88
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$602K
Property damage
Flash Flood in Lea County, New Mexico: 88 recorded events between 1996 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #224 nationally and #7 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Lea County, New Mexico: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Lea County is the 2000s, when 48 of the county's 88 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Lea County archive, flash flood makes up 8.9% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #224 for this hazard and #7 within New Mexico, putting it in the 92.7 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Aug is the peak month for flash flood in Lea County with 24 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2025 | TATUM | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 2, 2024 | LOVINGTON ARPT | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 1, 2024 | TATUM | 0 | $0 |
| May 16, 2024 | HOBBS IND ARPT | 0 | $0 |
| May 16, 2024 | HOBBS IND ARPT | 0 | $0 |
| Oct 3, 2023 | LOVINGTON ARPT | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 26, 2018 | HOBBS | 0 | $8K |
| Jun 23, 2017 | HOBBS IND ARPT | 0 | $10K |
| Aug 30, 2016 | MALJAMAR | 0 | $500 |
| Aug 29, 2016 | JAL | 0 | $1K |
Other hazards here
More from Lea County
- Hail 512
- Thunderstorm Wind 274
- Tornado 97
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Heavy rain moved across Lea County and produced flash flooding west of Eunice. Four feet of water was running over portions of State Highway 176 about 12 to 26 miles west of Eunice. Several vehicles have been washed off the road. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate.
The Lovington Police Department reported that water was over a cruiser's hood when driving through many streets in Lovington. They called in all off-duty personnel to assist with widespread high water rescues due to the ongoing county fair. Flooded streets included: Main, Washington, Love, Commercial and Avenue D. Many businesses also were flooded.
Law enforcement officials reported flash flooding that inundated State Highways 125 and 206 near Tatum. In addition, U.S. Highway 380 also was impacted. Flash flooding caused damage to one structure when flood waters entered a residence in the northern part of town. High water continued to flow over several roadways after the heavy rainfall ended as runoff caused the flash flood threat to persist. Local officials continued to report road closures due to high water after sunrise on the morning of the 6th.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Lea County, New Mexico?
88 flash flood events are recorded in Lea County between 1996 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Lea County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Lea County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Lea County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Flash Flood in Lea County, New Mexico.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/new-mexico/lea-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.