Catron County, New Mexico severe weather history spans 68 recorded events between 1967 and 2024. The dominant hazard is flash flood, accounting for 48.5% of all recorded events. It ranks #2,998 nationally and #30 in New Mexico.
68
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$3.7M
Property damage
The record
What the Catron County, New Mexico severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Catron County, New Mexico severe weather history averages 1.2 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 42 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 3 events fall before 1990 and 65 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Catron County, New Mexico record is flash flood, responsible for 1 direct deaths. The costliest is flash flood, with $3.4M in reported property damage. In total, 8 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Catron County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | 33 | 1 | $3.4M | 0 | 1997–2021 |
| Hail | 14 | 0 | $3K | 1.75 | 1967–2018 |
| Flood | 8 | 0 | $250K | 0 | 2008–2013 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 5 | 0 | $75K | 56 | 1971–2024 |
| Heavy Rain | 4 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2015–2016 |
| Funnel Cloud | 2 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2016–2018 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | $1K | 0 | 2009–2009 |
| Wildfire | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2002–2002 |
Decade by decade
Catron County, New Mexico severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Catron County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 15, 2013 | Flash Flood | MOGOLLON | 1 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Aug 30, 2009 | Lightning | QUEMADO | 1 | 0 | $1K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Portions of Bursum Road to the community of Mogollon was completely destroyed by flash flooding. All homes and business along the creek in Mogollon were flooded and damaged, many severely. Several vehicles were carried away, destroyed, and left in the bottom of the creek bed. The USFS delivered MREs, water, and sanitary supplies to Mogollon by foot and with 2 mules. An 83-year old Arizona man was found dead 8 miles downstream from where his vehicle was located and destroyed in Mineral Creek.
State EOC Situation Report #10 detailed catastrophic flooding in the Glenwood area. Whitewater Creek topped the US 180 bridge at Pleasanton. The San Francisco River at Glenwood rose to its 2nd highest crest ever observed at 29,900 cfs (18.7 feet) at 2am then fell sharply around sunrise. A flash flood emergency was posted for Glenwood. A levee at Circle Drive in Glenwood was breached flooding 16 residences with about 3 feet of water. A large metal barn was moved into the river bed.
The Catwalk area northeast of Glenwood was completely destroyed. Whitewater Creek at the Catwalk measured a peak flow of 16,100 cfs (19.07 feet) at 1115pm on the 14th which was 5 to 6 times higher than any other flow ever observed. The suspended portion of the Catwalk area within the canyon was washed out. A 30 feet section of a concrete girder bridge was destroyed. The campground was completely covered in silt with minor damage. Trails within the park were destroyed.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
3,743
Population (ACS)
$167K
Median home value
12
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 5, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Oct 29, 2013 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES | DR |
| May 26, 2012 | Fire | WHITEWATER-BALDY FIRE COMPLEX | FM |
| Jun 10, 2011 | Fire | WALLOW FIRE | FM |
| Sep 7, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Catron County, New Mexico?
68 events are on record between 1967 and 2024, causing 2 direct deaths and $3.7M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Catron County?
Flash Flood, with 33 recorded events — 48.5% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Catron County?
12 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Catron County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Catron County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Catron County as very low risk, placing it in the 37 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Catron County, New Mexico severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Bernalillo County 457
- Chaves County 581
- Cibola County 93
- Colfax County 429
- Curry County 655
- De Baca County 246
Cite this page
“Catron County, New Mexico.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/new-mexico/catron-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.