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San Jon, New Mexico

6 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1968. It stands in the San Jon census division. It lies in ZIP code area 88434. The Survey maps it on the San Jon quadrangle. 195 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 4,032 feet above sea level.

San Jon within Quay County

On record in San Jon

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 2 records

Population over time

4 figures

San Jon fell from 362 to 195 between 1950 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.

YearPeople Change
1950362
2000306
2010216-90 (-29%)
2020195-21 (-10%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

3 surveys from 6 printed sheets

Matched 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.

Fires near this place

19 since 1993

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 19 fires within 5 miles of San Jon between 1993 and 2017, burning about 10,828 acres in total. 5 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/undetermined9
Natural5
Equipment and vehicle use3
Debris and open burning2

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
30 August 1994Missing data/not specified/undetermined120 acresNew Mexico State Forestry DivisionBRYANT
1 August 2016Natural25 acresLas Vegas DistrictQUAY ROAD P
25 July 2016Naturalunder an acreLas Vegas DistrictDUKE
25 June 1996Missing data/not specified/undetermined30 acresNew Mexico State Forestry DivisionBARD
22 June 2005Debris and open burning250 acresNew Mexico State Forestry DivisionSAN JON
19 June 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined40 acresNew Mexico State Forestry DivisionKENT
15 June 2009Equipment and vehicle use1,795 acresNew Mexico State Forestry DivisionSTONER
22 May 1996Missing data/not specified/undetermined500 acresNew Mexico State Forestry DivisionTROUTMAN

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Quay County

Mines and quarries near this place

4 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of San Jon: 3 producers, 1 unknown. 3 still produce. 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 SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Unnamed PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Unnamed PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Unnamed PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Unnamed PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every working recorded in Quay County

Storms near this place

60 of 66 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names San Jon in 66 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 42 hail, 13 thunderstorm wind, 4 tornado, 3 funnel cloud. 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 1994Tornado (F0)San Jon$50,000no account filed
May 2021Thunderstorm WindSan Jon$10,000A microburst with estimated 70 to 90 mph winds from a severe thunderstorm caused significant damage in and around Grady as well as in far southern Quay County. In southern Quay County, a National Weather Service damage survey team estimated 70 mph winds associated with the microburst destroyed a carport. The carport along with a downed TV antenna was carried 200 yards away from their original location. A storage shed that was attached to the carport was also tipped over. Additionally, several large trees limbs were downed. Damages are estimated for the loss and damage to the carport, TV antenna, storage shed, and tree limbs.
July 2009HailSan Jon$2,500no account filed
June 2010Thunderstorm WindSan Jon$1,000Multiple large tree branches were knocked down. A 12 inch diameter cottonwood tree was reduced to less than half its original height.
July 1998Flash FloodSan Jon$1,000no account filed
April 2025HailSan Jon-A trained spotter 1 mile southwest of Wheatland observed quarter size hail from a severe thunderstorm.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindSan Jon-The public reported a severe thunderstorm wind gust of 60 mph near San Jon, NM.
May 2024HailSan Jon-A trained spotter near Wheatland reported lots of quarter size hail and wind gusts of up to 50 mph from a severe thunderstorm.
May 2024HailSan Jon-A severe thunderstorm produced quarter size hail a few miles north of Wheatland.
May 2023HailSan Jon-One inch hail was reported just west of San Jon, NM.
May 2023HailSan Jon-One inch hail reported south of San Jon. Hail stones likely peaked larger than this based on surrounding 2 inch reports during this timeframe.
May 2023HailSan Jon-A trained spotter estimated a few nickel size hail stones fell at San Jon. Strong wind gusts also were ripping through their trees, but no damage was reported.
May 2023HailSan Jon-Hail reports ranging in size from dimes to quarters in San Jon.
May 2023HailSan Jon-Two inch hail a few miles west of San Jon along I-40.
May 2023Thunderstorm WindSan Jon-A storm chaser reported an estimated thunderstorm wind gust of 70 mph.
May 2019HailSan Jon-Quarter size hail reported near Wheatland.
August 2018HailSan Jon-Hail up to the size of quarters near Wheatland.
August 2018Thunderstorm WindSan Jon-Peak wind gusts up to 60 mph downed a few large tree limbs in Wheatland.
May 2018HailSan Jon-Penny size hail at Giddy Up Ranch.
October 2017Flash FloodSan Jon-Rock slides, mud, and debris covering portions of state highway 469 between San Jon and Grady. Road was closed for several hours after causative event.
May 2017Thunderstorm WindSan Jon-Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated between 60 and 70 mph with dime size hail.
May 2016HailSan Jon-Quarter size hail along Interstate 40 at mile marker 359 near San Jon.
June 2015HailSan Jon-Trained spotter reported penny size hail.
June 2015HailSan Jon-Trained spotter reported nickel size hail.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindSan Jon-Report of 65 mph outflow winds with torrential rainfall in San Jon.
July 2014Heavy RainSan Jon-State police dispatcher reported that she received 3.05 inches of rain at her residence during the overnight hours.
May 2014HailSan Jon-Numerous reports of pea to nickel sized hail around San Jon.
July 2011HailSan Jon-Quarter size hail was reported along I-40.
July 2009Thunderstorm WindSan Jon-A cooperative observer reported that several tree limbs were downed around town including a large branch from a Cottonwood tree.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindSan Jon-Semi-truck blown over on Interstate 40.
July 2000HailSan Jon-Heavy rain, large hail and several funnel clouds were reported from San Jon.
May 1999Funnel CloudSan Jon-Brief funnel cloud reported by deputies.
August 1998Tornado (F0)San Jon-A brief tornado touchdown was noted by several observers.
July 1994HailSan Jon-The San Jon Fire Department reported a brief tornado and nickel-size hail just north of San Jon. Strong winds estimated at 60 mph and nickel-size hail were reported at the San Jon Port of Entry.
July 1994Tornado (F0)San Jon-The San Jon Fire Department reported a brief tornado and nickel-size hail just north of San Jon. Strong winds estimated at 60 mph and nickel-size hail were reported at the San Jon Port of Entry.
July 1994HailSan Jon-The San Jon Fire Department reported a brief tornado and nickel-size hail just north of San Jon. Strong winds estimated at 60 mph and nickel-size hail were reported at the San Jon Port of Entry.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindSan Jon-The San Jon Fire Department reported a brief tornado and nickel-size hail just north of San Jon. Strong winds estimated at 60 mph and nickel-size hail were reported at the San Jon Port of Entry.
May 2023HailSan Jon-no account filed
May 2023HailSan Jon-no account filed
May 2023HailSan Jon-no account filed
October 2015HailSan Jon-no account filed
June 2014HailSan Jon-no account filed
May 2014HailSan Jon-no account filed
May 2010HailSan Jon-no account filed
June 2008HailSan Jon-no account filed
May 2005HailSan Jon-no account filed
June 2005HailSan Jon-no account filed
June 2005HailSan Jon-no account filed
June 2004HailSan Jon-no account filed
July 2004HailSan Jon-no account filed
August 2004HailSan Jon-no account filed
August 2004Tornado (F0)San Jon-no account filed
August 2004Flash FloodSan Jon-no account filed
August 2004Thunderstorm WindSan Jon-no account filed
June 2003HailSan Jon-no account filed
June 2003Thunderstorm WindSan Jon-no account filed
June 2003HailSan Jon-no account filed
May 2002HailSan Jon-no account filed
July 2002HailSan Jon-no account filed
July 2002HailSan Jon-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Quay County

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 PlaceDistance Sheets
Pleasant Valley (historical)4.5 miles6
Bard4.6 miles5
Porter7.5 miles4
Endee11.9 miles5
Allen (historical)12.0 miles5
Frio (historical)12.6 miles6
Norton12.9 miles6
Lesbia13.8 miles6

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 San JonAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q1912752The 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 894426. 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.