San Juan County, New Mexico
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
San Juan County, New Mexico has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 88% of US counties. It ranks 3rd of 33 counties in New Mexico. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $44 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $363 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (severe storms and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (135 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $537,000 on 48 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in San Juan 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 92.4 | $31M | ||
| Drought | 99.0 | $5M | ||
| Cold wave | 87.4 | $3M | ||
| Earthquake | 83.9 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 96.5 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 79.9 | $910K | ||
| Wildfire | 81.6 | $285K | ||
| Winter weather | 89.3 | $233K | ||
| Tornado | 22.6 | $179K | ||
| Strong wind | 23.8 | $133K | ||
| Landslide | 93.0 | $51K | ||
| Hail | 15.8 | $33K | ||
| Ice storm | 38.9 | $30K | ||
| Avalanche | 26.9 | $47 |
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 San Juan 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 1957
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 159 storm reports in San Juan County since 1957, with 5 deaths and 11 injuries and about $11.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 10, 1957.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 1957 | F2 | – | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 18, 1968 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
| May 28, 1963 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 28, 1990 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 23, 2000 | F0 | La Plata | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Farmington Airport | $3M |
| Aug 1, 2010 | Flash Flood | Farmington | $2M |
| Aug 26, 2015 | Flash Flood | Aztec | $1M |
| Aug 5, 2016 | Flash Flood | Shiprock | $1M |
| Jun 21, 2024 | Flash Flood | Farmington Airport | $500K |
| Aug 25, 2024 | Flash Flood | Shiprock | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 20, 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 San Juan 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 San Juan 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; 48,255 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sandoval County | 20 | |
| McKinley County | 9 | |
| Apache County, AZ | 14 | |
| La Plata County, CO | 8 | |
| Rio Arriba County | 15 | |
| Montezuma County, CO | 6 | |
| San Juan County, UT | 4 | |
| Archuleta County, CO | 6 |
Cities in San Juan County
Common questions about San Juan County
What is the biggest natural hazard in San Juan County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in San Juan County, about $31.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $4.8 million.
How many federal disasters has San Juan County had?
San Juan County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in October 2026.
Is San Juan County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 3rd 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 San Juan County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in San Juan 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 San Juan County had?
NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in San Juan County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 10, 1957. The weather service has also logged 28 hail reports and 55 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.