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Flood in Catron County, New Mexico
41 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Catron County, New Mexico, has 41 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 16 different years.
September is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 34 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.2% of the 1,880 flood events recorded in New Mexico; its 0.6 per 100 square miles compares with 1.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Catron County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 41 | 1,880 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.6 | 1.5 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 109.9 | 8.9 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 51 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | September | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
0Jun
0Jul
14Aug
8Sep
15Oct
0Nov
0Dec
1
Recorded events
All 41 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $1.5M | — | 1 | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2013 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2013 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2013 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2013 | Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2012 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2010 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jan 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | $500 | — | — | County |
| 27 Jan 2008 | Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Catron County had?
41 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Catron County?
5 Sep 2021 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Catron County?
The flash flood of 14 Sep 2013, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.5M; 1 death recorded.
How does Catron County compare with New Mexico for flood?
0.6 events per 100 square miles against 1.5 statewide; the county holds 41 of the state's 1,880 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Flood hub and the county page.