Beaverhead County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30001 · population 9,351 · 5,543 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 607 records for Beaverhead County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 413 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (202 records). 406 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the November 15, 1998 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone Beaverhead, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 6 declarations naming the county since 2000, 4 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Sand Creek Fire” on August 14, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 607on 413 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 224 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $15Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 6latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Beaverhead County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 202 since 1996. The rank column places the county among Montana's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 202 | 155 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $194K | 46 of 56 |
| High wind and dust storms | 139 | 93 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 50 of 56 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 101 | 74 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $995K | 46 of 56 |
| Hail | 53 | 36 | 1958-2024 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 54 of 56 |
| Wildfires | 33 | 28 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 18 | $51K | 9 of 56 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 18 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 41 of 56 |
| Heavy rain | 17 | 5 | 2014-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 56 |
| Floods | 13 | 11 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 5 | $210K | 55 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 13 | 1959-2023 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 25 of 56 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 4 | 4 | 1998-2023 | 1 | 0 | – | 21 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1997-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 56 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Beaverhead County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Beaverhead County from 1959 to 2023, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 25th of 56 Montana counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 14 tornadoes whose track touched Beaverhead County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Montana.
Every tornado record filed for Beaverhead County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-06 | Snowline, Beaverhead County | EF0 1.64 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-08-20 | Wisdom, Beaverhead County | EF0 0.75 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-07-10 | Dillon, Beaverhead County | EF0 0.03 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-07-19 | Dillon, Beaverhead County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-09-05 | Dillon, Beaverhead County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-16 | Beaverhead County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1988-07-03 | Beaverhead County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-06-06 | Beaverhead County | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step | |
| 1965-05-29 | Beaverhead County | 0 | 0 | $250 step | |
| 1962-07-14 | Beaverhead County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1962-06-14 | Beaverhead County | F2 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-05-19 | Beaverhead County | F2 2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-08-02 | Beaverhead County | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Beaverhead County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 22, 2022 winter storm (1 injury).
Search and Rescue teams faced difficult terrain and harsh weather while attempting a backcountry rescue in snowy and icy conditions. Details...Gallatin County 911 received a call from the Garmin International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC), who had received an SOS from a satellite communication device. After communicating with the device owner, it was determined a hunter had broken their leg while navigating rough terrain near the Albino Lake Trail in Big Sky. Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Big Sky Section, Valley Section, and a Big Sky Fire Department responded to assist with the call. SAR Big Sky and Valley ground teams deployed on foot to the patient with ropes and a one wheeled litter. Another SAR Big Sky team deployed from the Eldridge Trailhead on a four-wheel drive side by side. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1059968)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | Heavy SnowBeaverhead County · forecast zone Northwest Beaverhead County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindDillon Airport, Beaverhead County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindLima, Beaverhead County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindDillon Airport, Beaverhead County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindDillon Airport, Beaverhead County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindDillon Airport, Beaverhead County | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindBeaverhead County and 2 more · forecast zone Gallatin And Madison County Mountains And Centennial Mountains | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindBeaverhead County and Madison County · forecast zone Ruby Mountains And Southern Beaverhead Mountains | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindBeaverhead County and Madison County · forecast zone Beaverhead And Western Madison Below 6000ft | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindBeaverhead County · forecast zone Northwest Beaverhead County | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-22 | Heavy SnowBeaverhead County and 2 more · forecast zone Gallatin And Madison County Mountains And Centennial Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-22 | High WindBeaverhead County and Madison County · forecast zone Beaverhead And Western Madison Below 6000ft | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-11-15 | AvalancheBeaverhead County · forecast zone Beaverhead | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillBeaverhead County · forecast zone Beaverhead Extremely cold temperatures in combination with gusty winds dropped wind chill readings to 104 degrees below zero in Opheim, 96 degrees below zero in Glasgow and 86 degrees below zero in Sidney. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-09-01 | WildfireWisdom, Beaverhead County Mussigbrod Complex fire - only partly in Beaverhead County, 84939 acres burned, lightning caused, continued from August. | 0 | 6 | $17K | |
| 2000-08-01 | WildfireWisdom, Beaverhead County Mussigbrod Complex fire - only partly in Beaverhead County, 84939 acres burned, lightning caused, continued past August 31. | 0 | 6 | $17K | |
| 2000-07-31 | WildfireWisdom, Beaverhead County Mussingbrod Complex fire - only partly in Beaverhead County, 84939 acres burned, lightning caused, continued past July 31. | 0 | 6 | $17K | |
| 2013-07-17 | Flash FloodDillon Airport, Beaverhead County Flash flooding reported in Bannack State Park created a small debris flow and 5 injuries were reported by Beaverhead County DES Manager. Heavy rain of .77 inches was reported in about 30 minutes in the park. | 0 | 5 | – | |
| 2022-10-22 | Winter StormBeaverhead County and 2 more · forecast zone Gallatin And Madison County Mountains And Centennial Mountains Search and Rescue teams faced difficult terrain and harsh weather while attempting a backcountry rescue in snowy and icy conditions. Details...Gallatin County 911 received a call from the Garmin International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC), who had received an SOS from a satellite communication device. ... | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindDillon, Beaverhead County | 0 | 0 | $995K | |
| 2000-07-31 | WildfireWisdom, Beaverhead County | 0 | 6 | $17K | |
| 2000-08-01 | WildfireWisdom, Beaverhead County | 0 | 6 | $17K | |
| 2000-09-01 | WildfireWisdom, Beaverhead County | 0 | 6 | $17K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 6, 1976 (tornado, Beaverhead County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Beaverhead County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 42 | 42 | 108 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 8 | 23 | 105 z |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 22 | 46 |
| Hail | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 22 | 9 | 2 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 1 | 26 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | 2 | 24 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2020-26: 105 records against 23 in the decade before, 105 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Beaverhead County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Beaverhead County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 47 · Feb 70 · Mar 44 · Apr 56 · May 39 · Jun 58 · Jul 72 · Aug 68 · Sep 29 · Oct 40 · Nov 32 · Dec 52 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Beaverhead County
FEMA's register lists 6 declarations that include Beaverhead County: 2 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-14 | FM-5671 | Fire | Sand Creek Fire |
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4508 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3476 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3253 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-08-30 | DR-1340 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2000-08-08 | FM-2318 | Fire | Mt - Central Zone 3c Fire Complex |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Beaverhead County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 13 flood or flash flood records for Beaverhead County from 1996 to 2024, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Beaverhead County ranks 2291st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2,464 on 12 claims filed in Beaverhead County; the most in one year was 8 in 1984. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 1 · 1984: 8 · 1995: 1 · 1998: 1 · 2011: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Beaverhead County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Beaverhead County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.9 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Relatively High | $1.8M | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $220K | 37 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $60K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.6M | 3.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $288K | 35 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $2.2M | once in about 24 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $480K | once in about 1,348 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $44K | 121 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Beaverhead County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in MontanaEvery Montana tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in MontanaThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Montana recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Beaverhead CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Beaverhead County's FEMA declarations (CSV)6 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis