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Tornado in Curry County, New Mexico
55 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.
NCEI records 55 tornado events in Curry County, New Mexico, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 33 years.
June is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 16 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 8% of the 687 tornado events recorded in New Mexico; its 3.9 per 100 square miles compares with 0.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 34 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 7 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Curry County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 55 | 687 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.9 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.5 | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 5 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
4Apr
5May
18Jun
21Jul
5Aug
0Sep
0Oct
1Nov
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 55 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $17M | — | 2 | 33 | County |
| 4 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1979 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1977 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 Jul 1960 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1958 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1958 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1958 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1958 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Curry County had?
55 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 Curry County?
29 May 2024 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Curry County?
The tornado of 23 Mar 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $17M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Curry County compare with New Mexico for tornado?
3.9 events per 100 square miles against 0.6 statewide; the county holds 55 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.