Blaine County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30005 · population 7,013 · 4,228 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 566 records for Blaine County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 412 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (191 records). 313 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 June 19, 1995 hail ($1.9 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1986, 11 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds” on April 7, 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
- 566on 412 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.2Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 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 Blaine County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 191 since 2000. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 191 | 160 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 56 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 108 | 78 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $374K | 39 of 56 |
| Hail | 102 | 60 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | 50 of 56 |
| Winter storms | 86 | 73 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 56 of 56 |
| Extreme cold | 33 | 27 | 2003-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 56 |
| Floods | 24 | 23 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | 38 of 56 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 5 | 2005-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1999-2022 | 0 | 0 | $82K | 32 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 4 | 2007-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 56 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 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 Blaine County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Blaine County from 1999 to 2022, the strongest rated F1, 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 Blaine County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Montana.
Every tornado record filed for Blaine County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-08-26 | Cleveland, Blaine County | EF0 3.06 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-06 | Hays, Blaine County | EFU 4.89 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-07-31 | Coburg, Blaine County | EF0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-13 | Hebbleman Airport, Blaine County | EF0 0.25 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-20 | Turner, Blaine County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-07-08 | Chinook, Blaine County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $82K |
| 1999-06-18 | Chinook, Blaine County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Blaine County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 7, 2024 flood ($1.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
MT Department of Emergency services reported $1,071,000 in damages to roads and bridges from the combination of rain and snow melt on the Fort Belknap Reservation in Blaine County.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1184540)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-14 | High WindHill County and 2 more · forecast zone Bears Paw Mountains And Southern Blaine | 37 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-14 | High WindBlaine County · forecast zone Northern Blaine County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindChinook, Blaine County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-24 | Heavy SnowHill County and 2 more · forecast zone Bears Paw Mountains And Southern Blaine | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-22 | High WindBlaine County · forecast zone Northern Blaine County | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-07 | High WindHill County and 2 more · forecast zone Bears Paw Mountains And Southern Blaine | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-25 | High WindBlaine County · forecast zone Northern Blaine County | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-19 | High WindHill County and 2 more · forecast zone Bears Paw Mountains And Southern Blaine | 92 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-17 | High WindHill County and 2 more · forecast zone Bears Paw Mountains And Southern Blaine | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-17 | High WindBlaine County · forecast zone Northern Blaine County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindHill County and 2 more · forecast zone Bears Paw Mountains And Southern Blaine | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindBlaine County · forecast zone Northern Blaine County | 52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-06-19 | HailChinnok, Blaine County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 2023-04-10 | FloodChinook, Blaine County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2024-05-07 | FloodFt Belknap Siding, Blaine County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2023-07-30 | HailChinook, Blaine County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $969K |
| 2022-07-08 | Thunderstorm WindSavoy, Blaine County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $202K |
| 2002-07-08 | TornadoChinook, Blaine County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $82K |
| 1996-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindChinook, Blaine County | 0 | 0 | $941 |
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 Blaine 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 52 | 62 | 77 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 41 | 29 | 17 |
| Hail | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 36 | 21 | 24 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 15 | 40 | 31 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 9 | 22 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 13 | 7 |
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 Blaine County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 54 · Feb 46 · Mar 35 · Apr 31 · May 32 · Jun 80 · Jul 112 · Aug 45 · Sep 8 · Oct 33 · Nov 40 · Dec 50 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Blaine County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Blaine County: 11 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (4) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4902 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2024-07-18 | DR-4801 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2023-08-12 | DR-4726 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4508 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3476 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-08-30 | DR-4388 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2014-10-09 | DR-4198 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2013-07-10 | DR-4127 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011-06-17 | DR-1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3253 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-08-30 | DR-1340 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1996-05-16 | DR-1113 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Ice Jams, Soil Saturation |
| 1986-10-14 | DR-777 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 Blaine County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 24 flood or flash flood records for Blaine County from 1996 to 2025, on 23 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Blaine County ranks 1660th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $69,000 on 50 claims filed in Blaine County; the most in one year was 29 in 1978. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 29 · 1979: 4 · 1982: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 8 · 2018: 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 Blaine County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Blaine County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $4.2M | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $133K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $429K | 24 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $102K | once in about 722 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.6M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $26K | 51 modeled event-days a year |
| Landslide | Very Low | $559 | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $65K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Blaine 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
- High wind and dust storms in MontanaThe state's high wind and dust 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 Blaine CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Blaine County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis