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Lightning - Great risk for loss of life would be lightning. We only average a few deaths per year, far, far fewer than Florida, but with the small population, we rank #1 in the nation in deaths per capita. A more likely lightning mishap is to get electrical damage in the home. We have a few houses burn every year from lightning ignition.
Flash Floods - We rank 10th highest in the nation in flash flood deaths per capita. Just as with lightning, people just need to be weather savvy and get out of the way when mother nature is doing her thing.
Tornadoes - Two deaths this year were the first deaths in New Mexico since the 1970s. So, this isn't much of a concern. However, the state averages 11 documented tornadoes per year. Considering the lack of an accurate severe weather climatology related to the low population density, I would suspect we probably have 15 or 20 tornadoes per year. Nearly all of them are in the eastern half of the state, mainly during May and June. Most of them simply don't hit anything to destroy, and it helps that the vast majority of them occur during the daylight hours and can be seen for miles.
Wildfire - Most of human-caused in the spring, then lightning gets them going in late spring and early summer. Danger diminishes substantially in early to mid July once the monsoon in Mexico begins to impact the SW U.S. The very low humidity in the spring along with high wind can create extreme danger, although we're really talking about property as people tend to have time to get out of the way.
Earthquakes - It's been a long time, but houses were destroyed between Albuquerque and Socorro back in the 1930s. They were adobes, and not all that substantial. I actually pay an extra $80 a year or so for earthquake insurance on my house, though I don't expect to ever need it. I won't cancel it though, because that might cause an earthquake.
Winter Storms - Mainly an inconvenience at times, but we do have deaths from them. Some are traffic-related. Every winter a few people freeze to death, but it's usually someone who was drunk and fell asleep outside in zero degree weather, or something like that.
Pests? Mosquitoes can be a problem in some areas. Where I live, I almost never see one. In fact, I haven't seen one this year. Some people in my neighborhood consider the rabbits and deer pests, but IMHO, if you're going to live in rabbit and deer country, you have to play by their rules to some extent. Rattlesnakes can be a problem in some areas, especially over the lower elevations of New Mexico.
I understand that NM has just as many types of natural disaster/pests as florida does. i guess it helps alot though that there is a larger portion of NM that is not inhabited by large population. Here in florida there are cities everywhere , even if they are small, so at some time a natural disaster will devistate your area.
I am very excited to be moving to the area. even with these "disasters" for some reason i feel that living in NM will be alot safer than central florida. it may just be excitement that is making brush off the facts, such as drunk driving, higher altitude, freezing weather, heat stroke. i think i would rather battle those elements than shooting, road rage, hurricanes, the lightning belt, sharks, sink holes... etc..
I posted some links to pictures of Ladron Peak in this thread, so I am
reviving it with links to another nice picture I found with Ladron Peak and
Albuquerque's downtown as seen from a balloon with a balloon in the picture: Spring 2007 Balloon Fiesta 080 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
These include the cool new Darth Vader balloon:
Balloon Fiesta 1 on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://flickr.com/photos/gene3/1556392208/in/pool-albuquerque/ - broken link)
(scan around thumbnails for others)
Finally, I remember Smokey from my first Balloon Fiesta in 1985:
the new smokey on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://flickr.com/photos/simutis1/1560077748/in/pool-albuquerque/ - broken link)
Hi, my Husband and I are thinking about relocating to NM from So Cal, perhaps the Albuquerque area. Can anyone suggest a nice (low drugs and crime) but affordable area? Can be surrounding Alb area. Thanks!
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