Catron County, New Mexico
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 35003 · population 3,556 · 6,924 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,012 records for Catron County, New Mexico from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 477 days; the most frequent are drought records (528 records). 944 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 January 27, 2001 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Westcentral Mountains, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1972, 10 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides” on October 29, 2013.
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
- 1,012on 477 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1325 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 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 Catron County most?
The most frequent records are drought records: 528 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 | 528 | 171 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 33 |
| Winter storms | 204 | 128 | 1996-2026 | 6 | 5 | $101K | 23 of 33 |
| High wind and dust storms | 177 | 126 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $461K | 28 of 33 |
| Floods | 41 | 32 | 1997-2021 | 1 | 0 | $4.6M | 31 of 33 |
| Wildfires | 20 | 20 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 18 | $6.3M | 14 of 33 |
| Hail | 14 | 7 | 1967-2018 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 33 of 33 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 7 | 1997-2025 | 5 | 0 | – | 21 of 33 |
| Heat | 6 | 4 | 1998-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 33 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 5 | 5 | 1971-2024 | 0 | 0 | $71K | 33 of 33 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 3 | 2015-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 33 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2016-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 33 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 1 | 0 | $1K | 22 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.
When was the last damaging storm in Catron County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 18, 2025 high wind ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | High WindCatron County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Plateau | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | High WindCatron County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Plateau | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-21 | WildfireCatron County and Socorro County · forecast zone Southwest Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-09 | WildfireCatron County and Socorro County · forecast zone Southwest Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-09 | High WindCatron County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Plateau | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtCatron County and Socorro County · forecast zone San Agustin Plains And Adjacent Lowlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtCatron County and Socorro County · forecast zone Southwest Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtCatron County and 4 more · forecast zone West Central Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtCatron County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Plateau | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-08 | WildfireCatron County and Socorro County · forecast zone Southwest Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtCatron County and Socorro County · forecast zone San Agustin Plains And Adjacent Lowlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtCatron County and Socorro County · forecast zone Southwest Mountains | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-01-27 | Winter StormCatron County and 3 more · forecast zone Westcentral Mountains A slow-moving winter storm howled into northern and central New Mexico with gusty winds, heavy snow which closed state highways and many rural roads and contributed to two deaths from exposure. Tribal police found one body just north of Gallup and another near Bluewater. Details were not released. The storm produced ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-02-04 | Winter WeatherCatron County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Plateau A family from California was headed east on I-40 when they hit a patch of ice around 930 am in Gallup. Their pickup truck slid into the westbound lanes where it struck a second pickup truck head on. Martha R. Toscano, 45, died in the crash. Moreno G. Toscano, 51 and their 4 month old child, Emmuel as well as James T. ... | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2009-03-30 | Winter WeatherCatron County and 3 more · forecast zone Westcentral Mountains An Illinois man died when two vehicles crashed on Interstate 40, 12 miles west of Gallup. The freeway was coated with slush and ice from an overnight light snow event. A full sized van lost control on eastbound I-40 at mile marker 9, crossed the median and crashed into a SUV that was heading west at 800 am MDT. The ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2013-09-14 | Flash FloodMogollon, Catron County Portions of Bursum Road to the community of Mogollon was completely destroyed by flash flooding. All homes and business along the creek in Mogollon were flooded and damaged, many severely. Several vehicles were carried away, destroyed, and left in the bottom of the creek bed. The USFS delivered MREs, water, and ... | 1 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2011-02-09 | Cold/Wind ChillCatron County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Plateau A 69 year-old man from Fort Defiance was found in a wind swept field about 150 years east of North Ninth Street in Gallup. The low temperature in Gallup that morning was only 9 degrees. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-11-30 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCatron County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Plateau A Native American man between 55 and 60 years old was found in a lot near the corner of Aztec Avenue and Patton Drive. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-03-14 | Winter WeatherCatron County and 2 more · forecast zone West Central Plateau Approximately 1 to 3 inches of snow created slick and hazardous roadways across the West Central Plateau. A man, age 60, was killed after losing control of his SUV on Interstate 40 near Gallup around 645 am MST. His wife and grandchildren were also in the vehicle, but survived with only minor injuries. Almost 30 ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-08-30 | LightningQuemado, Catron County Harry Beggerly, 61, died near Quemado Lake from a lightning strike on the afternoon of August 30, while seeking shelter from the rain under a 30 foot tall tree. | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-05-09 | WildfireCatron County and Socorro County · forecast zone Southwest Mountains | 0 | 5 | $3.2M | |
| 2012-06-01 | WildfireCatron County and Socorro County · forecast zone Southwest Mountains | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | |
| 2013-09-14 | Flash FloodMogollon, Catron County | 1 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2013-09-14 | Flash FloodPleasanton, Catron County | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2013-09-14 | Flash FloodGlenwood Catron Co A, Catron County | 0 | 0 | $317K | |
| 1998-08-28 | Flash FloodReserve, Catron County | 0 | 0 | $272K | |
| 2011-05-01 | WildfireCatron County and Socorro County · forecast zone Southwest Mountains | 0 | 13 | $197K | |
| 2009-08-30 | LightningQuemado, Catron County | 1 | 0 | $1K |
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 Catron 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 | – | – | – | – | 12 | 54 | 242 z | 220 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 22 | 55 | 79 | 48 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 25 | 70 | 75 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 9 | 26 | 3 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 6 | 13 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
Drought in the 2010s: 242 records against 54 in the decade before, 242 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 Catron 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 Catron County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 115 · Feb 127 · Mar 105 · Apr 117 · May 84 · Jun 72 · Jul 66 · Aug 57 · Sep 55 · Oct 57 · Nov 53 · Dec 104 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Catron County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Catron County: 7 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) and fire (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-05 | DR-4529 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3460 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-10-29 | DR-4152 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2012-05-26 | FM-2978 | Fire | Whitewater-Baldy Fire Complex |
| 2011-06-10 | FM-2917 | Fire | Wallow Fire |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3229 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-05-10 | EM-3154 | Fire | Severe Fire Threats |
| 1993-06-07 | DR-992 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985-01-18 | DR-731 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1983-10-24 | DR-692 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1979-01-29 | DR-571 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1972-11-20 | DR-361 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
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 Catron County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 41 flood or flash flood records for Catron County from 1997 to 2021, on 32 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Catron County ranks 2590th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $168,000 on 5 claims filed in Catron County; the most in one year was 4 in 2013. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2013: 4 · 2014: 1; 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 Catron County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Catron County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $490K | 65 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $3.1M | once in about 98 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $59K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.0M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $22K | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $368 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $3 | once in about 5,000 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $6K | 106 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Catron County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- 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 Catron CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Catron County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis