Bernalillo County, New Mexico
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 35001 · population 675,855 · 1,161 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,427 records for Bernalillo County, New Mexico from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 783 days; the most frequent are drought records (373 records). 966 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the May 24, 2015 strong wind, filed for the forecast zone Albuquerque Metro Area, which covers the county: 3 deaths and 3 injuries. FEMA has issued 11 declarations naming the county since 2000, 9 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Dog Head Fire” on June 16, 2016.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 1,427on 783 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 32186 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $76Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 11latest 2020
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Bernalillo County most?
The most frequent records are drought records: 373 since 1996. The rank column places the county among New Mexico's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 373 | 150 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 33 |
| High wind and dust storms | 344 | 222 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 56 | $9.9M | 2 of 33 |
| Winter storms | 212 | 147 | 1996-2026 | 12 | 96 | $1.5M | 5 of 33 |
| Hail | 187 | 95 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 1 | $15M | 3 of 33 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 125 | 98 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 4 | $2.2M | 2 of 33 |
| Floods | 97 | 71 | 1996-2025 | 11 | 1 | $8.8M | 2 of 33 |
| Wildfires | 21 | 21 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 7 | $36M | 2 of 33 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 17 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 0 | $758K | 4 of 33 |
| Heavy rain | 16 | 16 | 1996-2020 | 3 | 10 | $2.0M | 1 of 33 |
| Heat | 12 | 8 | 1997-2017 | 2 | 1 | – | 2 of 33 |
| Lightning | 11 | 11 | 1996-2018 | 1 | 10 | $157K | 1 of 33 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 33 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2005-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 33 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | $25K | 5 of 33 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Bernalillo County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Bernalillo County from 1957 to 2025, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 4th of 33 New Mexico counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 16 tornadoes whose track touched Bernalillo County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 0 of them in Bernalillo County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-10-10 15:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F2 | 2 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Mexico.
Every tornado record filed for Bernalillo County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-30 | Albuquerque International Airport, Bernalillo County | EFU 0.18 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-29 | Double Eagle Ii Airport, Bernalillo County | EFU 0.34 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-05 | Double Eagle Ii Airport, Bernalillo County | EFU 0.01 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-15 | Paradise Hills, Bernalillo County | EF0 0.01 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-07-17 | Chilili, Bernalillo County | EF0 0.01 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-08-03 | Carnuel, Bernalillo County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-04-16 | Albuquerque International Airport, Bernalillo County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-15 | Bernalillo County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-07-14 | Bernalillo County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-06-29 | Bernalillo County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1987-04-12 | Bernalillo County | F0 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1985-09-20 | Bernalillo County | F0 2 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-08-05 | Bernalillo County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1970-03-27 | Bernalillo County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1965-05-31 | Bernalillo County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1957-10-19 | Bernalillo County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1957-05-31 | Bernalillo County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Bernalillo County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 27, 2026 high wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindCarnuel, Bernalillo County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindParadise Hills, Bernalillo County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindParadise Hills, Bernalillo County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-03 | HailCedar Crest, Bernalillo County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Estancia Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtBernalillo County and 4 more · forecast zone Sandia/Manzano Mountains Including Edgewood | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtBernalillo County and 4 more · forecast zone Middle Rio Grande Valley/Albuquerque Metro Area | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtBernalillo County and 5 more · forecast zone West Central Highlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Estancia Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtBernalillo County and 5 more · forecast zone West Central Highlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-30 | Dust DevilSandia Park, Bernalillo County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-26 | High WindBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Estancia Valley | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-05-24 | Strong WindBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Albuquerque Metro Area Cherry picker crane carrying several individuals at Cochiti Road and Dorothy Street was toppled by an erratic outflow wind gust between 30 and 40 mph. The crane operator and one child were killed on the scene. Three others were injured. One of the injured children died several days later in the hospital. | 35 kt wind | 3 | 3 | – |
| 2021-07-20 | Flash FloodAlbuquerque, Bernalillo County A thunderstorm with heavy rain rates of 3 to 4 inches per hour resulted in flash flooding across eastern portions of Albuquerque. Several reports of flooded roadways and yards in the Albuquerque foothills was received. The rainfall also quickly filled up in city's arroyos, and three people within the arroyos were ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-11-07 | Winter WeatherBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Santa Fe Metro Area Heavy snow up to a foot caused power outages from San Ildefonso to Gallisteo and Santa Fe. State government offices were shutdown on November 7th. Unfortunately the cold resulted in two fatalities, one on the morning of the 7th and another on the morning of the 8th in Santa Fe. An unidentified male in his 50s was ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-02-01 | Heavy SnowBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Sandia/Manzano Mountains Including Edgewood Various sources measured heavy snow totals in excess of six inches across the area. The highest snow totals were near Sandia Park where a CoCoRaHS observer measured 16.4 inches of snow while areas near Sedillo and Edgewood received 10 to 12 inches of new snow. The heavy snow resulted in snow packed and icy roads which ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-01-01 | Heavy SnowBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Albuquerque Metro Area Snowfall amounts ranged from two to seven inches around the Albuquerque Metro Area. Difficult travel conditions due to snow, blowing snow, low visibility, and frigid temperatures were reported. Very cold temperatures resulted in frozen and burst water pipes at 40 public schools of which 25 were severely damaged. APS ... | 1 | 66 | $577K | |
| 2018-05-21 | Heavy RainAlbuquerque, Bernalillo County An intense burst of rainfall dropped a quick one half inch to one inch of rainfall along with abundant hail in the Midtown area of Albuquerque. Six individuals occupying the urban flood control system were swept away. Five individuals were rescued but the sixth succumbed to flood waters. | 1 | 5 | – | |
| 2022-02-02 | Heavy SnowBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Middle Rio Grande Valley/Albuquerque Metro Area Numerous sources reported heavy snow across the Albuquerque metro area. Snow totals varied across the city with the highest totals located in the northern half of the metro where a CoCoRaHS observer in Rio Rancho measured 7.5 inches of snow. At the official climate site at the Albuquerque International Airport, the ... | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2009-12-30 | Winter WeatherBernalillo County and 4 more · forecast zone West Central Highlands Though snow amounts were generally 2 inches or less, it was enough to create slick roads. Luis Segovia-Cabrera, age 39, sustained massive head injuries after he lost control of his SUV and crossed the median on Interstate 40 near exit 96 and crashed into a commercial tractor-trailer head-on. It is suspected he was ... | 1 | 3 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-06-14 | WildfireBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Sandia/Manzano Mountains | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2008-04-15 | WildfireBernalillo County and 5 more · forecast zone Sandia/Manzano Mountains | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2010-10-02 | HailCedar Crest, Bernalillo County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $8.1M |
| 2004-10-04 | HailParadise Hills, Bernalillo County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $6.2M |
| 2011-12-01 | High WindBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Albuquerque Metro Area | 76 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.9M |
| 2025-06-21 | WildfireBernalillo County and 4 more · forecast zone Middle Rio Grande Valley/Albuquerque Metro Area | 0 | 0 | $4.0M | |
| 1999-06-16 | Flash FloodAlbuquerque, Bernalillo County | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2022-04-11 | WildfireBernalillo County and 2 more · forecast zone Middle Rio Grande Valley/Albuquerque Metro Area | 0 | 1 | $2.0M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: September 20, 1985 (tornado, Bernalillo County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Bernalillo County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 13 | 54 | 140 | 166 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 29 | 39 | 147 z | 129 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 32 | 39 | 78 | 63 |
| Hail | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 44 | 73 | 42 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 20 | 52 | 24 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 21 | 44 | 24 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2010s: 147 records against 39 in the decade before, 145 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Bernalillo County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Bernalillo County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 87 · Feb 138 · Mar 134 · Apr 162 · May 113 · Jun 143 · Jul 190 · Aug 121 · Sep 80 · Oct 86 · Nov 65 · Dec 108 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bernalillo County
FEMA's register lists 11 declarations that include Bernalillo County: 4 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 4 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (6) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-05 | DR-4529 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3460 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-06-16 | FM-5127 | Fire | Dog Head Fire |
| 2013-09-30 | DR-4148 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2011-04-03 | FM-2880 | Fire | White Fire |
| 2006-06-16 | FM-2644 | Fire | Malpais Fire |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3229 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-04-29 | DR-1514 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-06-25 | FM-2472 | Fire | Nm-Bosque Fire-06-25-2003 |
| 2000-05-13 | DR-1329 | Fire | Severe Forest Fire |
| 2000-05-10 | EM-3154 | Fire | Severe Fire Threats |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Bernalillo County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 97 flood or flash flood records for Bernalillo County from 1996 to 2025, on 71 days, with 11 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Bernalillo County ranks 1027th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.4 million on 173 claims filed in Bernalillo County; the most in one year was 25 in 2006. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 7 · 1979: 8 · 1980: 20 · 1981: 4 · 1982: 5 · 1983: 2 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 6 · 1988: 6 · 1990: 4 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 3 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 7 · 2000: 3 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 6 · 2006: 25 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 1 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 25 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 3; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Bernalillo County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bernalillo County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $154 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | $1.5M | 9.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very High | $2.5M | 60 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $93M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively High | $2.8M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $40M | once in about 234 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $6.3M | 2 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $3.3M | once in about 546 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Bernalillo County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in New MexicoEvery New Mexico tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Drought in New MexicoThe state's drought records, by county, year and month
- The New Mexico recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Bernalillo CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bernalillo County's FEMA declarations (CSV)11 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis