48 flood insurance claims·$537,443 paid·2 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around San Juan County, New Mexico. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates the flood risk profile in San Juan County, New Mexico, accounting for 53 out of 54 recorded flood events over the last 30 years, alongside one standard flood event and one recorded fatality.
Recent events illustrate this localized hazard. In June 2025, an upper low pulling moisture from former Tropical Storm Alvin produced flash flooding in Farmington. Later that year in October 2025, subtropical moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla triggered flash flooding in the normally dry Estes Arroyo northwest of Aztec, washing away a vehicle at County Road 3078 and requiring a rescue by county fire and rescue crews.
NFIP claims data shows payouts occurring across multiple zones. Zone A recorded 24 claims with an average payout of $11,163 and an average recorded water depth of 8 inches. Zone X recorded 17 claims with an average payout of $29,137 and an average water depth of 3 inches, while Zone X_UNSHADED logged 4 claims averaging $1,408 with an average water depth of 2 inches. Zone UNKNOWN recorded 2 claims with an average payout of $3,645 and an average water depth of 1 inch, and Zone X_SHADED saw 1 claim averaging $497 with an average water depth of 0 inches. Homeowners and real estate agents with properties located near arroyos, in Zone A, or within Zone X should pay the closest attention to these flash flood risks.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
17% of San Juan County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
29 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 5 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2013, with 12 claims and $253,199 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
38 NOAA storm reports from San Juan County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the New Mexico flood stories →
11 federal disaster declarations since 1977, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| South Fork Fire, Salt Fire, And Flooding | Jun 17, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Sep 9, 2013 |
| Blanco (cr 4901) Fire | Jun 18, 2012 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jul 25, 2010 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Fire Threats | May 5, 2000 |
| Severe Forest Fire | May 5, 2000 |
| Severe Ice Storms, Flooding And Heavy Rains | Jul 16, 1999 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
54 since 1996: 53 flash floods and 1 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Oct 10, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 3, 2025 | $10,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 2, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 27, 2024 | $250,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 25, 2024 | $100,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 25, 2024 | $500,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2024 | $500,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 20, 2023 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Oct 10, 2025. Subtropical moisture associated with the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla in the eastern Pacific moved across northwest New Mexico on October 10th resulting in scattered shower and thunderstorm activity across this part of the state. Thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding in the normally dry Estes Arroyo northwest of Aztec. These floodwaters washed away a vehicle driving through the arroyo at County Road 3078. Th…
Flash Flood · Jun 3, 2025. An upper low moved across the desert southwest June 1st into June 2nd helping to pull up higher moisture from former Tropical Storm Alvin in the eastern Pacific. Widespread showers and storms developed across New Mexico during the day June 2nd as the upper low moved into the state. Storms resulted in severe wind gusts in Clovis, penny size hail and flash flooding in Albuquerque and Farmington. Flash flooding in th…
Flash Flood · Jun 2, 2025. An upper low moved across the desert southwest June 1st into June 2nd helping to pull up higher moisture from former Tropical Storm Alvin in the eastern Pacific. Widespread showers and storms developed across New Mexico during the day June 2nd as the upper low moved into the state. Storms resulted in severe wind gusts in Clovis, penny size hail and flash flooding in Albuquerque and Farmington. Flash flooding in th…
Flash Flood · Jun 27, 2024. Record levels of monsoon moisture remained in place across NM as an upper level disturbance approached from the west and pushed the upper level high over the state south into New Mexico. Showers and thunderstorms developed over the high terrain in northeastern New Mexico midday June 26th, spreading over central and eastern NM during the afternoon and evening hours. These outflow boundaries produced severe wind gus…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in San Juan County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.