South Valley, NM Tornado History — 28 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has South Valley, NM had?
South Valley has had 28 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near South Valley?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of South Valley was an Unrated on August 19, 2025.
When is tornado season in South Valley?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near South Valley, with 8 on record. April through June account for 12 of the 28 tornadoes on record near South Valley.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near South Valley
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 8 total, averaging 0.4 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near South Valley since December 29, 2025
This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is not counted in the confirmed totals above.
Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.
Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.
[Landspout] Video shows a debris cloud with flashing power lines. (ABQ)
Within 25 miles of South Valley. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
What storm spotters reported near South Valley
2 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of South Valley and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on July 30, 2025 and the most recent on August 19, 2025. They are already counted in the South Valley totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.
[Landspout] Video shared by broadcast media of a landspout near the Bernalillo/Sandoval county line. (ABQ)
[Landspout] Social media video shows landspout just north of Rio Bravo Blvd. Time and location estimated based on video and radar. (ABQ)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near South Valley
1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of South Valley since 1950, across 1 event. 8 injuries have been reported across all events. 1974 was the deadliest year on record near South Valley.
The deadliest single event was an F2 on October 10, 1974, which caused 1 fatality along a 2.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near South Valley
What the record shows near South Valley
The 2020s are the busiest decade on record so far near South Valley, with 7 of the 28 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles. The South Valley record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near South Valley, 22 reached EF0 or EF1 and 2 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near South Valley is rated EF2, of which 2 are logged. A further 4 near South Valley are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years South Valley has averaged 0.4 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 8 in total. 2025 was the busiest of them with 3, and 15 of those years passed with none at all.