Santa Fe County, New Mexico
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 35049 · population 154,509 · 1,910 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,498 records for Santa Fe County, New Mexico from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 992 days; the most frequent are drought records (807 records). 2,145 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 November 7, 2024 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Santa Fe Metro Area, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 10 declarations naming the county since 1973, 8 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on October 29, 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
- 2,498on 992 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2443 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $49Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 27strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 10latest 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 Santa Fe County most?
The most frequent records are drought records: 807 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 | 807 | 149 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 33 |
| Winter storms | 692 | 302 | 1996-2026 | 15 | 21 | $5.2M | 2 of 33 |
| High wind and dust storms | 588 | 308 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | 4 of 33 |
| Hail | 149 | 81 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 12 of 33 |
| Floods | 99 | 81 | 1996-2026 | 5 | 3 | $5.1M | 3 of 33 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 57 | 51 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 3 | $2.5M | 9 of 33 |
| Tornadoes | 27 | 23 | 1956-2021 | 0 | 1 | $2.7M | 6 of 33 |
| Wildfires | 23 | 21 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 3 | $29M | 4 of 33 |
| Extreme cold | 20 | 8 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $63K | 4 of 33 |
| Heat | 13 | 4 | 1998-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 33 |
| Lightning | 11 | 11 | 1996-2021 | 2 | 8 | $165K | 3 of 33 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 10 | 10 | 1997-2022 | 2 | 4 | $86K | 3 of 33 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 33 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 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 Santa Fe County had?
NOAA records 27 tornadoes in Santa Fe County from 1956 to 2021, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 6th 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 27 tornadoes whose track touched Santa Fe County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 27, 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 Santa Fe County (27)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-07-13 | Madrid, Santa Fe County | EF0 0.17 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-09 | Otto, Santa Fe County | EF0 1.22 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-09 | Agua Fria, Santa Fe County | EF0 0.31 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-07-07 | Edgewood, Santa Fe County | EF0 0.25 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 1 | $125K |
| 2012-10-12 | Glorieta, Santa Fe County | EF0 5.78 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $64K |
| 2012-07-24 | Agua Fria, Santa Fe County | EF0 0.04 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-07-18 | Golden, Santa Fe County | EF0 0.89 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-10-11 | Stanley, Santa Fe County | EF0 0.02 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2008-08-17 | Canyoncito, Santa Fe County | EF0 0.64 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-09 | Cerrillos, Santa Fe County | EF0 0.1 mi x 8 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-09 | Cerrillos, Santa Fe County | EF0 0.5 mi x 12 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-29 | Santa Fe County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1990-08-15 | Santa Fe County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-08 | Santa Fe County | F1 5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-08 | Santa Fe County | F0 2 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1972-06-15 | Santa Fe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-04-15 | Santa Fe County | F1 2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-12-26 | Santa Fe County | F1 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1966-05-26 | Santa Fe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1961-08-16 | Santa Fe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1960-09-30 | Santa Fe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-05-15 | Santa Fe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-05-09 | Santa Fe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-05-09 | Santa Fe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1957-05-30 | Santa Fe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1956-08-20 | Santa Fe County | F1 0.5 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-05-25 | Santa Fe County | F0 15.8 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 Santa Fe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | High WindSan Miguel County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Highlands | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindLa Cienega, Santa Fe County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindLa Cienega, Santa Fe County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-25 | Flash FloodCundiyo, Santa Fe County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindSanta Fe Municipal Airport, Santa Fe County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindSanta Fe Municipal Airport, Santa Fe County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-23 | WildfireSan Miguel County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Highlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindSanta Fe Municipal Airport, Santa Fe County | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtSan Miguel County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Highlands | 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 | DroughtColfax County and 5 more · forecast zone Southern Sangre De Cristo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | – | |
| 2011-12-02 | Freezing FogSan Miguel County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Highlands Two people were killed in separate rollover accidents on Interstate 40 near Clines Corners during the morning hours of the 2nd. The first crash occurred around 7 am near exit 218. The second occurred approximately 3 miles east a half an hour later, taking the life of a 70 year-old man. Both drivers lost control due to ... | 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 | – | |
| 2009-12-23 | Heavy SnowSandoval County and Santa Fe County · forecast zone Santa Fe Metro Area Between 2 and 7 inches of snow fell across the Santa Fe Metro Area, with the heaviest amounts falling in the Santa Fe Foothills. Icy roads lead to a three-car crash 7 miles south of El Dorado on Highway 285 on the morning of the 23rd. Kendall Kalstad, age 59, died when his Volkswagen Beetle was struck head-on by a car ... | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 1997-08-03 | LightningSanta Fe County A 41 year old man hiking near the summit of Santa Fe Baldy (12600 ft) was killed by lightning. The man's 12 year old son and another hiker were knocked down by the lightning but only slightly injured. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2025-12-03 | Winter WeatherSan Miguel County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Highlands Local news station KOB reported a deadly semi-truck crash along I-40 just east of Clines Corners. The semi-truck lost control and rolled over with another semi-truck crashing into it, with two other trucks crashing into them. The first semi-truck is likely the one that caught fire and became engulfed in flames. There ... | 1 | 1 | $250K | |
| 2022-01-25 | Winter WeatherSandoval County and Santa Fe County · forecast zone Santa Fe Metro Area Snow across the Santa Fe area resulted in snow packed and icy roadways that made for difficult driving conditions. In the early Wednesday morning hours near San Ildefonso Pueblo, two vehicles were involved in an automobile accident. Law enforcement responded to the crash near the intersection of New Mexico State Road ... | 1 | 1 | – |
| 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 | |
| 2021-12-15 | Thunderstorm WindSanta Fe Municipal Airport, Santa Fe County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.2M |
| 2025-04-19 | Heavy SnowSan Miguel County and 2 more · forecast zone Central Highlands | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 1997-04-24 | Winter StormSan Miguel County and 3 more · forecast zone Central High Plains/Estancia Valley County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2008-06-23 | WildfireBernalillo County and 5 more · forecast zone Sandia/Manzano 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 | |
| 2017-06-26 | HailGlorieta, Santa Fe County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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: December 26, 1966 (tornado, Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe 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 | – | – | – | – | 24 | 108 | 361 z | 314 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 92 | 140 | 308 | 152 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 26 | 83 | 253 z | 226 |
| Hail | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 43 | 63 | 29 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 18 | 51 | 21 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 18 |
Drought in the 2010s: 361 records against 108 in the decade before, 361 of them forecast-zone records. High wind and dust storms in the 2010s: 253 records against 83 in the decade before, 253 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 Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 246 · Feb 307 · Mar 298 · Apr 295 · May 187 · Jun 175 · Jul 181 · Aug 141 · Sep 89 · Oct 120 · Nov 182 · Dec 277 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Santa Fe County
FEMA's register lists 10 declarations that include Santa Fe County: 6 major disasters, 3 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for flood (3) and fire (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-05 | DR-4529 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3460 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014-10-29 | DR-4199 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2013-10-29 | DR-4152 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 1979-06-23 | DR-589 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 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 Santa Fe County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 99 flood or flash flood records for Santa Fe County from 1996 to 2026, on 81 days, with 5 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Santa Fe County ranks 1637th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $958,000 on 53 claims filed in Santa Fe County; the most in one year was 9 in 2018. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1997: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 2 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 3 · 2012: 4 · 2013: 5 · 2014: 7 · 2015: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2018: 9 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2025: 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 Santa Fe County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Santa Fe County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $48.9 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 High | $13M | once in about 413 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $500K | 16 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.3M | 68 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $27M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 103 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $4.1M | once in about 443 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $415K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Santa Fe County's FEMA declarations (CSV)10 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis