Guadalupe County, New Mexico
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 35019 · population 4,420 · 3,030 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 606 records for Guadalupe County, New Mexico from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 496 days; the most frequent are hail reports (160 records). 355 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 February 2, 2022 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Guadalupe County, which covers the county: 1 death and 6 injuries. 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 and Flooding” on October 6, 2014.
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
- 606on 496 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 47 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.0Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 9latest 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 Guadalupe County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 160 since 1965. 61% of its hail reports since 1965 fell in May and June. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 160 | 116 | 1965-2025 | 0 | 0 | $180K | 13 of 33 |
| Drought | 135 | 135 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 33 |
| High wind and dust storms | 134 | 113 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $184K | 16 of 33 |
| Winter storms | 76 | 75 | 1996-2025 | 4 | 7 | $2.9M | 18 of 33 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 39 | 34 | 1989-2026 | 0 | 0 | $438K | 18 of 33 |
| Floods | 26 | 21 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | 24 of 33 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 12 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $13K | 16 of 33 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 5 | 2004-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 33 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2011-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 33 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 1997-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 33 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 1998-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 33 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2011-2012 | 0 | 0 | $17K | 23 of 33 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 17 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 Guadalupe County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Guadalupe County from 1956 to 2026, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 16th 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Guadalupe County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Mexico.
Every tornado record filed for Guadalupe County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-11 | Vaughn, Guadalupe County | EFU 0.77 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-31 | Vaughn, Guadalupe County | EFU 0.4 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-21 | Cuervo, Guadalupe County | EF0 2.23 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-09-15 | Vaughn, Guadalupe County | EF0 1.43 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-09-11 | Vaughn, Guadalupe County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-08-17 | Puerto De Luna, Guadalupe County | EF0 0.34 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-08-17 | Puerto De Luna, Guadalupe County | EF0 0.58 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-28 | Vaughn, Guadalupe County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-28 | Newkirk, Guadalupe County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-08-16 | Guadalupe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1978-06-04 | Guadalupe County | F2 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1959-05-08 | Guadalupe County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1958-09-09 | Guadalupe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1956-07-08 | Guadalupe County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 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 Guadalupe County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 1, 2025 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindVaughn, Guadalupe County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindSanta Rosa, Guadalupe County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindSan Ignacio, Guadalupe County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-11 | TornadoVaughn, Guadalupe County | EFU 0.77 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-20 | High WindGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-08 | High WindGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-08 | High WindGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County | 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-02-02 | Winter StormGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County Various sources reported two to five inches of snow across Guadalupe County. The combination of heavy snow and below freezing temperatures resulted in dangerous travel conditions. During the morning of February 2nd, a multi-vehicle accident that involved thirteen vehicles occurred on Interstate 40 near Santa Rosa when ... | 1 | 6 | – | |
| 2024-01-08 | BlizzardGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County The Santa Rosa AWOS measured low visibility below a quarter statute mile for 3 hours while a public weather station north of Santa Rosa measured peak wind gusts of 40 to 47 mph during the morning. There were two reports of 3 and 4 inches of snow north and south of Santa Rosa. The NMDOT reported a 43 to 45 vehicle ... | 1 | 1 | $470K | |
| 2011-12-19 | BlizzardGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County Western portions of Guadalupe County received approximately one foot of snow, including around Vaughn. Eastern portions of the county generally received around 6 inches. The icy roads combined with blowing and drifting snow due to the strong winds, caused a single car rollover in Vaughn. The lone occupant was killed. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-12-02 | Heavy SnowGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County Widespread snowfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches were reported, mainly across the western portion of the county. However, an isolated amount of 8 inches was also reported. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-04-24 | Winter StormGuadalupe County and San Miguel County · forecast zone Conchas Lake/Guadalupe | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2013-09-11 | FloodPuerto De Luna, Guadalupe County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2024-01-08 | BlizzardGuadalupe County · forecast zone Guadalupe County | 1 | 1 | $470K | |
| 1996-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindAnton Chico, Guadalupe County | 0 | 0 | $132K | |
| 2015-07-06 | Thunderstorm WindCuervo, Guadalupe County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2014-07-30 | Thunderstorm WindAnton Chico, Guadalupe County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $56K |
| 2015-08-17 | HailPastura, Guadalupe County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2025-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindSanta Rosa Municipal Airport, Guadalupe County | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 16, 1979 (tornado, Guadalupe 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 Guadalupe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 32 | 51 | 41 | 22 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 27 | 58 | 44 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 16 | 30 | 88 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 25 | 31 | 13 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 19 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 8 | 11 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
61% of its hail reports since 1965 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 47 · Feb 54 · Mar 53 · Apr 50 · May 80 · Jun 85 · Jul 62 · Aug 50 · Sep 29 · Oct 22 · Nov 27 · Dec 47 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Guadalupe County
FEMA's register lists 9 declarations that include Guadalupe County: 6 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-05 | DR-4529 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3460 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014-10-06 | DR-4197 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2013-10-29 | DR-4152 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2006-08-30 | DR-1659 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Guadalupe County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Guadalupe County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $311K | once in about 314 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $47K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $40K | 130 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $2.3M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $184 | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $1 | once in about 10,000 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $50K | 56 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $13K | once in about 1,639 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Guadalupe 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
- Hail in New MexicoThe state's hail reports, 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 Guadalupe CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Guadalupe County's FEMA declarations (CSV)9 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis