89
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$11.0M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Doña Ana County, New Mexico: 89 recorded events between 1997 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #218 nationally and #6 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Doña Ana County, New Mexico: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Doña Ana County is the 2000s, when 35 of the county's 89 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 Doña Ana County archive, flash flood makes up 24.9% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #218 for this hazard and #6 within New Mexico, putting it in the 92.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for flash flood in Doña Ana County with 29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 16, 2013 | LIZARD | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2025 | ANGOSTURA | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 20, 2025 | TONUCO | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 19, 2025 | LA UNION | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 18, 2025 | RINCON | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 1, 2025 | UNIVERSITY PARK | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 1, 2025 | RINCON | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 1, 2025 | LA UNION | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 23, 2025 | BERINO | 0 | $250K |
| Jul 8, 2025 | ORGAN | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 1, 2025 | HATCH | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Doña Ana County
- Hail 117
- Thunderstorm Wind 117
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Runoff from heavy rains over the nearby Sierra De Las Uvas Mountains caused the Placitas Arroyo to breach, which sent a wall of water into the town of Hatch. Up to 4 feet of water entered business and residences. Mandatory evacuations of several hundred residents took place, including 150 people from an apartment complex which eventually had to be condemned. All roads into and within Hatch were closed.
A cluster of slow moving thunderstorms dropped 1.5 to 3 inches of rain over the southern portion of Dona Ana County, especially near the Rio Grande. Even higher amounts fell over the nearby Franklin Mountains which added to severe runoff problems. Interstate 10 south of Las Cruces was closed for several hours. Hardest hit with damage to roads and structures was Sunland Park, followed by Anthony, Chaparral and La Union. About 1200 residents in Sunland Park were forced to evacuate as the Rio Grande River reached a stage of 9.3 feet, the highest in 50 years. This was one of many flood events during the summer that led to much of New Mexico being declared a federal disaster area.
Major flooding occurred across most of the Las Cruces area as a thunderstorm complex dropped heavy rain during a 3 hour time frame. Rainfall reports were widespread 2 to 3 inches with isolated amounts around 4 inches. All major roads were flooded with a few intersections under 4 feet of water. Sandbags were put up until resources were exhausted. The rainfall amounts were not extremely unusual, just the areal coverage.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Doña Ana County, New Mexico?
89 flash flood events are recorded in Doña Ana County between 1997 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Doña Ana County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Doña Ana County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Doña Ana 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 Doña Ana County, New Mexico.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/new-mexico/dona-ana-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.