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Wind in Otero County, New Mexico

92 damaging wind events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Thunderstorm Wind, High Wind, Strong Wind.

92 events · 0 deaths recorded · peak month June · county share of state 1.4%

2026-06-03: Wind2025-09-29: Wind2025-09-23: Wind2025-09-23: Wind2025-07-28: Wind2025-07-08: Wind2025-07-08: Wind2025-06-29: Wind2024-08-21: Wind2024-07-22: Wind2024-06-13: Wind2023-10-02: Wind2022-06-08: Wind2022-06-08: Wind2022-06-08: Wind2022-06-08: Wind2022-06-08: Wind2021-09-15: Wind2021-07-11: Wind2021-07-11: Wind2021-05-19: Wind2020-09-08: Wind2020-08-01: Wind2020-07-31: Wind2020-07-07: Wind2020-06-26: Wind2020-06-26: Wind2020-06-23: Wind2020-06-23: Wind2020-06-23: Wind2020-06-23: Wind2020-03-18: Wind2019-07-11: Wind2019-06-04: Wind2019-06-04: Wind2019-06-01: Wind2018-08-22: Wind2018-05-21: Wind2017-06-07: Wind2015-08-16: Wind2015-05-21: Wind2014-07-30: Wind2014-07-17: Wind2014-07-01: Wind2013-06-30: Wind2013-06-14: Wind2013-06-06: Wind2013-06-02: Wind2012-06-15: Wind2011-09-21: Wind2011-06-01: Wind2011-06-01: Wind2011-06-01: Wind2010-10-20: Wind2010-06-06: Wind2009-08-06: Wind2009-08-04: Wind2009-07-27: Wind2009-07-21: Wind2009-07-05: Wind2008-08-10: Wind2008-07-02: Wind2008-05-28: Wind2007-08-09: Wind2007-07-13: Wind2006-06-22: Wind2004-09-29: Wind2003-07-26: Wind2003-06-27: Wind2003-06-09: Wind2003-06-05: Wind2002-07-02: Wind1998-08-04: Wind1992-07-24: Wind1989-05-09: Wind1988-08-27: Wind1987-05-23: Wind1986-07-16: Wind1984-06-15: Wind1981-07-27: Wind1981-06-23: Wind1974-08-14: Wind1974-06-25: Wind1968-06-19: Wind1966-08-09: Wind1966-08-07: Wind1966-05-26: Wind1966-05-19: Wind1965-05-30: Wind1961-06-27: Wind1959-07-12: Wind1957-10-12: Wind
Wind event locations in and around Otero County. Dots: Wind event locations in the kept record. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

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 92 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 38 different years.

June is the busiest month, with 36 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 65 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1.4% of the 6,514 wind events recorded in New Mexico; its 1.4 per 100 square miles compares with 5.4 statewide.

68 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 7 reached hurricane force (74 mph).

Compared with New Mexico

MeasureOtero CountyNew MexicoUS
Wind events since 1950926,514701,953
Per 100 square miles1.45.419.9
Per 10,000 residents13.430.821.1
Deaths recorded0182,166
Busiest monthJuneAprilJune

By year

195019882026
Wind events recorded in Otero County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
0
Feb
0
Mar
1
Apr
0
May
9
Jun
36
Jul
23
Aug
13
Sep
7
Oct
3
Nov
0
Dec
0
Wind events in Otero County by month of occurrence, all years.

Magnitude distribution

under 58 mph23
58–73 mph61
74–95 mph6
96 mph and over1
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 92 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.

DateEvent typeMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
3 Jun 2026Thunderstorm Wind62 mph————County
29 Sep 2025Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
23 Sep 2025Thunderstorm Wind68 mph————County
23 Sep 2025Thunderstorm Wind78 mph$5K———County
28 Jul 2025Thunderstorm Wind63 mph————County
8 Jul 2025Thunderstorm Wind70 mph————County
8 Jul 2025Thunderstorm Wind62 mph————County
29 Jun 2025Thunderstorm Wind63 mph————County
21 Aug 2024Thunderstorm Wind62 mph————County
22 Jul 2024Thunderstorm Wind66 mph————County
13 Jun 2024Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
2 Oct 2023Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
8 Jun 2022Thunderstorm Wind63 mph————County
8 Jun 2022Thunderstorm Wind64 mph————County
8 Jun 2022Thunderstorm Wind63 mph————County
8 Jun 2022Thunderstorm Wind62 mph————County
8 Jun 2022Thunderstorm Wind59 mph————County
15 Sep 2021Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
11 Jul 2021Thunderstorm Wind63 mph————County
11 Jul 2021Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
19 May 2021Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
8 Sep 2020Thunderstorm Wind59 mph————County
1 Aug 2020Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
31 Jul 2020Thunderstorm Wind61 mph————County
7 Jul 2020Thunderstorm Wind66 mph————County
26 Jun 2020Thunderstorm Wind67 mph————County
26 Jun 2020Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
23 Jun 2020Thunderstorm Wind64 mph————County
23 Jun 2020Thunderstorm Wind60 mph$1K———County
23 Jun 2020Thunderstorm Wind68 mph————County
23 Jun 2020Thunderstorm Wind62 mph————County
18 Mar 2020Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
11 Jul 2019Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
4 Jun 2019Thunderstorm Wind59 mph————County
4 Jun 2019Thunderstorm Wind66 mph————County
1 Jun 2019Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
22 Aug 2018Thunderstorm Wind66 mph$25K———County
21 May 2018Thunderstorm Wind63 mph————County
7 Jun 2017Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
16 Aug 2015Thunderstorm Wind60 mph$500———County
21 May 2015Thunderstorm Wind62 mph————County
30 Jul 2014Thunderstorm Wind63 mph————County
17 Jul 2014Thunderstorm Wind63 mph$20K———County
1 Jul 2014Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
30 Jun 2013Thunderstorm Wind81 mph————County
14 Jun 2013Thunderstorm Wind62 mph————County
6 Jun 2013Thunderstorm Wind68 mph————County
2 Jun 2013Thunderstorm Wind64 mph————County
15 Jun 2012Thunderstorm Wind82 mph————County
21 Sep 2011Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
1 Jun 2011Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
1 Jun 2011Thunderstorm Wind72 mph————County
1 Jun 2011Thunderstorm Wind64 mph————County
20 Oct 2010Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
6 Jun 2010Thunderstorm Wind82 mph$1K——4County
6 Aug 2009Thunderstorm Wind70 mph————County
4 Aug 2009Thunderstorm Wind74 mph$40K———County
27 Jul 2009Thunderstorm Wind70 mph————County
21 Jul 2009Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
5 Jul 2009Thunderstorm Wind67 mph$15K———County
10 Aug 2008Thunderstorm Wind70 mph————County
2 Jul 2008Thunderstorm Wind59 mph————County
28 May 2008Thunderstorm Wind81 mph$360K$10K——County
9 Aug 2007Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
13 Jul 2007Thunderstorm Wind60 mph$1K———County
22 Jun 2006Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
29 Sep 2004Thunderstorm Wind70 mph$2K———County
26 Jul 2003Thunderstorm Wind58 mph$2K———County
27 Jun 2003Thunderstorm Wind66 mph————County
9 Jun 2003Thunderstorm Wind71 mph————County
5 Jun 2003Thunderstorm Wind69 mph————County
2 Jul 2002Thunderstorm Wind—$25K———County
4 Aug 1998Thunderstorm Wind115 mph————County
24 Jul 1992Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County
9 May 1989Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County
27 Aug 1988Thunderstorm Wind71 mph————County
23 May 1987Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County
16 Jul 1986Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County
15 Jun 1984Thunderstorm Wind81 mph————County
27 Jul 1981Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
23 Jun 1981Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County
14 Aug 1974Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County
25 Jun 1974Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County
19 Jun 1968Thunderstorm Wind60 mph————County
9 Aug 1966Thunderstorm Wind67 mph————County
7 Aug 1966Thunderstorm Wind58 mph————County
26 May 1966Thunderstorm Wind59 mph————County
19 May 1966Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County
30 May 1965Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County
27 Jun 1961Thunderstorm Wind63 mph————County
12 Jul 1959Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County
12 Oct 1957Thunderstorm Wind0 mph————County

Questions and answers

How many wind events has Otero County had?

92 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 Otero County?

3 Jun 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 62 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Otero County?

The thunderstorm wind of 28 May 2008, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $360K and crop damage at $10K.

How does Otero County compare with New Mexico for wind?

1.4 events per 100 square miles against 5.4 statewide; the county holds 92 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.