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Tornado in Lea County, New Mexico
97 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.
Lea County, New Mexico, has 97 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 38 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 41 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 9 events against 45 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 14.1% of the 687 tornado events recorded in New Mexico; its 2.2 per 100 square miles compares with 0.6 statewide.
By rating: 64 at (E)F0, 20 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Lea County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 97 | 687 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.2 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 13.3 | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 5 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
4Apr
10May
41Jun
25Jul
6Aug
5Sep
2Oct
2Nov
2Dec
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 97 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Nov 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Nov 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $28K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 6 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Apr 1988 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Oct 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1970 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 10 May 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1966 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1960 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1957 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1957 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1957 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1956 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1954 | Tornado | F3 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1954 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1954 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lea County had?
97 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 Lea County?
2 Nov 2024 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lea County?
The tornado of 27 May 1982, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Lea County compare with New Mexico for tornado?
2.2 events per 100 square miles against 0.6 statewide; the county holds 97 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.