Rio Arriba County, New Mexico
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 35039 · population 40,200 · 5,861 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,629 records for Rio Arriba County, New Mexico from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 646 days; the most frequent are drought records (744 records). 1,506 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 December 25, 2008 heavy snow, filed for the forecast zone Northwest Mountains Including Jemez, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1973, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “South Fork Fire, Salt Fire, and Flooding” on June 20, 2024.
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
- 1,629on 646 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1531 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $46Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 2024
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 Rio Arriba County most?
The most frequent records are drought records: 744 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 | 744 | 174 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 33 |
| Winter storms | 628 | 299 | 1996-2026 | 11 | 5 | $609K | 10 of 33 |
| High wind and dust storms | 87 | 68 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 23 | $954K | 32 of 33 |
| Floods | 45 | 36 | 1998-2025 | 1 | 1 | $7.5M | 29 of 33 |
| Hail | 41 | 34 | 1955-2024 | 0 | 0 | $64K | 28 of 33 |
| Wildfires | 33 | 28 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | $36M | 8 of 33 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 23 | 21 | 1981-2024 | 0 | 0 | $322K | 31 of 33 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 3 | 1996-2013 | 0 | 0 | $63K | 28 of 33 |
| Heat | 7 | 4 | 1998-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 33 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 1996-2015 | 2 | 2 | $197K | 5 of 33 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2006-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 33 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1998-2014 | 0 | 0 | $125K | 31 of 33 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 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 Rio Arriba County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Rio Arriba County from 1998 to 2014, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Rio Arriba County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, 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 Rio Arriba County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-09-29 | Monero, Rio Arriba County | EF1 2.26 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 1998-09-29 | Nutrias, Rio Arriba County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Rio Arriba County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 24, 2026 wildfire ($500,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The Riverside Fire began near Espanola, NM near the Santa Claran Hotel within the Santa Clara Pueblo. The fire grew to 44 acres destroying 5 structures, including one single-wide trailer, one home, one recreational vehicle, and two sheds. No injuries or fatalities were reported. Damage is an estimate.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1321767)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-26 | WildfireRio Arriba County and Taos County · forecast zone Tusas Mountains Including Chama | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-24 | WildfireLos Alamos County and 2 more · forecast zone Jemez Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-16 | WildfireLos Alamos County and 2 more · forecast zone Jemez Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtRio Arriba County and Taos County · forecast zone Upper Rio Grande Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtColfax County and 5 more · forecast zone Southern Sangre De Cristo Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtLos Alamos County and 2 more · forecast zone Jemez Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtRio Arriba County and Taos County · forecast zone Tusas Mountains Including Chama | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtRio Arriba County and 2 more · forecast zone Far Northwest Highlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtMcKinley County and 3 more · forecast zone Northwest Highlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtRio Arriba County and Taos County · forecast zone Upper Rio Grande Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtRio Arriba County and Taos County · forecast zone Tusas Mountains Including Chama | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtRio Arriba County and 2 more · forecast zone Far Northwest Highlands | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-12-25 | Heavy SnowMcKinley County and 3 more · forecast zone Northwest Mountains Including Jemez While much of the area only received a few inches of snow, Chama reported around two feet of snow over the 2 day period. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-12-15 | Heavy SnowRio Arriba County and 2 more · forecast zone Upper Rio Grande Valley Eight to 12 inches of snow fell over much of the Upper Rio Grande Valley. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-12-31 | Heavy SnowMcKinley County and 3 more · forecast zone Northwest Highlands Snowfall amounts ranged from three to nine inches along the Continental Divide region of U.S. Highway 550. Severe travel conditions due to snow, low visibility, and frigid temperatures were reported across much of the area. 12-year old Alexander Steven Madsen was killed when two vehicles collided on icy roads along ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2016-10-03 | Strong WindLos Alamos County and 2 more · forecast zone Jemez Mountains Woman killed by a falling tree at Bandelier National Monument. | 35 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2015-08-01 | LightningTusas, Rio Arriba County A lightning strike led to a fatal motorcycle crash along U.S. Highway 64 near Hopewell Lake. The victim was 37-year old Juan Trujillo. | 1 | 0 | $4K | |
| 2010-12-29 | Heavy SnowRio Arriba County and 3 more · forecast zone West Slopes Of The Sangre De Cristo Mountains The Sipapu Ski area picked up around 15 inches of snow while areas near Tererro received around one foot. Areas east of Taos were also hit hard with heavy snow. A volunteer firefighter was killed just after 9 am on the 30th, when he lost control on an icy U.S. 64 around a sharp curve. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-01-21 | Heavy SnowMcKinley County and 3 more · forecast zone Northwest Highlands Between 4 and 12 inches of snow fell across the Northwest Highlands. The heaviest snow fell around Cuba. However, the effects of the cold and snow were felt elsewhere. A 31 year old man died of exposure in Crownpoint on the 23rd. His body was found north of the chapter house with his lower legs and feet touching the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-12-07 | Heavy SnowMcKinley County and 3 more · forecast zone Northwest Highlands Widespread snow amounts of 2 inches or greater coated the northwest highlands. The greatest amounts were near Lindrith, where 8 inches of snow was reported. The heavy snow resulted in one fatality. Jimmy Shendo, of Jemez Pueblo, was driving a Toyota truck southbound on U.S. 550 in southeast San Juan County, when he ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-07-01 | WildfireLos Alamos County and 2 more · forecast zone Jemez Mountains | 0 | 0 | $22M | |
| 2022-04-22 | WildfireLos Alamos County and 2 more · forecast zone Jemez Mountains | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2016-08-22 | Flash FloodHernandez, Rio Arriba County | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 2010-06-23 | WildfireRio Arriba County · forecast zone San Juan Mountains | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2013-06-01 | WildfireRio Arriba County and 3 more · forecast zone West Slopes Of The Sangre De Cristo Mountains | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2015-07-07 | Flash FloodCanones, Rio Arriba County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2021-12-15 | High WindLos Alamos County and 2 more · forecast zone Jemez Mountains | 78 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $545K |
| 1998-07-07 | Flash FloodEspanola, Rio Arriba County | 0 | 0 | $543K |
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 Rio Arriba 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 | 355 z | 323 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 40 | 85 | 353 z | 150 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 16 | 40 | 26 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 6 | 27 | 8 |
| Hail | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 19 | 2 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 17 | 15 |
Drought in the 2010s: 355 records against 54 in the decade before, 355 of them forecast-zone records. Winter storms in the 2010s: 353 records against 85 in the decade before, 353 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 Rio Arriba 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 Rio Arriba County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 220 · Feb 202 · Mar 180 · Apr 150 · May 103 · Jun 109 · Jul 110 · Aug 88 · Sep 69 · Oct 71 · Nov 122 · Dec 205 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Rio Arriba County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Rio Arriba County: 10 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (5) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-20 | DR-4795 | Fire | South Fork Fire, Salt Fire, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2011-06-26 | FM-2933 | Fire | Las Conchas Fire |
| 2011-03-24 | DR-1962 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Extreme Cold Temperatures |
| 2006-08-30 | DR-1659 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3229 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-05-23 | FM-2408 | Fire | Nm - Borrego Fire - 5-23-02 |
| 2000-05-13 | DR-1329 | Fire | Severe Forest Fire |
| 2000-05-10 | EM-3154 | Fire | Severe Fire Threats |
| 1999-09-22 | DR-1301 | Severe Storm | Severe Ice Storms, Flooding and Heavy Rains |
| 1979-06-23 | DR-589 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3034 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973-05-11 | DR-380 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snow Melt & 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 Rio Arriba County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 45 flood or flash flood records for Rio Arriba County from 1998 to 2025, on 36 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Rio Arriba County ranks 1887th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $329,000 on 31 claims filed in Rio Arriba County; the most in one year was 5 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 1 · 1981: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1997: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 5 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 3 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 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 Rio Arriba County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Rio Arriba County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $26.5 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 | $1.1M | 65 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $3.2M | once in about 337 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $78K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $20M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $326K | 106 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $954K | once in about 454 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $36K | 24 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $265K | once in about 19 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Rio Arriba 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 Rio Arriba CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Rio Arriba County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis