Sierra County, New Mexico: hazard risk
FEMA rates Sierra County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 55.8 of 100, higher than 55% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 701 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 74.3 | $9.1M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 74.0 | $378K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 72.9 | $318K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 83.1 | $338K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.1 | $45K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 34.0 | $81K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 33.0 | $281K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 50.9 | $817 |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 50.3 | $326 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 44.6 | $117K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 37.0 | $114K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 12.4 | $2K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 8.5 | $0 |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.2 | $8K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4.1 | $15K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 3.9 | $928 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 367 | 0 | – | 24th of 33 | 1301st of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 120 | 0 | $103K | 25th of 33 | 1830th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 65 | 1 | $8.0M | 14th of 33 | 2575th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 55 | 0 | $34K | 26th of 33 | 2879th of 3,077 |
| Hail | 41 | 1 | $24K | 24th of 33 | 2832nd of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 35 | 0 | $1.7M | 22nd of 33 | 2880th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 0 | – | 12th of 33 | 2163rd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 0 | $19K | 26th of 33 | 2893rd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 0 | $197K | 31st of 33 | 2852nd of 3,076 |
| Heat | 3 | 0 | – | 30th of 33 | 2495th of 3,076 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | – | 10th of 33 | 427th of 2,278 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 0 | – | 26th of 33 | 1267th of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Sierra County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.