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Wind in McKinley County, New Mexico
34 damaging wind events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Thunderstorm Wind, High Wind, Strong Wind.
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 34 wind events in McKinley County, New Mexico, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 21 years.
June is the busiest month, with 9 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 6,514 wind events recorded in New Mexico; its 0.6 per 100 square miles compares with 5.4 statewide.
22 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 5 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | McKinley County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 34 | 6,514 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.6 | 5.4 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.7 | 30.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 18 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | June | April | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
0Apr
4May
4Jun
9Jul
7Aug
2Sep
4Oct
1Nov
1Dec
1
Magnitude distribution
NWS wind thresholds
- under 58 mph
- below severe threshold
- 58–73 mph
- severe
- 74–95 mph
- hurricane-force
- 96 mph and over
- extreme
Wind speed converted from the knots NCEI records; estimated and measured gusts are combined. Events without a speed are not binned.
Recorded events
All 34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jun 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Nov 1970 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1968 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1968 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 1965 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 1965 | Thunderstorm Wind | 71 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 1965 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1965 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1965 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1965 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1965 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1962 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has McKinley County had?
34 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of damaging wind became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded wind event in McKinley County?
26 Jun 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 58 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in McKinley County?
The thunderstorm wind of 15 Dec 2021, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $150K.
How does McKinley County compare with New Mexico for wind?
0.6 events per 100 square miles against 5.4 statewide; the county holds 34 of the state's 6,514 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 Wind hub and the county page.