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Tornado in Quay County, New Mexico
43 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.
Quay County, New Mexico, has 43 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 29 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 5 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 6.3% of the 687 tornado events recorded in New Mexico; its 1.5 per 100 square miles compares with 0.6 statewide.
By rating: 22 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Quay County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 43 | 687 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.5 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 49.7 | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 5 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
2May
11Jun
18Jul
7Aug
3Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $3.5M | — | — | 12 | County |
| 14 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 23 May 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1950 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Quay County had?
43 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 Quay County?
5 Jun 2023 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Quay County?
The tornado of 23 Mar 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.5M.
How does Quay County compare with New Mexico for tornado?
1.5 events per 100 square miles against 0.6 statewide; the county holds 43 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.