Park County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30067 · population 17,153 · 2,802 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 900 records for Park County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 576 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (443 records). 646 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 December 27, 2021 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone Absaroka / Beartooth Mountains, which covers the county: 1 death and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1996, 12 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
- 900on 576 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1010 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $224Kas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Park County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 443 since 2002. 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 | 443 | 263 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 56 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 180 | 123 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 1 | $10K | 11 of 56 |
| High wind and dust storms | 174 | 137 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 56 |
| Hail | 58 | 41 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 56 |
| Wildfires | 15 | 11 | 2001-2021 | 0 | 3 | – | 11 of 56 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 13 | 13 | 2003-2025 | 10 | 3 | – | 8 of 56 |
| Floods | 7 | 7 | 2001-2019 | 0 | 0 | $171K | 54 of 56 |
| Drought | 5 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2010-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 2010-2011 | 0 | 0 | $44K | 47 of 56 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 3 | – | 22 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 Park County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Park County from 2010 to 2011, the strongest rated EF2, 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Park County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Montana.
Every tornado record filed for Park County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-08-09 | Wilsall, Park County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-02 | Wilsall Airport, Park County | EF2 2.09 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
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 Park County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 31, 2022 avalanche (1 death).
Please see Episode write-up.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1062787)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-20 | Winter StormCarbon County and 3 more · forecast zone Absaroka / Beartooth Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindPark County · forecast zone Paradise Valley | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindLivingston, Park County | 82 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindWilsall Airport, Park County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindSpringdale, Park County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindMission, Park County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindLivingstn Mission Fl, Park County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindPine Creek, Park County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindSpringdale, Park County | 64 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindLivingston, Park County | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindLivingstn Mission Fl, Park County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindMission, Park 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-27 | AvalancheCarbon County and 3 more · forecast zone Absaroka / Beartooth Mountains Please see episode narrative. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2022-02-19 | AvalancheCarbon County and 3 more · forecast zone Absaroka / Beartooth Mountains Please see Episode Narrative. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2022-12-31 | AvalancheCarbon County and 3 more · forecast zone Absaroka / Beartooth Mountains Please see Episode write-up. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-12-11 | AvalancheCarbon County and 3 more · forecast zone Absarokee / Beartooth Mountains A skier was killed by an avalanche on Henderson Mountain outside Cooke City on December 11th. The skier was in a party of 5 and his descent was the 7th track on the slope when it avalanched. He was carried into trees and buried under 5' of snow. Another person was buried to his waist, uninjured, as he stood in the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-12-19 | AvalancheCarbon County and 3 more · forecast zone Absarokee / Beartooth Mountains A snowmobiler died in an avalanche on Saturday, December 19th outside Cooke City. The avalanche occurred on the southeast face of Sheep Mountain between Lulu Pass and Round Lake. The slide was triggered from low on the slope by the victim who was subsequently buried six fee deep. The victim had an airbag but was ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-11-26 | AvalancheCarbon County and 3 more · forecast zone Absarokee / Beartooth Mountains A group of seven snowmobilers was riding north of Cooke City when an 18 year old from Minnesota was caught in an avalanche on a steep, northwest facing slope on Crown Butte outside Cooke City. The victim was stopped on the slope while two others were riding on it when the avalanche was triggered. The others rode off, ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-03-11 | AvalancheCarbon County and 3 more · forecast zone Absarokee / Beartooth Mountains A group of seven snowmobilers was riding north of Cooke City when an 18 year old from Minnesota was caught in an avalanche on a steep, northwest facing slope on Crown Butte outside Cooke City. The victim was stopped on the slope while two others were riding on it when the avalanche was triggered. The others rode off, ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-02-22 | AvalancheCarbon County and 3 more · forecast zone Absarokee / Beartooth Mountains Please see episode narrative. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-07-02 | TornadoWilsall Airport, Park County | EF2 2.09 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
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 Park 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 | 126 | 192 | 125 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 10 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 24 | 52 | 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 62 | 45 | 67 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 26 | 5 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 |
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 Park County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 98 · Feb 96 · Mar 86 · Apr 69 · May 65 · Jun 64 · Jul 90 · Aug 79 · Sep 19 · Oct 49 · Nov 82 · Dec 103 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Park County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Park County: 11 major disasters, 2 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for flood (5) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4902 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2023-08-12 | DR-4726 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2022-06-16 | DR-4655 | Flood | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4508 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3476 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-05-24 | DR-4437 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2018-10-31 | DR-4405 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2014-04-17 | DR-4172 | Flood | Ice Jams and 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 |
| 2000-08-16 | FM-2321 | Fire | Mt - South Central Zone 4 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 |
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 Park County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 7 flood or flash flood records for Park County from 2001 to 2019, on 7 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Park County ranks 1125th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.3 million on 141 claims filed in Park County; the most in one year was 64 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 1 · 1991: 3 · 1992: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 17 · 1997: 64 · 2011: 13 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2022: 34; 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 Park County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Park County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $27.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Very High | $12M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $264K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $2.7M | once in about 431 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $256K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $364K | 39 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 52 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $8.5M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Park 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 Park CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Park County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis