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Tornado in Chaves County, New Mexico
53 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
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.
Chaves County, New Mexico, has 53 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 30 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 24 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 7.7% of the 687 tornado events recorded in New Mexico; its 0.9 per 100 square miles compares with 0.6 statewide.
By rating: 39 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Chaves County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 53 | 687 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.9 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 8.2 | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 5 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
10May
11Jun
16Jul
2Aug
3Sep
6Oct
3Nov
0Dec
1
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 53 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 15 Sep 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1970 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 10 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 5 Jun 1951 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Chaves County had?
53 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Chaves County?
6 May 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Chaves County?
The tornado of 12 Mar 2019, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.0M.
How does Chaves County compare with New Mexico for tornado?
0.9 events per 100 square miles against 0.6 statewide; the county holds 53 of the state's 687 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 Tornado hub and the county page.