36,005
Recorded events
56
Counties covered
93
Direct deaths
$368.7M
Property damage
Montana severe weather history covers 36,005 recorded events across 56 counties between 1952 and 2026.
The Montana severe weather history record is dominated by hail, which accounts for 23.2% of everything logged statewide across 56 counties. Statewide, recorded events have caused 93 direct deaths since 1950.
By hazard type
Montana severe weather history by hazard
| Hazard | Events | Counties | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 8,352 | 56 | 0 | $99.1M | 1955–2025 |
| High Wind | 7,629 | 1 | 4 | $10.0M | 1996–2026 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 6,498 | 56 | 10 | $53.7M | 1955–2026 |
| Winter Storm | 3,625 | 0 | 7 | $21.0M | 1996–2026 |
| Heavy Snow | 3,268 | 0 | 2 | $2.9M | 1996–2026 |
| Winter Weather | 841 | 0 | 13 | $545K | 2004–2026 |
| Drought | 779 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2004–2026 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 704 | 0 | 1 | $0 | 2000–2026 |
| Flood | 693 | 56 | 8 | $72.8M | 1996–2025 |
| Blizzard | 642 | 0 | 3 | $3.4M | 1996–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 473 | 52 | 1 | $18.7M | 1996–2025 |
| Heavy Rain | 465 | 53 | 0 | $49K | 1996–2025 |
| Tornado | 432 | 51 | 4 | $56.2M | 1952–2024 |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 349 | 0 | 4 | $2K | 1996–2025 |
| Dense Fog | 291 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 1997–2026 |
| Wildfire | 269 | 31 | 1 | $26.1M | 1996–2026 |
| Funnel Cloud | 207 | 50 | 0 | $0 | 1996–2025 |
| Strong Wind | 124 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | 2003–2026 |
| Ice Storm | 92 | 0 | 2 | $30K | 1997–2025 |
| Avalanche | 58 | 0 | 22 | $325K | 1996–2025 |
| Lightning | 51 | 25 | 9 | $657K | 1997–2023 |
| Heat | 49 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2002–2024 |
| Frost/Freeze | 44 | 1 | 0 | $0 | 1997–2026 |
| Freezing Fog | 24 | 0 | 0 | $364K | 1996–2026 |
| Debris Flow | 17 | 9 | 0 | $137K | 2004–2025 |
| Excessive Heat | 16 | 0 | 1 | $0 | 2018–2024 |
| Dust Devil | 7 | 5 | 0 | $46K | 2003–2016 |
| Dust Storm | 2 | 0 | 1 | $0 | 2000–2020 |
| Dense Smoke | 2 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2006–2015 |
| Storm Surge/Tide | 1 | 1 | 0 | $0 | 2000–2000 |
| Waterspout | 1 | 1 | 0 | $0 | 2000–2000 |
County index
Most active counties
| County | Events | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Valley County | 1,247 | 0 |
| Yellowstone County | 945 | 4 |
| Cascade County | 620 | 2 |
| Garfield County | 619 | 0 |
| Roosevelt County | 612 | 1 |
| Phillips County | 610 | 0 |
| Rosebud County | 600 | 0 |
| Powder River County | 578 | 0 |
| Custer County | 544 | 2 |
| Dawson County | 544 | 1 |
| Fergus County | 515 | 0 |
| Richland County | 491 | 0 |
| McCone County | 479 | 1 |
| Carter County | 457 | 0 |
| Big Horn County | 439 | 6 |
| Sheridan County | 357 | 2 |
| Fallon County | 348 | 0 |
| Hill County | 343 | 0 |
| Prairie County | 337 | 0 |
| Chouteau County | 331 | 0 |
| Musselshell County | 324 | 0 |
| Lewis and Clark County | 314 | 0 |
| Stillwater County | 287 | 0 |
| Daniels County | 278 | 0 |
| Missoula County | 272 | 2 |
Full index
Every county in Montana
- Valley County
- Yellowstone County
- Cascade County
- Garfield County
- Roosevelt County
- Phillips County
- Rosebud County
- Powder River County
- Custer County
- Dawson County
- Fergus County
- Richland County
- McCone County
- Carter County
- Big Horn County
- Sheridan County
- Fallon County
- Hill County
- Prairie County
- Chouteau County
- Musselshell County
- Lewis and Clark County
- Stillwater County
- Daniels County
- Missoula County
- Blaine County
- Judith Basin County
- Park County
- Wibaux County
- Gallatin County
- Petroleum County
- Teton County
- Flathead County
- Beaverhead County
- Carbon County
- Sweet Grass County
- Ravalli County
- Glacier County
- Wheatland County
- Treasure County
- Golden Valley County
- Toole County
- Liberty County
- Pondera County
- Lake County
- Powell County
- Jefferson County
- Meagher County
- Madison County
- Silver Bow County
- Broadwater County
- Lincoln County
- Sanders County
- Granite County
- Deer Lodge County
- Mineral County
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events are recorded in Montana?
36,005 events are on record across Montana, covering 56 counties between 1952 and 2026.
Which county in Montana has the most severe weather on record?
Valley County leads Montana with 1,247 recorded events. Ranking reflects reported events, so densely populated counties tend to report more than sparsely populated ones.
Where does the Montana severe weather history data come from?
Totals are aggregated from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of United States severe weather reports, with FEMA and U.S. Census records providing risk and population context. Dates are UTC and recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Montana Severe Weather History.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/state/montana/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.