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Winter in Quay County, New Mexico

56 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.

56 events · 2 deaths recorded · peak month December · county share of state 1.9%

Winter event locations in and around Quay County. 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.

Quay County, New Mexico, has 56 winter events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.

December is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 40 events against 16 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1.9% of the 2,947 winter events recorded in New Mexico; its 1.9 per 100 square miles compares with 2.4 statewide.

NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to winter storms and snow.

Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.

Compared with New Mexico

Measure	Quay County	New Mexico	US
Winter events since 1950	56	2,947	287,339
Per 100 square miles	1.9	2.4	8.1
Per 10,000 residents	64.7	13.9	8.7
Deaths recorded	2	56	2,509
Busiest month	December	December	January

By year

195019882026

Winter events recorded in Quay County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
13Feb
7Mar
7Apr
1May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
4Nov
9Dec
15

Winter events in Quay County by month of occurrence, all years.

Recorded events

All 56 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
20 Jan 2025	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Jan 2025	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
7 Nov 2024	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
8 Jan 2024	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Nov 2022	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Oct 2020	Blizzard	—	$100K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Oct 2020	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Oct 2019	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
27 Dec 2018	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Nov 2018	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Jan 2017	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
17 Dec 2016	Winter Weather	—	$400K	—	1	12	Forecast zone
26 Dec 2015	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	1	Forecast zone
26 Nov 2015	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Feb 2015	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Feb 2015	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
21 Jan 2015	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Jan 2015	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Nov 2014	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
21 Dec 2013	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Nov 2013	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Feb 2013	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Dec 2011	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
4 Dec 2011	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Oct 2011	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Feb 2011	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Mar 2010	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Feb 2010	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Feb 2010	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Jan 2010	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Dec 2009	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Dec 2009	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Mar 2009	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Mar 2009	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Mar 2008	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Mar 2008	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Dec 2007	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Dec 2007	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Feb 2007	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Jan 2007	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Dec 2006	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Mar 2005	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Nov 2004	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Dec 2002	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Jan 2002	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Jan 2001	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Dec 2000	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Nov 2000	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Dec 1999	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
17 Mar 1999	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Jan 1999	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
21 Dec 1997	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Apr 1997	Winter Storm	—	$200K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Jan 1997	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Jan 1997	Winter Storm	—	—	—	1	—	Forecast zone
29 Nov 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone

Questions and answers

How many winter events has Quay County had?

56 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.

When was the last recorded winter event in Quay County?

20 Jan 2025 (Winter Weather). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Quay County?

The winter weather of 17 Dec 2016, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $400K; 1 death recorded.

How does Quay County compare with New Mexico for winter?

1.9 events per 100 square miles against 2.4 statewide; the county holds 56 of the state's 2,947 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 Winter hub and the county page.