Hill County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30041 · population 16,298 · 2,899 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 764 records for Hill County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 519 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (242 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 most damaging was the April 12, 2023 flood ($2.4 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 Flooding” on July 18, 2024.
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
- 764on 519 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $7.0Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 2024
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 Hill County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 242 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 | 242 | 192 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $537K | 16 of 56 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 215 | 122 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 1 | $481K | 13 of 56 |
| Winter storms | 122 | 109 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 56 |
| Hail | 112 | 73 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 36 of 56 |
| Extreme cold | 36 | 28 | 2003-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 56 |
| Heavy rain | 11 | 8 | 2007-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 56 |
| Floods | 9 | 9 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $4.0M | 49 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 8 | 8 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1962-2023 | 0 | 0 | $903K | 23 of 56 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2022-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 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 Hill County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Hill County from 1962 to 2023, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 23rd 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Hill 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 Hill County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-10 | Box Elder, Hill County | EFU 2.11 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-06-16 | Havre, Hill County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-08-16 | Kremlin, Hill County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-08-03 | Hill County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1986-06-06 | Hill County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-05-25 | Hill County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1962-07-01 | Hill County | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Hill County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 29, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | High WindHill County · forecast zone Hill County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindGildford, Hill County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 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 WindHill County · forecast zone Hill County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindHavre, Hill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindRocky Boy, Hill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindBox Elder, Hill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindGildford, Hill County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindRudyard, Hill County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindRudyard, Hill County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindFresno, Hill County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindInverness, Hill County | 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-01 | Thunderstorm WindHavre, Hill County A severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 65 mph at Havre. A roofer sustained minor injuries when he was blown off the building he was working on. The thunderstorm overturned an unoccupied trailer, knocked down numerous power and phone lines and broke the windshields of a dozen vehicles at two car dealerships. | 56 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $16K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-12 | FloodLaredo, Hill County | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2024-05-07 | FloodRocky Boy, Hill County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 1994-06-22 | HailGildford, Hill County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1998-06-27 | Flash FloodHavre, Hill County | 0 | 0 | $422K | |
| 2003-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindHavre, Hill County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $321K |
| 1999-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindBox Elder, Hill County | 0 | 0 | $71K | |
| 2023-08-22 | Thunderstorm WindHingham, Hill County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2004-09-01 | Thunderstorm WindHavre, Hill County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $16K |
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: May 25, 1980 (tornado, Hill 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 Hill 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 | – | – | – | – | 47 | 39 | 66 | 90 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 50 | 53 | 65 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 25 | 46 | 38 |
| Hail | 1 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 28 | 32 | 18 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 10 | 25 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
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 Hill County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 68 · Feb 50 · Mar 43 · Apr 45 · May 73 · Jun 110 · Jul 123 · Aug 79 · Sep 22 · Oct 41 · Nov 46 · Dec 64 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hill County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Hill County: 11 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2013-07-10 | DR-4127 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011-06-17 | DR-1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-07-10 | DR-1922 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3253 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-07-03 | DR-1424 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 Hill County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 9 flood or flash flood records for Hill County from 1998 to 2025, on 9 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hill County ranks 2155th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $56,000 on 17 claims filed in Hill County; the most in one year was 5 in 1978. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 5 · 1979: 1 · 1989: 1 · 2011: 3 · 2013: 4 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 2; 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 Hill County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hill County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.2 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 | $7.8M | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $309K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $284K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $79K | 54 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.4M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $83K | once in about 3,892 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $478 | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $76K | 1.3 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 Hill 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 Hill CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hill County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis