217
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
2
Direct injuries
$3.2M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Eddy County, New Mexico: 217 recorded events between 1996 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #37 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Eddy County, New Mexico: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Eddy County is the 2000s, when 98 of the county's 217 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 Eddy County archive, flash flood makes up 20.4% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #37 for this hazard and #1 within New Mexico, putting it in the 98.8 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Sep is the peak month for flash flood in Eddy County with 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2021 | CARLSBAD | 0 | 1 | 0 | $30K |
| Sep 19, 2014 | WHITES CITY | 0 | 1 | 0 | $40K |
| Jul 25, 2004 | CARLSBAD | 0 | 0 | 1 | $75K |
| Jul 25, 2004 | QUEEN | 0 | 0 | 1 | $25K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2025 | ILLINOIS CAMP | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 13, 2025 | ILLINOIS CAMP | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 13, 2025 | ILLINOIS CAMP | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 13, 2025 | ILLINOIS CAMP | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 24, 2025 | ATOKA | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 10, 2025 | WHITES CITY | 0 | $0 |
| Apr 26, 2025 | CORRAL | 0 | $0 |
| Apr 26, 2025 | LOVING | 0 | $25K |
| Apr 26, 2025 | LOVING | 0 | $25K |
| Sep 2, 2024 | ARTESIA ARPT | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Eddy County
- Hail 547
- Thunderstorm Wind 218
- Tornado 59
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Heavy rain fell across Eddy County and produced flash flooding near Whites City. Two vehicles were washed off of Whites City Road about 0.9 miles east northeast of Carlsbad Caverns Visitor Center. The two vehicles were trying to cross a low lying section of the road when the flood waters caused the vehicles to lose control. The driver of the first vehicle was able to get out of the vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle swam to safety. The passenger of the second vehicle was reported missing and the body was later found. This flooding resulted in one fatality. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate.
The public reported up to two feet of water flowing over New Mexico Route 31 in eastern Eddy County at 22:09 MDT. By 22:45 MDT, local law enforcement officials had closed the highway to through traffic. Flood waters washed out 150 feet of railroad track that parallels the state route. Rail traffic was halted for more than a week until crews were able to repair the damage.
At 20:30 MST an automated river gauge recorded an eight foot flood wave propagating down Dark Canyon Draw and approaching Carlsbad. This wave was the result of runoff and excessively heavy rains over the Guadalupe Mountains and adjacent plains during the course of the previous twenty-four hours. By 21:10 MST several low water crossings in the city were flowing with flood waters four feet deep and seventy-five to 100 yards wide. This threatened homes and property in parts of the city. Local officials reported water running above the curbs in most city streets at 22:15 MST. Damage was minimal and no injuries were reported.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Eddy County, New Mexico?
217 flash flood events are recorded in Eddy County between 1996 and 2025, causing 2 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Eddy County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Eddy County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Eddy 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 Eddy County, New Mexico.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/new-mexico/eddy-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.