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Flood in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico
45 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.
NCEI records 45 flood events in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 19 years.
July is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 36 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.4% of the 1,880 flood events recorded in New Mexico; its 0.8 per 100 square miles compares with 1.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Rio Arriba County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 45 | 1,880 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.8 | 1.5 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.2 | 8.9 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 51 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | July | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
1Jun
4Jul
18Aug
18Sep
3Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Aug 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2023 | Flood | — | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 22 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2012 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2012 | Flash Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2010 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | $500 | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1999 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Rio Arriba County had?
45 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 Rio Arriba County?
29 Aug 2025 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Rio Arriba County?
The flash flood of 22 Aug 2016, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.0M.
How does Rio Arriba County compare with New Mexico for flood?
0.8 events per 100 square miles against 1.5 statewide; the county holds 45 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.