Luna County, New Mexico
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Luna County, New Mexico has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 23rd of 33 counties in New Mexico. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $434 per resident. Since 1999 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (3 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2013 (severe storms and flooding). Only 23 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Luna County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 57.5 | $5M | ||
| Drought | 98.1 | $3M | ||
| Heat wave | 81.3 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 44.9 | $513K | ||
| Wildfire | 82.1 | $335K | ||
| Lightning | 61.4 | $230K | ||
| Earthquake | 54.0 | $222K | ||
| Hail | 29.0 | $74K | ||
| Winter weather | 59.6 | $58K | ||
| Tornado | 7.0 | $23K | ||
| Strong wind | 3.9 | $15K | ||
| Ice storm | 15.0 | $6K | ||
| Hurricane | 9.6 | $1K | ||
| Avalanche | 23.4 | $36 | ||
| Landslide | 3.8 | $3 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Luna County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
New Mexico also had 42 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1960
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 126 storm reports in Luna County since 1960, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $1.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on August 9, 1971.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 9, 1971 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 9, 2006 | F1 | Deming | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 18, 1975 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 8, 2019 | EFU | Hermanas | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 12, 2008 | Flash Flood | Deming | $400K |
| Aug 12, 2005 | Flash Flood | Deming | $200K |
| Aug 28, 2006 | Flash Flood | Northeast Portion | $80K |
| Jul 18, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Deming | $70K |
| Aug 29, 2006 | Flood | Countywide | $50K |
| Sep 20, 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Nutt | $40K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 27, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1929, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Luna County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with top winds near 45 mph about 46 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 46 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 46 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Luna County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Luna County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 11,621 housing units.
Compare in New Mexico
All 33 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo County | Inland flooding | |
| Doña Ana County | Inland flooding | |
| Santa Fe County | Inland flooding | |
| Sandoval County | Inland flooding | |
| San Juan County | Inland flooding | |
| Valencia County | Inland flooding | |
| Lea County | Inland flooding | |
| McKinley County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Doña Ana County | 8 | |
| Grant County | 11 | |
| Sierra County | 11 | |
| Hidalgo County | 8 |
Common questions about Luna County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Luna County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Luna County, about $5.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $3 million.
How many federal disasters has Luna County had?
Luna County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1999, including 3 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in September 2013.
Is Luna County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 23rd highest of 33 in New Mexico. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Luna County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Luna County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Luna County had?
NOAA records list 4 tornadoes in Luna County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on August 9, 1971. The weather service has also logged 28 hail reports and 38 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Luna County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Luna County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with winds near 45 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.