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Natural Disasters in Montana: History & Risk Data

22,733 recorded disaster events across 345 ZIP codes.

State Statistics

22,733
Total Events
$721.8M
Total Damage
158
Total Deaths
345
ZIP Codes

Event Timeline

026853680410691886: 3 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage18861888: 19 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1889: 18 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1890: 4 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1891: 3 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1894: 2 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1896: 2 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1905: 1 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1910: 31 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1914: 5 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19141916: 7 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1917: 10 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1918: 3 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1919: 30 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1920: 4 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1921: 4 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1923: 1 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1924: 1 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1926: 6 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19261929: 16 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1930: 12 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1931: 5 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1932: 3 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1934: 2 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1935: 4 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1936: 15 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1940: 6 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1942: 1 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19421946: 2 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1948: 1 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1949: 2 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1952: 4 events, 1 deaths, $0.3M damage1953: 6 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1954: 4 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1955: 18 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1956: 31 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1957: 52 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19571958: 157 events, 0 deaths, $10.0M damage1959: 40 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1960: 47 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1961: 41 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1962: 55 events, 0 deaths, $0.8M damage1963: 42 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1964: 38 events, 0 deaths, $0.3M damage1965: 57 events, 0 deaths, $0.1M damage1966: 60 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19661967: 28 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1968: 27 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1969: 62 events, 0 deaths, $0.1M damage1970: 47 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1971: 32 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1972: 14 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1973: 22 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1974: 52 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1975: 113 events, 0 deaths, $0.1M damage19751976: 82 events, 0 deaths, $0.1M damage1977: 48 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1978: 79 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1979: 49 events, 0 deaths, $0.3M damage1980: 72 events, 0 deaths, $1.8M damage1981: 51 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1982: 103 events, 0 deaths, $0.3M damage1983: 61 events, 2 deaths, $0.5M damage1984: 98 events, 0 deaths, $0.3M damage19841985: 139 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1986: 63 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1987: 145 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1988: 306 events, 0 deaths, $1.2M damage1989: 117 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1990: 149 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1991: 251 events, 0 deaths, $0.4M damage1992: 126 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1993: 38 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19931994: 167 events, 0 deaths, $1.6M damage1995: 76 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1996: 313 events, 4 deaths, $0.5M damage1997: 289 events, 2 deaths, $3.6M damage1998: 393 events, 13 deaths, $69.7M damage1999: 422 events, 0 deaths, $8.3M damage2000: 951 events, 0 deaths, $32.6M damage2001: 709 events, 0 deaths, $17.3M damage2002: 629 events, 0 deaths, $4.7M damage20022003: 425 events, 0 deaths, $5.0M damage2004: 259 events, 0 deaths, $4.8M damage2005: 654 events, 2 deaths, $18.7M damage2006: 794 events, 0 deaths, $16.7M damage2007: 910 events, 0 deaths, $60.0M damage2008: 648 events, 8 deaths, $9.6M damage2009: 484 events, 6 deaths, $5.2M damage2010: 831 events, 8 deaths, $316.1M damage2011: 780 events, 10 deaths, $51.8M damage20112012: 761 events, 2 deaths, $1.1M damage2013: 1069 events, 18 deaths, $2.1M damage2014: 755 events, 19 deaths, $6.2M damage2015: 561 events, 0 deaths, $5.5M damage2016: 810 events, 17 deaths, $8.2M damage2017: 701 events, 11 deaths, $2.6M damage2018: 804 events, 8 deaths, $3.7M damage2019: 828 events, 3 deaths, $4.3M damage2020: 556 events, 8 deaths, $2.2M damage20202021: 703 events, 6 deaths, $1.3M damage2022: 819 events, 8 deaths, $8.5M damage2023: 348 events, 2 deaths, $20.8M damage2024: 467 events, 0 deaths, $12.5M damage2025: 548 events, 0 deaths, $0.1M damage9999: 20 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage
Events (no fatalities) Events with fatalities

Hazard Breakdown

⛈️hail
12.9K events·0 deaths·$332.7M
Low:11.5K
Moderate:1.2K
High:161
Severe:67
🔥wildfire
4.7K events·0 deaths·$0
Low:2.6K
Moderate:1.4K
High:481
Severe:125
💨wind
2.5K events·5 deaths·$47.3M
Low:2.2K
Moderate:140
High:113
Severe:3
🌍earthquake
1.8K events·0 deaths·$0
Low:1.5K
Moderate:227
High:17
Severe:1
🌊flood
364 events·10 deaths·$138.3M
Low:56
Moderate:58
High:112
Severe:138
❄️blizzard
265 events·119 deaths·$54.4M
Low:144
Moderate:43
High:18
Severe:60
🌪️tornado
247 events·9 deaths·$148.4M
Low:147
Moderate:86
High:14
🥶cold
33 events·9 deaths·$566K
Low:18
Moderate:15
🌡️heat
6 events·6 deaths·$0
Low:6

Most Affected ZIP Codes in Montana

59301 410 events 59317 360 events 59101 270 events 59003 262 events 59105 254 events 59337 251 events 59353 239 events 59327 236 events 59106 234 events 59230 224 events

📊 Montana Disaster Profile

Montana has experienced 22,733 documented natural disaster events across its 345 ZIP codes. The cumulative documented property damage stands at $721.8M. A total of 158 fatalities have been attributed to natural disasters in the state.

⚠️ Hazard Distribution

Hailstorms lead Montana's disaster profile with 12,887 events (57%), causing $332.7M in property damage. Other significant hazards include wildfires (4,678 events), severe wind events (2,502 events, $47.3M in damages), and earthquakes (1,751 events). Montana has no recorded hurricanes in the dataset.

📍 Geographic Impact

The most disaster-affected areas in Montana include ZIP 59301 (410 events, $753K in damages), ZIP 59317 (360 events, $592.8K in damages), and ZIP 59101 (270 events, $53.1M in damages).

📈 Trends Over Time

Disaster frequency in Montana has increased markedly over time. The average annual event count in recent decades is roughly 1854% higher than in earlier periods of the record. The year 2013 stands out as particularly active, with 1,069 events recorded — likely driven by a major weather system or disaster season.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions — Montana

What natural disasters occur in Montana?

Montana has experienced 22,733 documented natural disaster events. The hazard types recorded include hailstorms (12,887), wildfires (4,678), severe wind events (2,502), earthquakes (1,751), floods (364), blizzards (265), tornadoes (247), extreme cold events (33), and extreme heat events (6). The most common hazard is hailstorms, accounting for 57% of all events.

What are the most disaster-prone areas in Montana?

Based on historical records, the most disaster-affected ZIP codes in Montana are ZIP 59301 (410 events), ZIP 59317 (360 events), ZIP 59101 (270 events), ZIP 59003 (262 events), and ZIP 59105 (254 events). These areas have the highest concentration of recorded natural disaster events in the state.

How much damage have natural disasters caused in Montana?

Natural disasters have caused a documented $721.8M in property damage across Montana. This total is based on records from FEMA, NOAA, and USGS, covering events from the 1950s onward. The actual figure is likely higher, as not all events have complete damage records.

About This Data

State-level data aggregated from FEMA (disaster declarations, NFIP flood claims), NOAA Storm Events Database, USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, and NIFC wildfire records. Historical coverage varies by source, with most records beginning in the 1950s–1970s. Full methodology →

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