Meagher County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30059 · population 1,926 · 2,392 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 392 records for Meagher County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 317 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (188 records). 304 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. FEMA has issued 10 declarations naming the county since 1975, 8 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
- 392on 317 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $309Kas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 10latest 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 Meagher County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 188 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 188 | 169 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $107K | 26 of 56 |
| High wind and dust storms | 89 | 63 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $73K | 39 of 56 |
| Hail | 45 | 38 | 1956-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 56 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 23 | 20 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 0 | $129K | 54 of 56 |
| Extreme cold | 22 | 17 | 2013-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 56 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 6 | 2014-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 56 |
| Floods | 6 | 6 | 2011-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 56 |
| Wildfires | 6 | 6 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1978-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2013-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 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 Meagher County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Meagher County from 1978 to 2012, 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Meagher County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Montana.
Every tornado record filed for Meagher County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-06-05 | White Sulphur Spgs, Meagher County | EF1 2.78 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-15 | White Sulphur Spgs, Meagher County | F0 2 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-08-22 | Meagher County | 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.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Meagher 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 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 62 | 64 | 62 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 22 z | 61 |
| Hail | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 24 | 5 | 4 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 3 | 19 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2010s: 22 records against 6 in the decade before, 22 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 Meagher 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 Meagher County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 45 · Feb 43 · Mar 38 · Apr 37 · May 19 · Jun 34 · Jul 40 · Aug 18 · Sep 3 · Oct 31 · Nov 31 · Dec 53 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Meagher County
FEMA's register lists 10 declarations that include Meagher County: 7 major disasters, 2 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (3) and biological (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 |
| 2000-07-24 | FM-2314 | Fire | Mt - Central Zone 3b Fire Complex |
| 1997-07-25 | DR-1183 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Ice Jams, Snow Melt, Flooding |
| 1996-02-23 | DR-1105 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams |
| 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 Meagher County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 6 flood or flash flood records for Meagher County from 2011 to 2023, on 6 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Meagher County ranks 2523rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $78,000 on 6 claims filed in Meagher County; the most in one year was 2 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1991: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 2 · 2025: 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 Meagher County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Meagher County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $61K | 2.7 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $140K | once in about 1,541 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $50K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $521K | 5.4 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $73K | once in about 214 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $48 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $4K | 86 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Very Low | $61K | 33 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 Meagher 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 Meagher CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Meagher County's FEMA declarations (CSV)10 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis