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Tornado in Union County, New Mexico
48 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.
NCEI records 48 tornado events in Union County, New Mexico, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
May is the busiest month, with 20 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 7% of the 687 tornado events recorded in New Mexico; its 1.3 per 100 square miles compares with 0.6 statewide.
By rating: 35 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Union County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 48 | 687 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 116.9 | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 5 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
20Jun
12Jul
8Aug
4Sep
3Oct
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 48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $325K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1979 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1962 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1961 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1951 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Union County had?
48 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 Union County?
28 May 2024 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Union County?
The tornado of 23 May 2010, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $325K.
How does Union County compare with New Mexico for tornado?
1.3 events per 100 square miles against 0.6 statewide; the county holds 48 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 30 Sep 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.