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Hail in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico
41 hail events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Hail.
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 41 hail events in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 21 years.
September is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 27 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 5,297 hail events recorded in New Mexico; its 0.7 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
3 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 2.00 inches (hen egg size).
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Rio Arriba County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 41 | 5,297 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.7 | 4.4 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 10.2 | 25.0 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 3 | 29 |
| Busiest month | September | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
1May
6Jun
7Jul
9Aug
3Sep
12Oct
2Nov
0Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
NWS hail-size descriptors
- under 1 in
- pea to quarter
- 1–1.74 in
- quarter to golf ball
- 1.75–2.74 in
- golf ball to baseball
- 2.75–3.99 in
- baseball to softball
- 4 in and larger
- softball and larger
Hail size in inches as recorded by NCEI; events without a size are not binned.
Recorded events
All 41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Sep 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2019 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2019 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2019 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2018 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2018 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2018 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2016 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2016 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Oct 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2015 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2015 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2014 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2014 | Hail | 1.25 in | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | $500 | $500 | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Oct 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1998 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1995 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1989 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 1987 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1978 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1971 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1957 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1955 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Rio Arriba County had?
41 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of hail became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded hail event in Rio Arriba County?
21 Sep 2024 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Rio Arriba County?
The hail of 29 Sep 2014, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $30K.
How does Rio Arriba County compare with New Mexico for hail?
0.7 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 41 of the state's 5,297 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 Hail hub and the county page.