146
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
3
Direct injuries
$1.9M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Chaves County, New Mexico: 146 recorded events between 1957 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 80. That places the county #1,583 nationally and #5 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Chaves County, New Mexico: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Chaves County is the 2010s, when 36 of the county's 146 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 Chaves County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 25.1% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #1,583 for this hazard and #5 within New Mexico, putting it in the 49.7 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Chaves County with 46 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.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 15, 2011 | DEXTER | 50 | 1 | 0 | $15K |
| Aug 3, 2015 | LAKE ARTHUR | 55 | 0 | 1 | $10K |
| Jun 6, 2005 | ROSWELL | 75 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Aug 18, 1997 | ROSWELL | 75 | 0 | 1 | $750K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 2025 | (ROW)ROSWELL IND AIRPORT | 56 | $0 |
| Jun 23, 2025 | ELKINS | 53 | $0 |
| Jun 23, 2025 | (ROW)ROSWELL IND AIRPORT | 64 | $0 |
| Jun 22, 2025 | ROSWELL | 52 | $20K |
| Jun 22, 2025 | ROSWELL | 58 | $0 |
| Jun 15, 2025 | (ROW)ROSWELL IND AIRPORT | 58 | $0 |
| Oct 20, 2024 | (ROW)ROSWELL IND AIRPORT | 57 | $0 |
| Aug 22, 2024 | (ROW)ROSWELL IND AIRPORT | 60 | $0 |
| Jul 10, 2024 | DUNKEN | 59 | $0 |
| Jul 6, 2024 | DUNKEN | 56 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Chaves County
- Hail 289
- Flash Flood 60
- Tornado 53
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A peak wind gust of 91mph was reported by a trained spotter near Hagerman. Corresponding thunderstorm wind damage as relayed by the police chief and the Roswell Daily News included a barn and pivot on Morgan Road, a portion of a metal roof being torn off from a residence, and 40 to 50 electric poles and 8 transmission lines. There were several reports of fallen trees in town as well, including one at the Hagerman Public Schools. The Chaves County Undersheriff also reported a road closure along U.S. Highway 285 between mile markers 83 and 90 due to traffic accidences induced by low visibility brownout conditions. Thankfully, there were no reports of injuries or fatalities. Damage is an estimate.
Three single-wide mobile homes were overturned and destroyed by straight line winds near Sagebrush Valley Road and U.S. Highway 285. All three trailers were supported on concrete blocks with no tie-downs and no skirting. There were no injuries as none of the units were occupied at the time. Several recreational vehicles were also overturned and damaged in the vicinity. A large tree at a residence near Hagerman was toppled and crushed a nearby carport causing damage to one vehicle. Damage amounts are a rough estimate.
A large barn with concrete floors, concrete footings, and large wood beam trusses was completely destroyed by straight line winds. A semi-trailer inside the barn was also overturned. There were no injuries as the structure was unoccupied. Damage amounts are a rough estimate.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Chaves County, New Mexico?
146 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Chaves County between 1957 and 2025, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Chaves County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Chaves County measured 80.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Chaves 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
“Thunderstorm Wind in Chaves County, New Mexico.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/new-mexico/chaves-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.