BlockBefore

Bovina, Texas

9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1985. It stands in the Farwell-Bovina census division. It lies in ZIP code area 79009. It lies near Catfish Draw. The Survey maps it on the Bovina quadrangle. 1,699 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 4,068 feet above sea level.

Bovina within Parmer County

Population over time

3 figures

Bovina fell from 1,874 to 1,699 between 2000 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
20001,874
20101,868-6 (-0%)
20201,699-169 (-9%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

4 surveys from 9 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

23 since 2006

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 23 fires within 5 miles of Bovina between 2006 and 2020, burning about 2,351 acres in total. 2 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
Debris and open burning8
Equipment and vehicle use6
Power generation/transmission/distribution3
Smoking2
Natural2
Missing data/not specified/undetermined1
Railroad operations and maintenance1

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
25 August 2011Natural1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceCR 12
14 June 2020Power generation/transmission/distribution2,000 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceM11 FIRE
13 June 2019Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceEDDIE DON
4 May 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceXCEL FIRE
28 May 2013Debris and open burning1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceCARSON
28 May 2011Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceCARGILL
28 May 2011Debris and open burning60 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceS&D 1
28 May 2011Debris and open burning20 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceS&D 2

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Parmer County

Storms near this place

50 since 1995

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Bovina in 50 storm reports between 1995 and 2025: 36 hail, 9 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, 1 flood. 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
March 2007Tornado (EF0)Bovina$75,000The Bovina Police Department reported seeing a funnel cloud approach the city from the southwest. A National Weather Service survey team documented damage from a weak tornado that developed in a Bovina city park and moved northeastward through a residential area. Large tree limbs up to five inches in diameter were blown down, storage sheds were destroyed, and several homes sustained roof and window damage. On the north edge of the city, a carport was destroyed with debris wrapped around a large tree. Additionally, windows were blown out of an adjacent mobile home. Power outages were widespread across the city. |The tornado continued to track northward where it destroyed a horse stable at a farm northeast of the city. No injuries were reported. Many residents sought shelter in basements and left trailer houses for more substantial structures. Damage estimates totaled $75,000.
May 2002HailBovina$50,000The Parmer County Sheriff's Office reported golfball size hail.
June 1998HailBovina$50,000no account filed
September 1995Thunderstorm WindBovina$50,000no account filed
June 2008Thunderstorm WindBovina$5,000Reports from the Bovina Police Department described a blinding wall of dust that accompanied approaching outflow winds as severe storms moved out of New Mexico and impacted Bovina shortly after 18:00 CST on the 23rd. The Police Chief estimated wind gusts around 65 mph along U.S. Highway 60 just southwest of the city shortly at 18:05 CST. By 18:10 CST law enforcement officials reported that a roof had been blown off of a tin storage shed in Bovina.
April 2017HailBovina$3,000A storm chaser reported hail up to baseball size along US Highway 60 northeast of Bovina. Some storm chasers and a law enforcement vehicle received damage to their windshields.
April 2001Thunderstorm WindBovina$3,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines and damaged the roof of a barn.
June 2025Flash FloodBovina-Late on the evening of the fifth, additional thunderstorms developed across far eastern New Mexico and moved into the extreme southwestern Texas Panhandle. These storms were oriented in a way that they trained over portions of Parmer County mostly affecting areas in and around Friona including US Highway 60 from Bovina to northeast of Friona.
May 2023HailBovina-A storm chaser reported half dollar size hail in Bovina.
June 2023HailBovina-A trained spotter reported quarter size hail in Bovina.
May 2022HailBovina-A swath of severe size hail was observed in and around Bovina. Law enforcement in the town of Bovina reported quarter size hail. A few minutes later, a storm chaser reported hail up to tennis ball size just south of Bovina. No damage was reported.
May 2021HailBovina-Local broadcast media relayed a report of quarter size hail in Bovina.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindBovina-Fire department dispatcher reported that a large tree was blown down.
April 2018HailBovina-Damage, if any, was not known.
April 2017HailBovina-A storm chaser measured hail slightly larger than golf ball size along US Highway 60 southwest and northeast of Bovina. No damage was reported.
September 2017HailBovina-More than a dozen farmers in Parmer County suffered varying degrees of damage to corn and cotton crops following a slow-moving hailstorm. About 20,000 acres were damaged in total, with about 3,500 acres reported as a complete loss. The hail was estimated to be as large as golf ball size.
June 2016HailBovina-The Sheriff's office in Parmer County reported hail up to golf ball size in Bovina. No damage was reported.
October 2015HailBovina-A COOP Observer observed nickel size hail.
June 2014HailBovina-Hail slightly larger than quarters was estimated in Bovina. No damage was reported.
July 2014FloodBovina-Law enforcement officials reported standing water over Highways 60 and 86 in the vicinity of Bovina causing multiple vehicles to hydroplane off the road. One car was stranded in high water as rainfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches fell across much of town, with locally higher amounts.
May 2013HailBovina-A city official in Bovina estimated pea to quarter size hail. No damage was reported.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindBovina-Law enforcement personnel estimated winds of 60 mph in Bovina.
May 2011HailBovina-The Parmer County emergency manager and the Bovina police department reported nickel to quarter size hail in Bovina. No damage was reported.
May 2010HailBovina-Bovina police department reported golf ball size hail south and east of Bovina.
May 2010HailBovina-A trained weather spotter reported quarter size hail northeast of Bovina.
May 2010HailBovina-Law enforcement in Parmer County reported quarter size to golfball size hail along U.S. Highway 60 from four miles east of Bovina to Friona.
June 2009HailBovina-The public reported that nickel to quarter size hail fell just east of Bovina for about fifteen minutes.
July 2009Thunderstorm WindBovina-A trained storm spotter estimated severe thunderstorm winds near 70 mph in Bovina. A number of large tree branches were downed by the winds. No significant damages were reported.
April 2008HailBovina-Local broadcast media storm chasers and law enforement officials relayed multiple reports of large hail along a swath from west of Bovina to south of Black. Storm chasers initially encountered nickel size hail along Farm to Market Road 2290 west of Bovina at 15:15 CST. As the chasers drove eastward out of Bovina on Texas Highway 86, hail stones increased in size to between quarters and golfballs. Local authorities additionally reported penny size hail near Friona. By 15:52, quarter size hail reportedly covered Farm to Market Road 1172 south of Black. No damage was reported.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindBovina-The Bovina Police Department estimated severe thunderstorm gusts in excess of 60 mph and reduced visibilities in blowing dust along U.S. Highway 60 south of the city. No damage was reported.
June 2003Tornado (F0)Bovina-A storm chaser reported a brief tornado over open country.
June 2003Tornado (F0)Bovina-A storm chaser reported a brief tornado over open country.
May 2002HailBovina-The Parmer County Sheriff's Office reported golfball size hail.
June 1995HailBovina-Storm survey indicated a strong tornado swept across the southern and eastern edge of Friona destroying 14 homes and damaging another 25. Another 25 businesses were destroyed or heavily damaged. Of the 12 injuries only one was critical, a 68-year-old male. The largest employer in town, the Hi-Pro Feed Mill was completely demolished, as well as the airport. A train was derailed and toppled on the west side of town, but this was not along the damage path. Straight-line winds or rear flank downdraft may have been responsible for this.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindBovina-Storm survey indicated a strong tornado swept across the southern and eastern edge of Friona destroying 14 homes and damaging another 25. Another 25 businesses were destroyed or heavily damaged. Of the 12 injuries only one was critical, a 68-year-old male. The largest employer in town, the Hi-Pro Feed Mill was completely demolished, as well as the airport. A train was derailed and toppled on the west side of town, but this was not along the damage path. Straight-line winds or rear flank downdraft may have been responsible for this.
May 2010HailBovina-no account filed
May 2004HailBovina-no account filed
August 2004HailBovina-no account filed
June 2003Thunderstorm WindBovina-no account filed
June 2003HailBovina-no account filed
June 2003HailBovina-no account filed
May 2002HailBovina-no account filed
August 2002HailBovina-no account filed
June 1999HailBovina-no account filed
June 1998HailBovina-no account filed
May 1997HailBovina-no account filed
June 1997HailBovina-no account filed
June 1997HailBovina-no account filed
June 1996HailBovina-no account filed
May 1996HailBovina-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Parmer 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
Wilsey5.8 miles9
Parmerton6.2 miles8
Hub8.2 miles8
Oklahoma Lane8.8 miles9
Rhea11.4 miles8
Farwell12.2 miles9
Friona12.2 miles9
Clays Corner12.5 miles8

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 BovinaAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q981980The 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 1352728. 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.

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.