Montgomery County, Arkansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 05097 · population 8,481 · 780 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 586 records for Montgomery County, Arkansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 397 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (193 records). The deadliest single record is the June 11, 2010 flash flood: 20 deaths, 24 injuries and $12.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1968, 22 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 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
- 586on 397 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2034 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $25Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 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 Montgomery County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 193 since 1969. The rank column places the county among Arkansas'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 193 | 143 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 5 | $629K | 48 of 75 |
| Hail | 151 | 100 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $833 | 44 of 75 |
| Winter storms | 73 | 69 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.6M | 32 of 75 |
| Floods | 66 | 52 | 1996-2026 | 20 | 27 | $15M | 32 of 75 |
| Heavy rain | 25 | 16 | 2006-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 3 of 75 |
| Drought | 20 | 20 | 2000-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 75 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 11 | 1960-2018 | 0 | 2 | $1.1M | 74 of 75 |
| Heat | 9 | 9 | 2007-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 75 |
| Wildfires | 8 | 7 | 2006-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 75 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 2007-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 75 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 2007-2013 | 0 | 0 | $487K | 46 of 75 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 5 | 2005-2012 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 35 of 75 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2004-2025 | 0 | 0 | $200 | 34 of 75 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 75 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | $34K | 4 of 75 |
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 Montgomery County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Montgomery County from 1960 to 2018, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 2 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Montgomery County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15: 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 Arkansas.
Every tornado record filed for Montgomery County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-04-13 | Oden, Montgomery County | EF0 0.65 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-03-13 | Joplin, Montgomery County | EF1 1.7 mi x 180 yd | 0 | 0 | $246K |
| 2013-05-30 | Cox Spgs, Montgomery County | EF1 3.22 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2013-05-30 | Welsh, Montgomery County | EF1 3.26 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2013-05-30 | Huddleston, Montgomery County | EF2 3.37 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $317K |
| 2011-04-25 | Welsh, Montgomery County | EF1 2.74 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2011-04-25 | Pine Ridge, Montgomery County | EF1 1.36 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $66K |
| 2005-11-27 | Welsh, Montgomery County | F1 4.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-11-27 | Welsh, Montgomery County | F1 3.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-04-09 | Black Spgs, Montgomery County | F0 1.9 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-01 | Pine Ridge, Montgomery County | F2 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-04-03 | Montgomery County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-09-17 | Montgomery County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1964-03-09 | Montgomery County | F1 2.5 mi x 833 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1960-04-14 | Montgomery County | F1 7.9 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Montgomery County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 25, 2026 flash flood ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindSims, Montgomery County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindHopper, Montgomery County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-25 | Flash FloodWelsh, Montgomery County | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2026-04-25 | HailWelsh, Montgomery County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-25 | HailCaddo Gap, Montgomery County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-25 | HailNorman, Montgomery County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-25 | HailNorman, Montgomery County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-25 | HailPine Ridge, Montgomery County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-26 | Winter WeatherMontgomery County · forecast zone Central And Eastern Montgomery County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormMontgomery County · forecast zone Central And Eastern Montgomery County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-29 | LightningMt Ida, Montgomery County | 0 | 0 | $200 | |
| 2025-06-19 | Flash FloodMt Ida, Montgomery County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-06-11 | Flash FloodSlatington, Montgomery County Heavy rain fell on saturated ground during the wee hours of June 11th in an area characterized by steep terrain, limited access, and poor communications. Along the Little Missouri River, flash flooding developed rapidly at the Albert Pike Recreation Area in the Ouachita National Forest. The flood took 20 lives, ... | 20 | 24 | $12M | |
| 2013-05-30 | Flash FloodPencil Bluff, Montgomery County Brushy Creek washed a house off its foundation about 3.8 miles west-northwest of Pencil Bluff. The house finally stopped moving when it ran up against a tree line. The occupants of the house survived. U.S. 270 flooded near Pencil Bluff and Arkansas 8 flooded near Norman. Numerous county roads were flooded. For the ... | 0 | 3 | $633K | |
| 2013-05-30 | TornadoHuddleston, Montgomery County An EF2 tornado blew the roof off one house and damaged another. A number of outbuildings were damaged or destroyed. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped off. Two people were injured. | EF2 3.37 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $317K |
| 1998-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindJoplin, Montgomery County THUNDERSTORM WINDS KNOCKED DOWN TREES, OVERTURNED RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AND TENTS, AND DAMAGED TWO DOCKS AT THE JOPLIN CAMPGROUND. 2 PEOPLE WERE INJURED. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1988-11-25 | Thunderstorm WindMontgomery County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2007-04-24 | Thunderstorm WindPine Ridge, Montgomery County A large tree limb fell and injured a person. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-06-11 | Flash FloodSlatington, Montgomery County | 20 | 24 | $12M | |
| 2011-05-01 | FloodPencil Bluff, Montgomery County | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2017-04-30 | Heavy RainMt Ida, Montgomery County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2013-05-30 | Flash FloodPencil Bluff, Montgomery County | 0 | 3 | $633K | |
| 2013-05-30 | TornadoHuddleston, Montgomery County | EF2 3.37 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $317K |
| 2016-03-13 | TornadoJoplin, Montgomery County | EF1 1.7 mi x 180 yd | 0 | 0 | $246K |
| 2011-04-25 | TornadoPine Ridge, Montgomery County | EF1 1.36 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $66K |
| 2013-05-30 | TornadoCox Spgs, Montgomery County | EF1 3.22 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
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: April 14, 1960 (tornado, Montgomery County); April 3, 1989 (tornado, Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 39 | 46 | 47 | 43 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 38 | 51 | 35 | 22 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 17 | 33 | 20 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 14 | 30 | 19 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
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 Montgomery County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 44 · Feb 39 · Mar 51 · Apr 106 · May 84 · Jun 59 · Jul 54 · Aug 46 · Sep 32 · Oct 25 · Nov 28 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Montgomery County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Montgomery County: 16 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3636 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-05-21 | DR-4873 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2025-04-05 | EM-3627 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-08-27 | EM-3541 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4518 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3461 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-06-15 | DR-4318 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2016-02-05 | DR-4254 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-06-26 | DR-4226 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2013-06-25 | DR-4124 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2011-05-02 | DR-1975 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding |
| 2009-01-28 | EM-3301 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-10-22 | DR-1804 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Ike |
| 2008-09-18 | DR-1793 | Hurricane | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Hurricane Gustav |
| 2005-09-02 | EM-3215 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-12-29 | DR-1354 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 2000-12-28 | EM-3159 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1997-04-14 | DR-1176 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms |
| 1982-12-13 | DR-673 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1976-12-03 | EM-3019 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973-04-27 | DR-375 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-01-27 | DR-321 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-02-15 | DR-254 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1968-05-29 | DR-239 | Tornado | Tornadoes, 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 Montgomery County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 66 flood or flash flood records for Montgomery County from 1996 to 2026, on 52 days, with 20 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Montgomery County ranks 1604th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Ike | 2008-09-13 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Gustav | 2008-09-02 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.4 million on 57 claims filed in Montgomery County; the most in one year was 34 in 2010. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 5 · 1993: 2 · 2008: 6 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 34 · 2011: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 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 Montgomery County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Montgomery County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $312K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $2K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $249K | 16 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $697K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.6M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $275K | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $110K | 65 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $27K | 5.4 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 Montgomery 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 ArkansasEvery Arkansas tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in ArkansasThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Arkansas recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Montgomery CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Montgomery County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis