Powell County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30077 · population 6,924 · 2,326 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 762 records for Powell County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 522 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (508 records). 659 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 February 14, 2026 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region, which covers the county: 3 deaths and 3 injuries. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1975, 15 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
- 762on 522 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2131 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $4.5Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Powell County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 508 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 508 | 355 | 1996-2026 | 15 | 16 | $389K | 12 of 56 |
| High wind and dust storms | 76 | 61 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 12 | $1.6M | 40 of 56 |
| Hail | 65 | 48 | 1982-2023 | 0 | 0 | $168K | 43 of 56 |
| Extreme cold | 51 | 33 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 56 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 27 | 21 | 1988-2025 | 1 | 0 | $1.2M | 51 of 56 |
| Floods | 19 | 16 | 1996-2018 | 0 | 0 | $210K | 31 of 56 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 6 | 6 | 2012-2025 | 3 | 1 | $7K | 11 of 56 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 56 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2018-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1962-1982 | 0 | 0 | $765K | 43 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 1 | 2 | $48K | 53 of 56 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 44 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 Powell County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Powell County from 1962 to 1982, the strongest rated F1, 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 Powell 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 Powell County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-06-28 | Powell County | F1 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1962-05-17 | Powell County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Powell County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 13, 2026 strong wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-07 | Frost/FreezeGranite County and 3 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-13 | Strong WindDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-23 | Winter WeatherGranite County and 3 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-22 | Winter WeatherDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-07 | Strong WindDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 46 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Winter WeatherDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Winter WeatherGranite County and 3 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Winter StormDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindGranite County and 3 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter StormGranite County and 3 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region | 0 | 0 | $75K | |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter WeatherDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 0 | 0 | $8K | |
| 2026-03-08 | Strong WindDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-14 | Winter WeatherGranite County and 3 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region On the morning of February 15, 2026, a head-on collision involving two SUVs occurred on Highway 200 just west of Bear Creek. The accident resulted in three injuries requiring hospitalization and a two-hour closure of the highway. Precipitation totals in the vicinity of the accident ranged from 0.10 to 0.22 inches. | 3 | 3 | – | |
| 2025-12-23 | Winter WeatherDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region Along Interstate 90 between Drummond and Garrison Junction, freezing rain contributed to at least 6 accidents. At 1125MST a small car lost control, slid into the eastbound lane and crashed into a tractor trailer. All three people in the car were declared dead(indirect) on the scene. The road conditions were described ... | 3 | 0 | $8K | |
| 2025-02-07 | Winter WeatherGranite County and 3 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region At least two crashes involving injuries were reported by the Montana Department of Justice crash webpage: one near Clinton and another near Seeley Lake. Snowfall was light, with only 1 to 2 inches reported by observers, but breezy north to east winds between 10 and 20 mph caused blowing snow and reduced visibility, ... | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2020-01-01 | AvalancheLake County and 2 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region Three snowmobilers were involved in an avalanche approximately 1 mile northwest of Lake Dinah, or about 12 miles northwest of Seeley Lake. The riders were caught and carried a short distance; two were fully buried, and one extricated himself after being separated from his snowmobile. The dimensions of the avalanche ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-10-03 | Winter WeatherDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region The ASOS weather sensor at the Bert Mooney Airport (5,545 ft.), located 6 miles south-southeast of Butte, Montana reported rain that changed to snow during the early morning hours of Oct. 3rd. It reported moderate snow from 9 am to 12 pm MDT on the 3rd with winds gusting out of the northerly direction between 17 and ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-09-09 | Dust StormLake County and 2 more · forecast zone Blackfoot Region Wind gusts between 40 to 50 mph blew over a newly plowed farm field, which reduced visibility to near zero from dust on highway 200 near Greenough. A multiple car accident occurred in the dust storm with eight people injured. One women died along the highway as she got out of her vehicle and was struck by a passing ... | 1 | 8 | – | |
| 2023-12-22 | Freezing FogDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region Freezing fog led to ice formation on area roadways. Icy roads were considered a factor in a fatal crash that occurred on Highway 200 between Lincoln and Ovando. | 1 | 2 | $48K | |
| 2001-02-15 | BlizzardLake County and 2 more · forecast zone Blackfoot Region Strong winds and heavy snow lead to blizzard conditions when an arctic cold front moved into western Montana early on 02/15/01. Whiteout conditions were reported early in the morning near the continental divide and continued throughout the day, closing several highways at times. Along Interstate 90 the blizzard was ... | 1 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindHelena, Powell County | 0 | 0 | $995K | |
| 2007-11-12 | High WindDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 78 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $925K |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindGranite County and 3 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $140K |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter StormGranite County and 3 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region | 0 | 0 | $75K | |
| 2023-12-22 | Freezing FogDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 1 | 2 | $48K | |
| 2007-11-12 | High WindLake County and 2 more · forecast zone Potomac / Seeley Lake Region | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $36K |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 2015-11-24 | Winter StormDeer Lodge County and 3 more · forecast zone Butte / Blackfoot Region | 1 | 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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 28, 1982 (tornado, Powell 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 Powell 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 | – | – | – | – | 43 | 156 | 194 | 115 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 20 | 24 | 23 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 5 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 1 | 13 | 20 | 17 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 13 | 2 | 4 | 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 Powell County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 104 · Feb 116 · Mar 63 · Apr 56 · May 47 · Jun 48 · Jul 47 · Aug 22 · Sep 25 · Oct 47 · Nov 90 · Dec 97 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Powell County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Powell County: 11 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 4 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (5) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4902 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2025-08-26 | FM-5611 | Fire | Windy Rock Fire |
| 2024-08-23 | DR-4813 | Straight-Line Winds | Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4508 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3476 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-10-31 | DR-4405 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2017-09-09 | FM-5207 | Fire | Rice Ridge Fire |
| 2011-06-17 | DR-1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3253 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-08-20 | FM-2492 | Fire | Mt-Lincoln Fire Complex - 08/14/2003 |
| 2001-07-07 | DR-1385 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2000-08-30 | DR-1340 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2000-08-05 | FM-2317 | Fire | Mt-Southwestern Zone Two Fire Complex |
| 1996-02-23 | DR-1105 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams |
| 1986-03-15 | DR-761 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Landslides & Flooding |
| 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 Powell County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 19 flood or flash flood records for Powell County from 1996 to 2018, on 16 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Powell County ranks 2128th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $120,000 on 18 claims filed in Powell County; the most in one year was 11 in 1981. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 11 · 1995: 1 · 2011: 5 · 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 Powell County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Powell County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.1 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 | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $140K | 46 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $684K | once in about 233 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.1M | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $2K | once in about 15 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $376K | once in about 90 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $5K | 75 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $1.6M | 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 Powell 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 Powell CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Powell County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis