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Flood in Otero County, New Mexico
70 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.
Otero County, New Mexico, has 70 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 22 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 31 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 52 events against 18 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.7% of the 1,880 flood events recorded in New Mexico; its 1.1 per 100 square miles compares with 1.5 statewide.
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Otero County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 70 | 1,880 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.1 | 1.5 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 10.2 | 8.9 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 51 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | July | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
0Jun
9Jul
31Aug
21Sep
8Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 70 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2009 | Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $600K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $1.3M | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2002 | Flash Flood | — | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2000 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Otero County had?
70 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 Otero County?
31 Jul 2025 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Otero County?
The flash flood of 22 Jun 2006, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.3M.
How does Otero County compare with New Mexico for flood?
1.1 events per 100 square miles against 1.5 statewide; the county holds 70 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.