Thunderstorm Wind, Chaves
- When
- August 17, 10:00 PM MST to 10:10 PM MST
- Where
- Chaves County, Roswell to 4 mi NE of Roswell
- Measured
- 75 kt (86 mph)
- Injuries
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Property damage
- $750,000
- Coordinates
- 33.420, -104.470
Hail and Damaging Wind in New Mexico, August 17, 1997
A late night thunderstorm developed over southern Chaves county and then moved north just east of Roswell producing golfball size hail and a brief but intense microburst just northeast of the city. Four trailer homes and several small barns were overturned or destroyed during 5 to 10 minutes of winds estimated at 70 to 80 mph.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Property damage
- $750,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS ABQ wrote it up.
A late night thunderstorm developed over southern Chaves county and then moved north just east of Roswell producing golfball size hail and a brief but intense microburst just northeast of the city. Four trailer homes and several small barns were overturned or destroyed during 5 to 10 minutes of winds estimated at 70 to 80 mph. Four other mobile homes, plus 5 brick and frame homes suffered damage to south and east facing patio covers and roof edges. Hail and flying debris damaged a number of cars and trucks. One 26 year old female was trapped for about 40 minutes in an overturned trailer, but escaped with only minor injuries. The extensive debris from the trailers and the late night hours confused local authorities who initially reported a tornado. A field survey confirmed only damage and debris patterns consistent with a microburst that covered an area 1/2 mile wide and 1 1/2 miles long.
The radar
The Cannon AFB radar (KFDX), 156 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:58 UTC.
Event by event
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Chaves
- When
- August 17, 10:00 PM MST to 10:10 PM MST
- Where
- Chaves County, Roswell to 4 mi NE of Roswell
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Coordinates
- 33.420, -104.470
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, August 17 to 18, 1997
- Lightning Strike in West Virginia, August 17, 1997
- Heat in Missouri, August 17, 1997
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, August 17, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Maryland, August 17, 1997
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Ohio, August 17, 1997
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in Virginia, August 17, 1997
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Ohio, August 17 to 20, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, August 17, 1997
- Lightning Strike in West Virginia, August 17, 1997
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Kentucky, August 17, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, August 17, 1997
More
Every storm in New Mexico in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, August 1997
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5619266, 5619267.