New Mexico, 1999

Hail and Damaging Winds in New Mexico, May 24, 1999

May 24, 1999 · NWS ABQ · 4 events in 1 county or zone

A severe storm which began near Alamo in northwest Socorro County swept northeast across central Valencia County with high winds and large hail. Heavy wind damage from sustained winds estimated near 80 mph overturned and destroyed about 15 mobile homes and caused damage to about 150 other homes with many small outbuildings and sheds blown down in the area from Los Chavez to Tome Hill between Los…

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
2
Property damage
$1.2 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 severe storm which began near Alamo in northwest Socorro County swept northeast across central Valencia County with high winds and large hail. Heavy wind damage from sustained winds estimated near 80 mph overturned and destroyed about 15 mobile homes and caused damage to about 150 other homes with many small outbuildings and sheds blown down in the area from Los Chavez to Tome Hill between Los Lunas and Belen. Large hail also knocked out numerous windows and broke windshields. Only two relatively minor injuries were reported in the hardest hit area. Residents had 40-60 minutes advanced warning and school officials successfully evacuated numerous portable classroom buildings without incident or injury to students before high winds struck.

The radar

The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:26 UTC.

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Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Valencia

When
May 24, 1:40 PM MST to 1:45 PM MST
Where
Valencia County, 3 mi NW of Belen
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
34.700, -106.800

Hail, Valencia

When
May 24, 1:40 PM MST
Where
Valencia County, Los Lunas
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
Coordinates
34.800, -106.720

Thunderstorm Wind, Valencia

When
May 24, 2:13 PM MST to 2:30 PM MST
Where
Valencia County, Los Chavez to Tome
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$1.2 million
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
34.730, -106.750

Hail, Valencia

When
May 24, 2:19 PM MST to 2:35 PM MST
Where
Valencia County, 6 mi S of Los Lunas
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
34.720, -106.720

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

More

Every storm in New Mexico in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, May 1999

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5697390, 5697391, 5697392, 5697393.