New Mexico, 1998

Tornado and Hail in New Mexico, October 30, 1998

October 30, 1998 · NWS ABQ · 16 events in 3 counties and zones

Several bands of rare mid-fall severe thunderstorms developed across east central New Mexico just south of a stationary cold front that lay from Clovis to Las Vegas. The most intense storms formed during mid-afternoon over southwest De Baca County and moved northeast between Tucumcari and Clovis.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$320,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
16

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.

Several bands of rare mid-fall severe thunderstorms developed across east central New Mexico just south of a stationary cold front that lay from Clovis to Las Vegas. The most intense storms formed during mid-afternoon over southwest De Baca County and moved northeast between Tucumcari and Clovis. One particular menacing storm began in northeast Lincoln County. As this storm reached south central De Baca County it developed an intense and longed lived mesocyclone with classical radar tornado signatures that lasted for nearly three hours as the storm tracked east northeast from De Baca County into northwest Roosevelt County and into Curry County. Low stratus clouds kept skies unusually overcast and prevented active tornado sightings over the vast rangeland where the storm passed. Several funnel clouds and at least one tornado were confirmed. Extreme hail, however, was reported along the track of the storm reflectivity core whenever it passed over populated areas. Heaviest damage from baseball size hail was recorded in a steady stream of broken windows, extensive vehicle and roof damage from Melrose to Ranchvale northeastward.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 hail, 4 funnel cloud, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Funnel Cloud, De Baca

When
October 30, 1:50 PM MST
Where
De Baca County, 15 mi SSE of Ft Sumner
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
34.342, -104.412 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, De Baca

When
October 30, 1:50 PM MST
Where
De Baca County, 15 mi SSE of Ft Sumner
Measured
2.5 in hail
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
34.270, -104.130

NWS cooperative observer at Canton recorded a funnel cloud following tennis ball hail.

Hail, De Baca

When
October 30, 2:35 PM MST
Where
De Baca County, 5 mi NE of Dunlap
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.130, -104.470

Hail, De Baca

When
October 30, 2:55 PM MST
Where
De Baca County, 9 mi S of Ft Sumner
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.330, -104.230

Hail, De Baca

When
October 30, 3:50 PM MST
Where
De Baca County, Yeso
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.430, -104.620

Hail, Roosevelt

When
October 30, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Roosevelt County, Tolar
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.450, -103.930

Hail, Curry

When
October 30, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Curry County, Melrose
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
34.430, -103.620

Funnel Cloud, Roosevelt

When
October 30, 4:02 PM MST
Where
Roosevelt County, 12 mi SE of Tolar
Reported by
METEOROLOGIST(NON NWS)
Coordinates
34.021, -103.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Funnel cloud reported by airforce meteorologist from Melrose Bombing Range.

Hail, Curry

When
October 30, 4:10 PM MST to 4:15 PM MST
Where
Curry County, Melrose
Measured
2.75 in hail
Property damage
$100,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
34.430, -103.620

Funnel Cloud, Curry

When
October 30, 4:15 PM MST
Where
Curry County, Melrose
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
34.574, -103.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observer reported funnel cloud following large hail.

Hail, De Baca

When
October 30, 4:40 PM MST
Where
De Baca County, 8 mi N of Ft Sumner
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
34.580, -104.230

Hail, Curry

When
October 30, 4:45 PM MST
Where
Curry County, 5 mi W of Ranchvale
Measured
1.25 in hail
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.500, -103.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Curry

When
October 30, 4:45 PM MST
Where
Curry County, 2 mi S of Ranchvale
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.470, -103.320

Hail, Curry

When
October 30, 5:00 PM MST to 5:08 PM MST
Where
Curry County, Clovis to 12 mi N of Clovis
Measured
2.75 in hail
Property damage
$200,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
34.520, -103.350

Funnel Cloud, Curry

When
October 30, 5:00 PM MST
Where
Curry County, 10 mi S of Broadview
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.574, -103.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Curry

When
October 30, 5:03 PM MST
Where
Curry County, 8 mi N of Clovis
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
50 yd
Reported by
BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates
34.520, -103.200

What these are

Funnel Cloud
A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New Mexico in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for New Mexico, 1998Warnings in New Mexico, October 1998

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: 5667256, 5667257, 5667242, 5667243, 5667244, 5667245, 5667253, 5667252, 5667246, 5667255, 5667251, 5667247, 5667248, 5667249, 5667250, 5667254.