High Wind in New Mexico

Events

4,054

Deaths

9

Injuries

32

Damage

$36 million

• High Wind in New Mexico, May 1, 19997 deaths · 1 eventHigh winds were blamed in a fatal travel trailer-church bus accident in southwest Chaves County that claimed 7 lives.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in New Mexico, June 19 to 23, 202451 injured · $2.6 million · 2 in hail · 41 eventsA burst of monsoon moisture surged into eastern NM the morning of June 19th and surged through the gaps of the central mountain chain bringing high wind gusts of up to 58 miles per hour to parts of the Albuquerque metro that afternoon and evening.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, December 15 to 17, 20162 deaths · 12 injured · $420,000 · 69 kt wind · 27 eventsA powerful jet stream approaching from the eastern Pacific carved out a potent storm system over New Mexico the week before Christmas. This was the most impactful winter storm since the blizzard from December 2015 and the first significant storm of the 2016-2017 season.
• Wildfire and High Wind in New Mexico, April 11 to 30, 20222 deaths · 1 injured · $17 million · 70 kt wind · 27 eventsAs a storm system tracked to the north of New Mexico on April 11-12, 2022, it steered a potent polar jet over the state.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, December 6 to 8, 20092 deaths · $536,000 · 67 kt wind · 38 eventsA potent storm system brought heavy snow and high winds across the state. Snowfall started on December 6th across the San Juan Mountains.
• Tornado and Avalanche in New Mexico, March 11 to 14, 20197 injured · $9.8 million · EF2 · 47 eventsA record breaking late winter storm system moved through New Mexico on March 12-14, 2019. A deep tap of subtropical moisture surged north into the state ahead of this system on March 12th as a surface low deepened over northeastern New Mexico.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in New Mexico, December 25 to 26, 20082 deaths · 53 kt wind · 5 eventsThe third upper level trough of the Christmas week brought high winds and moderate snows to northern and central New Mexico. Snow amounts ranged from just a few inches at low elevations to one to two feet in the ski areas.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, December 21 to 27, 19971 death · $6.5 million · 61 kt wind · 16 eventsA series of heavy snow events produced totals of 15 to 30 inches across eastern and central New Mexico just before Christmas.
• Dust Storm and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, February 26 to 27, 20241 death · 3 injured · $500,000 · 70 kt wind · 28 eventsA very strong segment of the jet stream associated with an upper level system dove down across northern and central NM February 26th and 27th.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, January 7 to 8, 20241 death · 1 injured · $500,000 · 57 kt wind · 20 eventsA strong and well organized winter storm system crossed west to east across northern and central NM on January 7th and exited into TX on January 8th. Heavy snow was observed across much of the western and northern mountains with travel impacts reported on area highways.
• Tornadoes and Hail in New Mexico, May 26, 2019$2.3 million · EF2 · 41 eventsA potent upper level storm system approaching New Mexico from the west interacted with deep moisture and very unstable conditions along a sharp dryline over eastern New Mexico on May 26, 2019.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in New Mexico, November 21 to 25, 20131 death · 2 injured · $25,000 · 61 kt wind · 31 eventsAn arctic cold front pushed south across the eastern plains and through the central mountain chain and Rio Grande Valley late on the 21st through the 22nd. Record to near record cold temperatures moved into the area with this arctic air mass.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in New Mexico, August 8 to 9, 20241 death · 1 injured · $105,000 · 66 kt wind · 9 eventsA backdoor front pushed through northern and eastern NM during the morning of August 8th, settling along the east slopes of the central mountain chain. This front replenished monsoon moisture across this part of the state.
• High Wind in New Mexico, April 3 to 4, 20091 death · $120,000 · 64 kt wind · 13 eventsA storm slowly crossed Northern New Mexico on the 3rd and moved into western Kansas on the 4th. Meanwhile, a surface low deepened rapidly over northeast New Mexico and then lifted into western Kansas.
• High Wind and Strong Wind in New Mexico, March 3, 20131 death · $100,000 · 52 kt wind · 2 eventsStrong westerly winds aloft combined with a deepening lee trough to produce widespread gusty surface winds over portions of the east slopes of the central mountain and the high plains.
• Winter Storm and Damaging Winds in New Mexico, December 14 to 15, 20212 injured · $11 million · 90 kt wind · 44 eventsAn abnormally strong storm system more typical of spring rather than early winter strengthened over the western United States early in the week of December 13, 2021.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in New Mexico, April 17, 20251 death · 5 injured · 50 kt wind · 4 eventsA strong positively tilted trough was moving through the Great Basin. Ahead of this system, gusty southwest winds develop over southern New Mexico and brought areas of blowing dust to Luna, Hidalgo and Otero counties.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in New Mexico, December 22 to 25, 20111 death · 2 injured · 65 kt wind · 23 eventsA strong upper level low pressure system that slowly moved south over Arizona and then over southern New Mexico brought copious amounts of snow to the state. Some of the areas that were hit the hardest included the same areas that were blanketed by snow from the previous storm.
• Wildfire and Dust Storm in New Mexico, April 22 to 30, 2022$11 million · 81 kt wind · 51 eventsAs a very strong low pressure system tracked into California on April 22, 2022, it steered an incredibly potent upper-level jet across New Mexico. Winds at 250mb within this jet reached 90 to 100 knots while at 700mb, these westerly winds strengthened to 50 to 60 knots.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, March 23 to 24, 202111 injured · $750,000 · 59 kt wind · 18 eventsA strong and cold low pressure system deepened over the Great Basin area before tracking eastward over the state of New Mexico starting on March 23 and continuing through March 24, 2021.
• High Wind in New Mexico, February 2 to 3, 20031 death · 2 injured · $15,000 · 86 kt wind · 1 eventAn intense upper level storm system which passed close to West Texas and southeast New Mexico resulted in very strong west winds in the higher elevations of the Guadalupe Mountains.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, December 29 to 30, 20101 death · $5,000 · 61 kt wind · 23 eventsStrong winds and heavy snow plagued much of western and central New Mexico on the 29th and 30th. The heavy snow began on the 29th across northwest New Mexico as a very large and cold upper level system slid southward across the Great Basin.
• High Wind and Winter Weather in New Mexico, February 26 to 27, 2023$3.1 million · 83 kt wind · 57 eventsThe second winter storm to bring widespread high wind damages and a snow squall to northern and central NM within the span of a week arrived on February 26, 2023.
• Wildfire and High Wind in New Mexico, April 19 to 30, 2022$25 million · 56 kt wind · 5 eventsAs a surface high pressure developed to the east of New Mexico, it established easterly to southeasterly return flow across eastern New Mexico.
• High Wind in New Mexico, April 6, 200110 injured · $600,000 · 61 kt wind · 2 eventsA strong upper level storm system moving across the area produced strong gradient winds across southeast New Mexico during the afternoon of April 6.

High Wind everywhereEvery kind of event in New Mexico

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.