Cascade County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30013 · population 84,327 · 2,698 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,305 records for Cascade County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 820 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (389 records). 677 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 January 12, 2002 high wind, filed for the forecast zone Cascade, which covers the county: 2 deaths and 4 injuries. FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1975, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on June 17, 2011.
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
- 1,305on 820 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 47 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $7.2Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 2020
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 Cascade County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 389 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 389 | 295 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 4 | $505K | 9 of 56 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 282 | 151 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 1 | $1.2M | 5 of 56 |
| Hail | 253 | 133 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 1 | $8K | 15 of 56 |
| Winter storms | 251 | 210 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $107K | 23 of 56 |
| Heavy rain | 37 | 23 | 2013-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 56 |
| Floods | 33 | 25 | 1997-2025 | 2 | 0 | $648K | 22 of 56 |
| Extreme cold | 25 | 19 | 2013-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 10 | 1958-2000 | 0 | 0 | $4.7M | 16 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 11 | 10 | 2003-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 56 |
| Wildfires | 8 | 8 | 2001-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 56 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2004-2019 | 0 | 1 | $27K | 4 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 Cascade County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Cascade County from 1958 to 2000, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 16th 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Cascade County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12: 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 Cascade County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-07-05 | Belt, Cascade County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-07-03 | Vaughn, Cascade County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $51K |
| 1988-07-05 | Cascade County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-05-26 | Cascade County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-07-03 | Cascade County | 0 | 0 | $250K step | |
| 1978-07-03 | Cascade County | 0 | 0 | $250K step | |
| 1978-07-03 | Cascade County | 0 | 0 | $250K step | |
| 1977-06-01 | Cascade County | 0 | 0 | $250K step | |
| 1975-06-30 | Cascade County | F2 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1963-07-24 | Cascade County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1961-06-29 | Cascade County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1958-06-04 | Cascade 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 Cascade County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 13, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindGreat Falls Airport, Cascade County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindMalmstrom Afb, Cascade County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindFife, Cascade County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindGreat Falls Airport, Cascade County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindBlythe, Cascade County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindUlm, Cascade County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindUlm, Cascade County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindCascade County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindLewis and Clark County and Cascade County · forecast zone Gates Of The Mountains | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-22 | Heavy SnowCascade County and 3 more · forecast zone Little Belt And Highwood Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-07 | High WindCascade County · forecast zone Cascade County Below 5000ft | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Heavy SnowCascade County · forecast zone Cascade County Below 5000ft | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-01-12 | High WindCascade County · forecast zone Cascade A high wind event moved across north central Montana on the 12th. Sustained wind speeds of 40 to 50 mph were very common throughout the afternoon, and into the evening hours. Wind gusts were near 70 mph during the peak of the event. These winds started to increase in strength around 1100 MST and then they did not ... | 60 kt wind | 2 | 4 | – |
| 2023-05-17 | FloodArmington, Cascade County BTCM8, Belt Creek near Monarch, crested at 6.79 feet on May 17th. Water levels resulted in strong currents that claimed the lives of two men visiting from Canada. The two men went into the fast moving water to retrieve their dog. The dog made it to shore, but the two men were pulled downstream and ultimately drowned. ... | 2 | 0 | $58K | |
| 2004-08-04 | HailGreat Falls, Cascade County A severe thunderstorm dropped 1.5 inch diameter hail at Great Falls. The hail caused minor injury to a citizen on the northwest side of town. | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2004-06-29 | LightningGreat Falls, Cascade County A strong thunderstorm moved across the southern portion of the city of Great Falls during the early evening hours of the 29th. The storm produced numerous lightning strikes. One person was injured when lightning struck the ground and traveled to the metal machine he was operating. Lightning also struck a residence and ... | 0 | 1 | $16K | |
| 1990-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindCascade County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindNeihart, Cascade County | 0 | 0 | $995K | |
| 2003-06-19 | Flash FloodSandcoulee, Cascade County | 0 | 0 | $401K | |
| 1999-10-31 | High WindCascade County · forecast zone Cascade / Eastern Teton | 0 | 0 | $354K | |
| 2023-05-17 | FloodArmington, Cascade County | 2 | 0 | $58K | |
| 1998-07-03 | TornadoVaughn, Cascade County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $51K |
| 2026-03-08 | High WindCascade County · forecast zone Cascade County Below 5000ft | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2004-06-29 | LightningGreat Falls, Cascade County | 0 | 1 | $16K | |
| 2008-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindFt Shaw, Cascade County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 1, 1977 (tornado, Cascade County); July 3, 1978 (tornado, Cascade County); July 3, 1978 (tornado, Cascade 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 Cascade 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 | – | – | – | – | 25 | 59 | 156 | 149 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 8 | 19 | 28 | 16 | 67 | 74 | 66 |
| Hail | 6 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 38 | 59 | 70 | 45 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 21 | 70 | 80 | 80 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 16 | 21 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 22 | 6 |
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 Cascade County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 109 · Feb 80 · Mar 88 · Apr 66 · May 115 · Jun 213 · Jul 181 · Aug 128 · Sep 36 · Oct 69 · Nov 101 · Dec 119 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Cascade County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Cascade County: 5 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and flood (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4508 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3476 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 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 |
| 1981-05-27 | DR-640 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1975-06-28 | DR-472 | Flood | Rains, Showmelt, 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 Cascade County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 33 flood or flash flood records for Cascade County from 1997 to 2025, on 25 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Cascade County ranks 819th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $855,000 on 257 claims filed in Cascade County; the most in one year was 60 in 1981. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 20 · 1979: 15 · 1980: 23 · 1981: 60 · 1982: 5 · 1986: 3 · 1989: 5 · 1991: 3 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 41 · 1998: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 2 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 46 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 9 · 2019: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 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 Cascade County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cascade County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $55.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | $2.4M | 46 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $23M | 8.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $25M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | $457K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $604K | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $829K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $714K | once in about 1,443 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $8K | 1.5 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 Cascade 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 Cascade CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Cascade County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis