Dora, New Mexico
6 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1972. It stands in the Dora census division. It lies in ZIP code area 88115. The Survey maps it on the Dora quadrangle. 117 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 4,291 feet above sea level.
Population over time
2 figuresDora fell from 133 to 117 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 133 | |
| 2020 | 117 | -16 (-12%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
4 surveys from 6 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1954 USGS Brownfield quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1958 USGS Brownfield quadrangle1:250000
- 1962 USGS Brownfield quadrangle1:250000
- 1972 USGS Dora quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
Photographs
2 photographs, 1942Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.
Vachon, John, 1942. Library of Congress
Vachon, John, 1942. Library of Congress
Fires near this place
63 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 63 fires within 5 miles of Dora between 1992 and 2019, burning about 6,061 acres in total. 18 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 26 |
| Natural | 18 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 15 |
| Debris and open burning | 3 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 September 1994 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 8.0 acres | New Mexico State Forestry Division | HAYS |
| 26 September 2006 | Equipment and vehicle use | 25 acres | New Mexico State Forestry Division | not named |
| 17 September 2007 | Natural | 30 acres | New Mexico State Forestry Division | not named |
| 9 August 2009 | Natural | under an acre | New Mexico State Forestry Division | FRAZE |
| 8 August 2016 | Natural | 20 acres | Capitan District | DORA EAST |
| 6 August 2019 | Natural | 6.8 acres | Capitan District | 20-50330155X |
| 5 August 1992 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 12 acres | New Mexico State Forestry Division | CASTY |
| 4 August 2002 | Debris and open burning | 250 acres | New Mexico State Forestry Division | MUSICK |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
6 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Dora: 6 unknowns. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Materials Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Materials Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Materials Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Materials Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Materials Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown |
Storms near this place
36 since 1999Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Dora in 36 storm reports between 1999 and 2025: 17 hail, 14 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud, 2 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2019 | Tornado (EF2) | Dora | $2,000,000 | The NWS surveyed damage from a strong tornado that impacted parts of southern Roosevelt County during the early evening of Sunday, May 26, 2019. The tornado lasted nearly 30 minutes and tracked about 10 miles over predominately rural ranch/farmland in southern Roosevelt County. No injuries were reported. Two known properties were impacted: one 4 miles southeast of Dora and another approximately 5 miles east-northeast of Dora. Additionally, considerable damage to electrical infrastructure was noted including ten consecutive power poles snapped several feet above the ground 1-2 miles east of Rogers on the north side of NM 237. Farther southwest, several high voltage power poles/structures were partially collapsed and associated lines downed 2-3 miles south-southeast of Dora. A well-built hay barn that was originally an early 20th century church was completely destroyed. A power pole was snapped 12 feet above the ground, lofted at least 10 feet and driven into the ground 100 yards away. Partial ground scouring was noted along State Road 114 where the tornado crossed near Roosevelt County Rd. M. Based on assessed damage, wind speeds were estimated to be in the 120-130 mph range. Damage estimates are estimated for residential and infrastructure. |
| August 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | $2,000,000 | Severe winds downed a one mile stretch of power poles four miles south-southeast of Portales. Metal roofing material was blown several hundred feet away. A large pivot irrigation system was also blown over. |
| May 2019 | Hail | Dora | $100,000 | Baseball size hail fell with a tornadic supercell thunderstorm near Dora, NM resulting in damage to cars and homes. Damage amounts are a rough estimate for several residences. |
| June 2017 | Hail | Dora | $50,000 | Hail up to the size of hen eggs produced severe damage to a home northeast of Dora. Windows, skylights, satellite dishes, and siding were destroyed. |
| June 2012 | Hail | Dora | $10,000 | Baseball size hail reported 1 mile north of Dora. |
| August 2008 | Flash Flood | Dora | $1,000 | Highway 206 had several spots with two to three feet of standing water. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | The West Texas mesonet station near Dora observed a 58 mph wind gust on the leading edge of incoming thunderstorms. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Dora | - | Elida Fire Department reported golf ball size hail from a severe thunderstorm. |
| May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | A mesonet station near Dora measured a 60 mph wind gust associated with a severe thunderstorm that moved northeastward through the area. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | A mesonet station near Dora measured a 58 mph wind gust from a severe thunderstorm tracking eastward through the area. |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | Thunderstorm outflow winds of 72 mph at Dora. |
| June 2017 | Hail | Dora | - | Hail up to the size of ping pong balls. |
| August 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | Dora fire chief reported a peak wind gust up to 65 mph with moderate rotation beneath storm base. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | Dora mesonet reported a peak wind of 60mph at 905pm then 70mph at 910pm. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | Dora Mesonet recorded a gust to 58mph as well as a high sustained wind speed of 42mph a a line of strong thunderstorms was moving through the area. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | Dora mesonet measured a 64 mph peak wind. |
| December 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | West Texas mesonet at Dora. |
| June 2012 | Tornado (EF0) | Dora | - | A long track tornadic supercell thunderstorms that developed over far western portions of the caprock in extreme southeast Guadalupe county produced significant and widespread damage along a path that stretched from over 100 miles from approximately 15 miles north of Fort Sumner to near the New Mexico / Texas state line south of Causey. This was the second of two relatively short tornado damage paths surveyed near Dora in Roosevelt County. |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | A high wind gust estimated at 60 mph reduced the visibility to a quarter of a mile in blowing dust. |
| August 2001 | Funnel Cloud | Dora | - | Rural residents reported a brief funnel cloud between Dora and Portales. |
| May 1999 | Funnel Cloud | Dora | - | Small funnels reported near Dora. |
| June 2023 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | no account filed |
| May 2008 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| October 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dora | - | no account filed |
| April 2004 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| May 1999 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
| June 1999 | Hail | Dora | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Lake (historical) | 5.5 miles | 6 | |
| Rogers | 6.4 miles | 6 | |
| Longs (historical) | 6.7 miles | 6 | |
| Pep | 7.1 miles | 5 | |
| Richland | 8.9 miles | 5 | |
| Garrison | 8.9 miles | 5 | |
| Inez | 10.4 miles | 6 | |
| New Hope (historical) | 11.4 miles | 6 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Dora | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1243579 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 888464. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.



