Tornado Risk in New Mexico
All New Mexico counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index tornado score
Tornado risk — violently rotating columns of air capable of catastrophic local damage — is rated for 33 of 33 New Mexico counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Curry County carries the state's highest tornado score at 58.9, with $2M in expected annual tornado losses.
No New Mexico county reaches the High band for tornado, and expected annual losses from tornado total roughly $8M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Tornado
| # | County | Tornado Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Curry County | Low | 0.49 / yr | $2M | |
| 2 | Bernalillo County | Low | 0.08 / yr | $1M | |
| 3 | Lea County | Low | 1.26 / yr | $1M | |
| 4 | Roosevelt County | Low | 0.80 / yr | $1M | |
| 5 | Eddy County | Low | 0.74 / yr | $362K | |
| 6 | Santa Fe County | Very Low | 0.15 / yr | $288K | |
| 7 | Sandoval County | Very Low | 0.19 / yr | $283K | |
| 8 | San Juan County | Very Low | 0.14 / yr | $179K | |
| 9 | Taos County | Very Low | 0.16 / yr | $179K | |
| 10 | Chaves County | Very Low | 1.05 / yr | $182K | |
| 11 | Doña Ana County | Very Low | 0.13 / yr | $189K | |
| 12 | Valencia County | Very Low | 0.07 / yr | $175K | |
| 13 | Colfax County | Very Low | 0.40 / yr | $100K | |
| 14 | San Miguel County | Very Low | 0.44 / yr | $87K | |
| 15 | Quay County | Very Low | 0.67 / yr | $73K | |
| 16 | Union County | Very Low | 0.81 / yr | $66K | |
| 17 | Rio Arriba County | Very Low | 0.23 / yr | $53K | |
| 18 | Otero County | Very Low | 0.44 / yr | $64K | |
| 19 | Lincoln County | Very Low | 0.45 / yr | $47K | |
| 20 | Torrance County | Very Low | 0.29 / yr | $40K | |
| 21 | Cibola County | Very Low | 0.11 / yr | $31K | |
| 22 | Socorro County | Very Low | 0.24 / yr | $20K | |
| 23 | Luna County | Very Low | 0.06 / yr | $23K | |
| 24 | Grant County | Very Low | 0.05 / yr | $22K | |
| 25 | Mora County | Very Low | 0.15 / yr | $11K | |
| 26 | Guadalupe County | Very Low | 0.27 / yr | $12K | |
| 27 | McKinley County | Very Low | 0.09 / yr | $8K | |
| 28 | Sierra County | Very Low | 0.09 / yr | $8K | |
| 29 | De Baca County | Very Low | 0.32 / yr | $10K | |
| 30 | Los Alamos County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $24K | |
| 31 | Harding County | Very Low | 0.32 / yr | $8K | |
| 32 | Hidalgo County | Very Low | 0.04 / yr | $3K | |
| 33 | Catron County | Very Low | 0.06 / yr | $774 |
33 New Mexico counties with measurable tornado risk. See the national tornado ranking or all New Mexico counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which New Mexico county has the highest tornado risk?
Curry County has the highest FEMA tornado risk score in New Mexico at 58.9 (Low), with $2M in expected annual losses and about 0.49 events per year.
How many New Mexico counties face significant tornado risk?
33 New Mexico counties record measurable tornado risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 0 of them are rated High or Very High.