portion of the zone.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought persisted over a majority of the western half of the zone along with a small area of exceptional drought over the far southern portion of the zone.
Wildfire Wildfire
The Turkeyfeather Wildfire was a lightning started fire in a very remote area of the Gila National Forest 22 miles southeast of Reserve, NM. Gusty and erratic winds from nearby thunderstorm activity allowed the fire to rapidly grow during the first week of July. The fire burned a…
Drought Drought
Extreme drought persisted a majority of the western half of the zone along with a small area of exceptional drought over the far southern portion of the zone.
Wildfire Wildfire
The Buck Fire was discovered in an extremely remote area of Catron County near Pelona Mountain southwest of Magdalena, NM. The fire burned mainly through wilderness area on private land along and northwest of highway 163 reaching 57,736 acres by June 17th. No damage and destructi…
Drought Drought
Extreme drought persisted over the majority of the zone along with exceptional drought persisting over far southern portions of the zone.
Wildfire Wildfire
The human caused Paradise Fire was discovered on May 26th 13 miles south of Quemado in a remote area of Catron County. The fire burned within forest area, reaching a total area burned of 727 acres by May 29th.
Wildfire Wildfire
The Iron Fire in the Gila National Forest in a very remote area of southern Catron County was discovered near noon on May 4th. It quickly expanded under critical fire weather conditions that day with a final mapped acreage of 482 acres. Cooler and wetter weather allowed the fire …
Drought Drought
Extreme drought persisted over the majority of the zone while exceptional drought was introduced to the southern portion of the zone.
High Wind High Wind
The weather station at Magdelena Ridge Observatory measured estimated peak wind gusts of 81 mph.
High Wind High Wind
The Magdelena Ridge Observatory observed estimated peak wind gusts of 75 mph.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought conditions persisted across the zone.
High Wind High Wind
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory measured a peak wind gust of 82 mph.
High Wind High Wind
The Magdalena Observatory measured a peak wind gust of 70 mph.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought conditions were expanded to include the entire zone.
Drought Drought
Severe drought expanded to nearly all of the zone, while extreme drought was introduced to the southern portion of the zone.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought was introduced to the southern portion of the zone.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Apparent temperatures as low as -11 degrees were observed within the zone.
Drought Drought
Severe drought conditions were introduced into the central and southern part of the zone.
High Wind High Wind
An estimated wind gust of 60 mph was observed at the Magdalena Ridge Observatory.
Wildfire Wildfire
The lightning caused Lolo Wildfire was located near Escondido Mountain six miles northeast of Quemado Lake. The fire was managed and caused little to no impacts, growing to 438 acres.
Wildfire Wildfire
The Ridge Wildfire started in the Gila National Forest in southern Catron County reaching a total size of 4,257 acres. Little to no damage was reported outside of closures along trails.
Wildfire Wildfire
The Fisher Wildfire was a lightning started wildfire discovered within the San Mateo Mountains of western Socorro County. The fire was managed by the Magdalena Ranger District allowing it to grow to 8043 acres. No damage was reported.
Wildfire Wildfire
The Antone Wildfire located within the Gallo and Mangas Mountains south of Quemado in Catron County was a lightning start wildfire. The fire was managed and allowed to grow to a final size of 12,397 acres. There was no damage to property or loss of life.
High Wind High Wind
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory observed a peak wind gust of 81 mph.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
A CoCoRaHS observer in Pietown observed 10 inches of snowfall. Additionally, another CoCoRaHS observer 2 miles west of Datil observed 8.6 inches of snowfall. Approximately 9 inches of snowfall was observed at the Silver Creek Divide SNOTEL.
Drought Drought
Severe drought was removed from the zone.
High Wind High Wind
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory measured gusts of 60 to 70 mph throughout this time frame with a peak gust of 81 mph at 12:34pm MST.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
An estimated 10 inches of snow fell at the Silver Creek Divide SNOTEL.
High Wind High Wind
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory's weather station measured peak gusts regularly exceeding high wind criteria, and peaking at 75 mph.
Drought Drought
Severe drought remained persistent across the western portion of the zone.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 | 0 |
| 2025 | 22 | 0 |
| 2024 | 13 | 0 |
| 2023 | 13 | 0 |
| 2022 | 12 | 0 |
| 2021 | 20 | 0 |
| 2020 | 8 | 0 |
| 2019 | 10 | 0 |
| 2018 | 14 | 0 |
| 2017 | 4 | 0 |
| 2016 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | 8 | 0 |
| 2014 | 17 | 0 |
| 2013 | 13 | 0 |
| 2012 | 25 | 0 |
| 2011 | 25 | 0 |
| 2010 | 6 | 0 |
| 2009 | 2 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Southwest Mountains County, measured to its path.
We couldn’t get your location. Check that location access is allowed for this site, or type an address.