Chaves County, New Mexico
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 35005 · population 65,065 · 6,067 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,184 records for Chaves County, New Mexico from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 677 days; the most frequent are drought records (296 records). 601 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 1, 1999 high wind, filed for the forecast zone Guadalupe Mountains Of Chaves County / X Sw Chaves, which covers the county: 7 deaths. FEMA has issued 9 declarations naming the county since 1998, 7 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides” on July 10, 2025.
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
- 1,184on 677 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1943 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $648Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 53strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 9latest 2025
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 Chaves County most?
The most frequent records are drought records: 296 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 | 296 | 163 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 33 |
| Hail | 289 | 169 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 2 | $11M | 16 of 33 |
| High wind and dust storms | 218 | 143 | 1996-2026 | 8 | 21 | $4.4M | 22 of 33 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 147 | 117 | 1957-2026 | 1 | 3 | $2.8M | 13 of 33 |
| Floods | 78 | 54 | 1996-2026 | 6 | 0 | $486M | 19 of 33 |
| Winter storms | 71 | 52 | 1997-2026 | 1 | 2 | $137M | 29 of 33 |
| Tornadoes | 53 | 42 | 1951-2025 | 0 | 11 | $6.2M | 10 of 33 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 14 | 12 | 2004-2025 | 3 | 4 | – | 10 of 33 |
| Heat | 9 | 5 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 33 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 3 | 2025-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 33 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1998-2002 | 0 | 0 | $4K | 26 of 33 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2020-2024 | 0 | 0 | $76K | 18 of 33 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $14K | 27 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 Chaves County had?
NOAA records 53 tornadoes in Chaves County from 1951 to 2025, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 11 injuries recorded in the county. That is 10th 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 53 tornadoes whose track touched Chaves County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 53, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Mexico.
Every tornado record filed for Chaves County (53)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-06 | Roswell Ind Airport, Chaves County | EFU 1.24 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-26 | Acme, Chaves County | EFU 0.79 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-26 | Hagerman, Chaves County | EFU 0.87 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-26 | Hagerman, Chaves County | EF0 1.85 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2019-06-03 | Lake Arthur, Chaves County | EF0 1.38 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-26 | Boaz, Chaves County | EF0 2.39 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-03-12 | Lake Arthur, Chaves County | EF2 15.19 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.3M |
| 2016-09-15 | Flying H Ranch, Chaves County | EF0 4.73 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-05 | Roswell, Chaves County | EF0 0.15 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2014-06-07 | Acme, Chaves County | EF0 3.73 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-10-21 | Acme, Chaves County | EF0 0.56 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-10-21 | Roswell, Chaves County | EF0 2.86 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-08-14 | Roswell, Chaves County | F0 400 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-05-30 | Hagerman, Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-10-05 | Roswell, Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-04-08 | Dexter, Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-04-08 | Roswell, Chaves County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-04-08 | Roswell, Chaves County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-04-08 | Roswell, Chaves County | F0 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-04-08 | Roswell, Chaves County | F0 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-04-08 | Roswell, Chaves County | F0 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-09-13 | Mesa, Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-02 | Elkins, Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-25 | Roswell, Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-12-02 | Hagerman, Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-05-20 | Roswell, Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-05-20 | Roswell, Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-07 | Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-23 | Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-20 | Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1990-07-27 | Chaves County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-04-22 | Chaves County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-04-22 | Chaves County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-04-21 | Chaves County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-09-22 | Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-09-22 | Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-09-04 | Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1981-06-29 | Chaves County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1974-08-11 | Chaves County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-06-29 | Chaves County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1972-05-11 | Chaves County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1970-05-25 | Chaves County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-06-04 | Chaves County | F1 1.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-08-31 | Chaves County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-06-25 | Chaves County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-06-10 | Chaves County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1965-06-10 | Chaves County | F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 3 | $3K step |
| 1964-09-21 | Chaves County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-06-19 | Chaves County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1962-07-11 | Chaves County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1962-06-12 | Chaves County | F2 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-06-14 | Chaves County | F1 | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1951-06-05 | Chaves County | F0 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
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 Chaves County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 8, 2025 flash flood ($30,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindRoswell Ind Airport, Chaves County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-04 | FloodHagerman, Chaves County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtChaves County · forecast zone Southwest Chaves County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtChaves County · forecast zone Chaves County Plains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtChaves County · forecast zone Southwest Chaves County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtChaves County · forecast zone Chaves County Plains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-26 | High WindChaves County · forecast zone Southwest Chaves County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtChaves County · forecast zone Southwest Chaves County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtChaves County · forecast zone Chaves County Plains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtChaves County · forecast zone Southwest Chaves County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-20 | High WindChaves County · forecast zone Chaves County Plains | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindChaves County · forecast zone Southwest Chaves County | 53 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-05-01 | High WindChaves County · forecast zone Guadalupe Mountains Of Chaves County / X Sw Chaves High winds were blamed in a fatal travel trailer-church bus accident in southwest Chaves County that claimed 7 lives. State Police concluded that winds of 50-55 mph swept a truck pulling a travel trailer into the opposing lane and slicing into an on-coming bus filled with teenagers returning from a church retreat. One ... | 7 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-07-14 | Flash FloodLake Arthur, Chaves County A woman and three children drowned when the car they were riding was swept off the pavement into Walnut Creek. The normally dry creek was running 4 feet deep over a dip in the road following heavy rain of 2 to 4 inches on the watershed 12 to 18 miles to the west. Rain had ended about 3 PM. Water began to fill the ... | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-09-28 | Dense FogChaves County · forecast zone Chaves County Plains Several media outlets and NMDOT reported that a woman and her one-year old son were killed by a semi trailer while crossing the south bound lanes of U.S. 285 at mile marker 96 south of Roswell. The driver of the semi trailer also was injured in the crash. Dense fog was noted as a factor in the crash. | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2024-10-19 | Flash FloodRoswell, Chaves County Historically bad flash flooding across Roswell, reported by numerous emergency officials and the public. Thunderstorms training over Roswell dumped an all-time one-day rainfall record of 5.78 at the Roswell Airport with numerous other public weather stations across town ranging from 4 to 9 inches. Major flooding was ... | 2 | 0 | $470M | |
| 2024-02-27 | Dust StormChaves County · forecast zone Chaves County Plains Reports from the Dexter Fire Chief, Chaves County Emergency Manager and County Sheriff showed multiple multi-vehicle crashes between Roswell and Hagerman during this time. The relief route between West McGaffey Street and Sunset Place on the southwest side of Roswell was closed due to near zero visibility at 10:25 ... | 1 | 3 | $470K | |
| 2014-12-08 | Dense FogChaves County · forecast zone Chaves County Plains Media reports indicated a 28 year old man from Roswell was killed when his car crashed into a semi-truck on Highway 380, near mile post 196 (approximately 6 miles west of Caprock, or 41 miles east of Roswell), in dense fog. Three other passengers in the vehicle were taken to the hospital. The accident occurred at ... | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2013-11-22 | Winter WeatherChaves County · forecast zone Chaves County Plains The combination of light accumulations of snow, sleet, and freezing rain with gusty winds and reduced visibilities impacted the region. Difficult driving conditions were reported across the area. A 4-old girl died and 2 adults injured when their vehicle rolled over on Highway 70 10 miles southwest of Elida. The young ... | 1 | 2 | $25K | |
| 2011-07-14 | Thunderstorm WindDexter, Chaves County The roof of a barn collapsed and killed an elderly man. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-19 | Flash FloodRoswell, Chaves County | 2 | 0 | $470M | |
| 2015-12-26 | BlizzardChaves County · forecast zone Southwest Chaves County | 0 | 0 | $125M | |
| 1997-12-21 | Winter StormChaves County · forecast zone Chaves County Plains | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 1994-05-26 | HailHagerman-Dexter, Chaves County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 2024-10-19 | Flash FloodHagerman, Chaves County | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | |
| 2019-03-13 | High WindChaves County · forecast zone Chaves County Plains | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.9M |
| 2019-03-12 | TornadoLake Arthur, Chaves County | EF2 15.19 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.3M |
| 1997-08-17 | Thunderstorm WindRoswell, Chaves County | 0 | 1 | $1.4M |
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: June 5, 1951 (tornado, Chaves 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 Chaves 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 | – | – | – | – | 10 | 54 | 106 | 126 |
| Hail | 1 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 61 | 72 | 89 | 36 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 32 | 82 | 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 28 | 36 | 37 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 13 | 24 | 34 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 20 | 29 | 16 |
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 Chaves County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 58 · Feb 80 · Mar 87 · Apr 124 · May 204 · Jun 183 · Jul 93 · Aug 79 · Sep 80 · Oct 71 · Nov 51 · Dec 74 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Chaves County
FEMA's register lists 9 declarations that include Chaves County: 5 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-10 | EM-3628 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2024-11-01 | DR-4843 | Flood | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3229 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-05-13 | DR-1329 | Fire | Severe Forest Fire |
| 2000-05-10 | EM-3154 | Fire | Severe Fire Threats |
| 1998-01-29 | DR-1202 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
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 Chaves County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 78 flood or flash flood records for Chaves County from 1996 to 2026, on 54 days, with 6 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Chaves County ranks 1163rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $8.4 million on 132 claims filed in Chaves County; the most in one year was 82 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 4 · 1979: 1 · 1981: 4 · 1985: 2 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 1 · 2001: 3 · 2006: 2 · 2009: 4 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 2 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 5 · 2015: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2024: 82 · 2025: 5; 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 Chaves County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Chaves County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $50.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | $5.3M | 144 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.3M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $401K | 5.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $753K | 51 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $448K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | once in about 368 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $37M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.2M | 4.5 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 Chaves 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 Chaves CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Chaves County's FEMA declarations (CSV)9 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis