Mora County, New Mexico
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Mora County, New Mexico has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 61% of US counties. It ranks 25th of 33 counties in New Mexico. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, wildfires and drought. FEMA estimates about $7.1 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,715 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2023 (Las Tusas Fire). About 1 in 3 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,029 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $478,000 on 64 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Mora 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.
- Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
- Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 50.7 | $4M | ||
| Wildfire | 95.9 | $3M | ||
| Drought | 62.6 | $194K | ||
| Lightning | 28.5 | $61K | ||
| Cold wave | 8.9 | $37K | ||
| Earthquake | 26.1 | $29K | ||
| Winter weather | 38.4 | $25K | ||
| Hail | 12.2 | $24K | ||
| Tornado | 4.9 | $11K | ||
| Strong wind | 2.7 | $8K | ||
| Landslide | 75.9 | $6K | ||
| Ice storm | 1.1 | $300 | ||
| Heat wave | 2.5 | $117 | ||
| Avalanche | 22.1 | $28 |
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 Mora County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 18
New Mexico also had 42 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1961
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 211 storm reports in Mora County since 1961, with 1 death and 1 injury and about $3.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on July 21, 1973.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 21, 1973 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 17, 1965 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 8, 1969 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 23, 1990 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 14, 1990 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 13, 2021 | Flash Flood | Chacon | $750K |
| Jul 21, 2022 | Flash Flood | Holman | $500K |
| Jul 2, 2022 | Flash Flood | Mora | $300K |
| Apr 30, 1999 | Flash Flood | Mora | $200K |
| Jul 12, 2022 | Flash Flood | Lucero | $150K |
| Jul 1, 2022 | Flash Flood | Holman | $150K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 24, 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.
Flood insurance in Mora 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 Mora 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; 2,923 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe County | 8 | |
| Rio Arriba County | 15 | |
| Taos County | 8 | |
| San Miguel County | 19 | |
| Colfax County | 16 | |
| Harding County | 6 |
Common questions about Mora County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Mora County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Mora County, about $4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Wildfire is second at $2.7 million.
How many federal disasters has Mora County had?
Mora County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Las Tusas Fire in May 2023.
Is Mora County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 25th 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 Mora County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 3 homes in Mora 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 Mora County had?
NOAA records list 12 tornadoes in Mora County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on July 21, 1973. The weather service has also logged 143 hail reports and 45 floods here.
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.