Tornadoes in New Mexico
The Storm Prediction Center records 681 tornadoes that touched New Mexico between 1950 and 2025, and 678 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 4 people and injured 163. The busiest month is May, with 209 tornadoes.
- 681tornadoes
- 4deaths
- 163injuries
- 56per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 31counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were New Mexico's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 471 | 69% |
| F1 / EF1 | 125 | 18% |
| F2 / EF2 | 39 | 6% |
| F3 / EF3 | 5 | <1% |
| F4 / EF4 | 0 | 0% |
| F5 / EF5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown rating | 41 | 6% |
New Mexico tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1950.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 57 |
| 1960s | 99 |
| 1970s | 79 |
| 1980s | 70 |
| 1990s | 138 |
| 2000s | 81 |
| 2010s | 93 |
| 2020s | 64 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in New Mexico was 1991, with 31.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 1 |
| Feb | 1 |
| Mar | 20 |
| Apr | 44 |
| May | 209 |
| Jun | 190 |
| Jul | 82 |
| Aug | 61 |
| Sep | 42 |
| Oct | 26 |
| Nov | 2 |
| Dec | 3 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched New Mexico
- New Mexico tornado23 March 2007, EF2, 2 deaths, 33 injuries, 12.5 miles long
- Maxwell, New Mexico tornado29 May 1964, F3, 1 death, 8 injuries, 3 miles long
- New Mexico tornado10 October 1974, F2, 1 death, 8 injuries, 2 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched New Mexico
- Maxwell, New Mexico tornado29 May 1964, F3, 1 death, 8 injuries, 3 miles long
- New Mexico tornado12 October 1957, F3, 8.2 miles long
- Texas tornado21 May 1963, F3, 5.9 miles long
- New Mexico tornado14 May 1977, F3, 2 injuries, 0.1 miles long
- New Mexico tornado17 May 1954, F3, 0.1 miles long
- New Mexico tornado23 March 2007, EF2, 2 deaths, 33 injuries, 12.5 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in New Mexico
- New Mexico tornado19 August 2025, Unknown rating, 0.7 miles long
- New Mexico tornado18 August 2025, Unknown rating, 0.1 miles long
- New Mexico tornado30 July 2025, Unknown rating, 0.2 miles long
- New Mexico tornado5 June 2025, Unknown rating, 1.1 miles long
- New Mexico tornado5 June 2025, Unknown rating, 0.9 miles long
Notable New Mexico tornadoes with their own pages
- Maxwell, New Mexico tornado29 May 1964, F3, 1 death, 8 injuries, 3 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
New Mexico counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 29 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.
| County | Tornadoes | Strongest |
|---|---|---|
| Lea County | 97 | F/EF3 |
| Roosevelt County | 66 | F/EF3 |
| Eddy County | 60 | F/EF2 |
| Curry County | 58 | F/EF2 |
| Chaves County | 56 | F/EF2 |
| Union County | 47 | F/EF2 |
| Quay County | 42 | F/EF2 |
| Santa Fe County | 27 | F/EF1 |
| Colfax County | 23 | F/EF3 |
| Lincoln County | 23 | F/EF1 |
| San Miguel County | 19 | F/EF2 |
| Torrance County | 19 | F/EF0 |
| Otero County | 18 | F/EF2 |
| Bernalillo County | 17 | F/EF2 |
| Doña Ana County | 13 | F/EF1 |
| Guadalupe County | 13 | F/EF2 |
| Mora County | 13 | F/EF1 |
| Sandoval County | 13 | F/EF1 |
| De Baca County | 11 | F/EF1 |
| San Juan County | 11 | F/EF2 |
| Socorro County | 11 | F/EF1 |
| Harding County | 8 | F/EF3 |
| Grant County | 7 | F/EF3 |
| Valencia County | 7 | F/EF2 |
| Sierra County | 6 | F/EF1 |
| McKinley County | 5 | F/EF0 |
| Luna County | 4 | F/EF1 |
| Rio Arriba County | 4 | F/EF1 |
| Hidalgo County | 3 | F/EF1 |
| Cibola County | 2 | F/EF0 |
| Taos County | 2 | F/EF0 |