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Wind in Sierra County, New Mexico
36 damaging wind events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Thunderstorm Wind, High Wind, Strong Wind.
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 36 wind events in Sierra County, New Mexico, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 26 years.
June is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 3 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 6,514 wind events recorded in New Mexico; its 0.9 per 100 square miles compares with 5.4 statewide.
24 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 3 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Sierra County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 36 | 6,514 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.9 | 5.4 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 31.3 | 30.8 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 18 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | June | April | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
0May
5Jun
10Jul
9Aug
4Sep
6Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
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 36 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 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 77 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 67 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 72 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $1.1M | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 85 mph | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 49 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 52 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1984 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 1979 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1976 | Thunderstorm Wind | 62 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1975 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1975 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1974 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1973 | Thunderstorm Wind | 78 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 1972 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1967 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1963 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1960 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Sierra County had?
36 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 Sierra County?
5 Jun 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 64 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Sierra County?
The thunderstorm wind of 17 Aug 2015, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.1M.
How does Sierra County compare with New Mexico for wind?
0.9 events per 100 square miles against 5.4 statewide; the county holds 36 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.