Billings County, North Dakota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 38007 · population 945 · 1,148 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 386 records for Billings County, North Dakota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 313 days; the most frequent are hail reports (118 records). 209 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 most damaging was the January 24, 2010 blizzard ($1.2 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1978, 10 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Flooding” on July 13, 2022.
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
- 386on 313 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 05 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $11Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 2022
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 Billings County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 118 since 1971. 65% of its hail reports since 1971 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among North Dakota'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 118 | 75 | 1971-2026 | 0 | 3 | $1.6M | 41 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 87 | 85 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $7.5M | 35 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 73 | 73 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 1 | $26K | 9 of 53 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 39 | 31 | 1978-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 53 of 53 |
| Drought | 23 | 23 | 2021-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 22 | 21 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 8 | 1954-2026 | 0 | 0 | $91K | 53 of 53 |
| Floods | 6 | 6 | 2002-2016 | 0 | 0 | $186K | 42 of 53 |
| Lightning | 4 | 3 | 1996-2000 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 11 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2010-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 53 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 53 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 53 |
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 Billings County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Billings County from 1954 to 2026, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Billings County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8: 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 North Dakota.
Every tornado record filed for Billings County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Fryburg, Billings County | EF1 0.18 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2009-07-08 | Medora, Billings County | EF0 0.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-06-12 | Fairfield, Billings County | F0 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-28 | Billings County | F0 0.2 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-06-11 | Billings County | F1 3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1983-08-24 | Billings County | F1 9 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-06-14 | Billings County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1954-08-06 | Billings County | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Billings County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 27, 2026 tornado ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A storm chaser submitted a video of a tornado that occurred north of Belfield. The Billings County Emergency Manager relayed damage that occurred. The property owner reported multiple large spruce trees knocked over and uprooted laying in different directions. There was also damage to apple and olive trees on this property. There was some minor roof damage and broken windows to the house and detached garage. Based on the damage done this tornado was rated EF-1, and from that wind speeds were estimated to be around 90 mph.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1357772)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | TornadoFryburg, Billings County | EF1 0.18 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-07 | HailFairfield, Billings County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-07 | HailFryburg, Billings County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-07 | HailMedora, Billings County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-07 | HailMedora, Billings County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-07 | HailMedora, Billings County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | High WindBillings County · forecast zone Billings | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-03 | Heavy SnowBillings County · forecast zone Billings | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Heavy SnowBillings County · forecast zone Billings | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindBillings County · forecast zone Billings | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-15 | High WindBillings County · forecast zone Billings | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-18 | BlizzardBillings County · forecast zone Billings | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-06-28 | HailMedora, Billings County The sudden hail storm injured a few park hikers, mostly with bruises. Winds of 70-80 mph were also reported. Damage estimated. | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 3 | $988K |
| 2011-02-13 | High WindBillings County · forecast zone Billings A peak wind gust of 58 mph was recorded by the North Dakota Department of Transportation sensor at Fryburg. The high winds blew over a semi trailer on Highway 85 25 miles north of Belfield. The driver of the truck was slightly injured (direct). | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $26K |
| 1997-04-04 | BlizzardBillings County · forecast zone Billings Warm weather the first three days of April lead much of North Dakota to believe that spring had arrived with temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Mother Nature had other plans. A very strong area of low pressure moved out of the Colorado area into the northern plains. Warm moist air ahead of the low collided with cold air ... | 0 | 1 | $2.8M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-01-24 | BlizzardBillings County · forecast zone Billings | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2022-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindFairfield, Billings County | 104 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1996-06-28 | HailMedora, Billings County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 3 | $988K |
| 2016-07-10 | HailFairfield, Billings County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $430K |
| 2015-09-05 | Thunderstorm WindFryburg, Billings County | 82 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $342K |
| 2010-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindFryburg, Billings County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $129K |
| 2006-06-30 | HailFryburg, Billings County | 2.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $110K |
| 2013-07-08 | Thunderstorm WindFairfield, Billings County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $95K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 24, 1983 (tornado, Billings 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 Billings 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 16 | 31 | 38 | 22 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 33 | 27 | 14 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 20 | 27 | 24 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
65% of its hail reports since 1971 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 38 · Feb 22 · Mar 33 · Apr 21 · May 18 · Jun 69 · Jul 62 · Aug 39 · Sep 18 · Oct 17 · Nov 19 · Dec 30 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Billings County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Billings County: 9 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (4) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-07-13 | DR-4660 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2020-04-01 | DR-4509 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3477 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011-05-10 | DR-1981 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010-02-26 | DR-1879 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-03-24 | DR-1829 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-11-21 | DR-1616 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3247 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1997-04-07 | DR-1174 | Flood | Severe Flooding,Severe Winter Storms, Snowmelt, Spring Rains |
| 1997-01-12 | DR-1157 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Blizzard Conditions |
| 1978-04-17 | DR-554 | Flood | Storms, Ice Jams, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1978-02-16 | EM-3061 | Snowstorm | Blizzard & Snowstorms |
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 Billings County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 6 flood or flash flood records for Billings County from 2002 to 2016, on 6 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Billings County ranks 2262nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $100,000 on 13 claims filed in Billings County; the most in one year was 11 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 2011: 11 · 2019: 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 Billings County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Billings County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $179K | once in about 1,022 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $309K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $50K | 17 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $30K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $217 | about once a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $4K | 27 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $233K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $122K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Billings 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 North DakotaEvery North Dakota tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in North DakotaThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The North Dakota recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Billings CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Billings County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis