Enter any address in Colfax County, New Mexico to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates Colfax County's flood risk. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 34 flash flood events, compared to 2 general flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding on the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon burn scar on July 21, 2023, and flash flooding associated with saturated soils after an active monsoon season on August 16, 2022.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that while Zone A areas have seen more claims (5), Zone X areas have experienced higher average payouts ($6,144) with an average water depth of 1.5 feet. Homeowners in Zone X, as well as those in Zone A, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
24 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Colfax County, New Mexico has recorded 36 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 34 flash floods and 2 river or area floods. The county has received 18 federal disaster declarations, 3 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2022)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Cook's Peak Fire | Fire | Apr 28, 2022 |
| Wildfires, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, And Debris Flows | Fire | Apr 5, 2022 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Ute Park Fire | Fire | May 31, 2018 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 15, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Flood | Sep 9, 2013 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 23, 2013 |
| Track Fire | Fire | Jun 12, 2011 |
| Rivera Mesa Fire | Fire | Jun 18, 2006 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 1, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 21, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 12, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 16, 2022 | 15.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 11, 2022 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 26, 2021 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 28, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 7, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 5, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Aug 1, 2025
The monsoon high was centered across southeast Arizona and southwest New Mexico on August 1st and 2nd. Northwest flow around the upper high circulation along with embedded disturbances in this flow resulted in the development of showers and thunderstorms across parts of central and eastern New Mexico during the afternoon and evening hours. Thunderstorms resulted in some flash flooding on and do...
Flash Flood — Jul 21, 2023
Northwest flow rounding the northeastern periphery of an upper high over AZ combined with abundant low-level moisture over the high plains of eastern NM to produce severe weather along and east of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on July 21st and 22nd. Large hail and severe winds were observed from these scattered storm cells. Heavy rainfall also produced flash flooding on the Hermit's Peak/Calf ...
Flash Flood — Jun 12, 2023
A backdoor front brought moist easterly upslope flow into northeastern NM on June 11th and June 12th. Discrete supercells fired up along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains during the early afternoon hours of June 11th dropping large to destructive hail as they translated east towards the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. More storms developed off the east slopes of the Sangre de Cri...
Flash Flood — Aug 16, 2022
The upper-level high pressure system was located over the Great Basin area on August 16, 2022, while a backdoor front moved into eastern New Mexico before stalling along the east slopes of the central mountain chain. Increased moisture and favorable upslope flow supported increasing thunderstorm coverage across much of northeast New Mexico. With already saturated soils from an active monsoon se...
Flash Flood — Jul 11, 2022
As a backdoor cold front moved into eastern New Mexico, it replinished moisture and provided favorable upslope to allow for more rigorous thunderstorms on July 11, 2022. Thunderstorms developed early in the day and became widespread across much of the northern and central New Mexico. Heavy rainfall was common with these thunderstorms, especially across the northeast due to the boundary. Flash f...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Colfax County, New Mexico:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Colfax County, New Mexico that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.