274
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
3
Direct injuries
$7.5M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Lea County, New Mexico: 274 recorded events between 1955 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 113. That places the county #561 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Lea County, New Mexico: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Lea County is the 2000s, when 65 of the county's 274 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, thunderstorm wind makes up 27.6% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #561 for this hazard and #1 within New Mexico, putting it in the 82.2 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Lea County with 89 recorded events, while Feb 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 21, 1992 | 0 | 0 | 3 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2025 | HOBBS IND ARPT | 60 | $0 |
| Aug 30, 2025 | HOBBS IND ARPT | 60 | $0 |
| Jun 10, 2025 | BENNETT | 61 | $0 |
| Jun 5, 2025 | TATUM | 57 | $0 |
| Jun 2, 2025 | JAL ARPT | 52 | $1K |
| May 29, 2025 | TATUM | 50 | $0 |
| May 27, 2025 | TATUM | 50 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2025 | TATUM | 51 | $0 |
| Apr 26, 2025 | TATUM | 58 | $0 |
| Apr 23, 2025 | BENNETT | 50 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Lea County
- Hail 512
- Tornado 97
- Flash Flood 88
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The most extensive damage during this event was confined to the eastern portions Jal, NM with the most notable damage along State Highway 128 in the vicinity of the Lea County/Jal Airport. At this location, a small single engine plane was flipped over. Also, numerous aircraft hanger doors were blown in due to the high winds which resulted in extensive damage to several aircraft storage buildings. Along State Highway 128, 28 power poles stretched along the southern edge of the highway were blown over into the eastbound lane of traffic. Overall, a total of 60 power poles were damaged. Closer to the city, numerous residential structures received significant roof damage, mainly in the form of lost roof shingles. Several trees were also downed near the Jal Lake Recreational Area.
Damage location estimated from Emergency Manager report. Damage includes approximately 300 cow hutches blown to the northeast, dozens of cattle fatalities, multiple irrigation pivots overturned, and multiple buildings with roof damage. The estimated wind speeds were 110 mph. Property damage cost is a rough estimation.
A thunderstorm moved over Lea County and knocked down power lines west and south of Hobbs as well as in Hobbs. Fires started due to the downed power lines. A transformer exploded and others burned on power poles in Hobbs. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Lea County, New Mexico?
274 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Lea County between 1955 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Lea County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Lea County measured 113.
Where does the thunderstorm wind 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
“Thunderstorm Wind in Lea County, New Mexico.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/new-mexico/lea-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.