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Tornado in Eddy County, New Mexico
59 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.
Eddy County, New Mexico, has 59 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 32 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 22 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 9 events against 33 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 8.6% of the 687 tornado events recorded in New Mexico; its 1.4 per 100 square miles compares with 0.6 statewide.
By rating: 48 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Eddy County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 59 | 687 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 9.7 | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 5 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
4May
22Jun
8Jul
11Aug
6Sep
5Oct
1Nov
0Dec
0
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 59 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 1 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 21 | County |
| 21 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1979 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 15 Apr 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1970 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Oct 1962 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1959 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Eddy County had?
59 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 Eddy County?
4 Jun 2019 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Eddy County?
The tornado of 31 May 1991, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Eddy County compare with New Mexico for tornado?
1.4 events per 100 square miles against 0.6 statewide; the county holds 59 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 30 Sep 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.