53
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$7.0M
Property damage
Flash Flood in San Juan County, New Mexico: 53 recorded events between 1996 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #561 nationally and #14 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in San Juan County, New Mexico: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in San Juan County is the 2010s, when 21 of the county's 53 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 San Juan County archive, flash flood makes up 34.4% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #561 for this hazard and #14 within New Mexico, putting it in the 81.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Aug is the peak month for flash flood in San Juan County with 19 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 5, 2016 | TURLEY | 0 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2025 | AZTEC MUNI ARPT | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 3, 2025 | KIRTLAND | 0 | $10K |
| Jun 2, 2025 | KIRTLAND | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 25, 2024 | SHIPROCK | 0 | $100K |
| Aug 25, 2024 | SHIPROCK | 0 | $500K |
| Jun 27, 2024 | RATTLESNAKE | 0 | $250K |
| Jun 21, 2024 | (FMN)FARMINGTON AIRPORT | 0 | $500K |
| May 20, 2023 | (FMN)FARMINGTON AIRPORT | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 18, 2022 | TSAYA | 0 | $75K |
| Aug 17, 2022 | BLOOMFIELD | 0 | $200K |
Other hazards here
More from San Juan County
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Serious flash flooding developed on Salt Creek Wash and created major damage to a community near Mesa Farm Road. Three to four homes were severely damaged and one home was destroyed. Several vehicles, motorcycles, recreational vehicles washed into creek and destroyed. Water rescues occurred from roof tops and amazingly no one was killed.
The Blanco Arroyo overflowed its banks and, combined with heavy rain across the area, led to significant flash flooding. Firefighters rescued a few individuals from the roofs of their homes, otherwise no major injuries or fatalities were reported. Several homes were reportedly shifted off their foundation and a propane tank at one of those homes was swept away in the flood waters. Multiple classrooms were damaged at three area schools, causing all schools to be closed on the 27th and one school, Lydia Rippey Elementary, to be closed on the 28th. The Aztec Municipal Golf Course at Hidden Valley was closed until further notice due to damages incurred from the flooding. A large rock slide closed Navajo Road 36 at mile marker 28, with other smaller road closures reported around Aztec. Measured rainfall in the area ranges from an inch to a little over an inch and a half.
Heavy runoff within the Baker Arroyo jumped out and flooded west and south, impacting U.S. Highway 64, Christ the King Catholic Church, the Central Consolidated School District and the Chat and Chew restaurant. At least two homes were destroyed or made uninhabitable. Damage cost is an estimate.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in San Juan County, New Mexico?
53 flash flood events are recorded in San Juan County between 1996 and 2025, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in San Juan County?
The strongest flash flood on record in San Juan County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for San Juan 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 San Juan County, New Mexico.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/new-mexico/san-juan-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.