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Flood in Lea County, New Mexico
96 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.
NCEI records 96 flood events in Lea County, New Mexico, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 23 years.
August is the busiest month, with 27 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 48 events against 48 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 5.1% of the 1,880 flood events recorded in New Mexico; its 2.2 per 100 square miles compares with 1.5 statewide.
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Lea County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 96 | 1,880 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.2 | 1.5 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 13.1 | 8.9 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 51 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | August | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
2May
13Jun
15Jul
7Aug
27Sep
21Oct
10Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 96 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun 2026 | Flash Flood | — | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2026 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2026 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2025 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Oct 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2017 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Oct 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $400 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 2014 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $120K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $300 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $200 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2009 | Flood | — | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2007 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2003 | Flash Flood | — | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2002 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2002 | Flash Flood | — | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Lea County had?
96 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 Lea County?
14 Jun 2026 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Lea County?
The flash flood of 1 Aug 2002, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $125K.
How does Lea County compare with New Mexico for flood?
2.2 events per 100 square miles against 1.5 statewide; the county holds 96 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.