Richland County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30083 · population 11,489 · 2,085 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 758 records for Richland County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 468 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (219 records). The most damaging was the June 16, 2007 hail ($1.5 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1997, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Ice Jams and Flooding” on April 17, 2014.
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
- 758on 468 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 08 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.7Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 8latest 2021
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 Richland County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 219 since 1959. 74% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1959 fell in June and July. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 219 | 120 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 1 | $2.2M | 4 of 56 |
| Hail | 217 | 114 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 7 of 56 |
| Winter storms | 85 | 84 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $745K | 37 of 56 |
| Drought | 56 | 56 | 2004-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 56 |
| High wind and dust storms | 51 | 47 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $12K | 43 of 56 |
| Extreme cold | 39 | 36 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 56 |
| Floods | 37 | 32 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 6 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 27 | 26 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 11 | 1962-2015 | 0 | 1 | $304K | 8 of 56 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 7 | 2009-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 56 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 2003-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 56 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2003-2006 | 0 | 4 | – | 11 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 Richland County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Richland County from 1962 to 2015, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 8th 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Richland County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Montana.
Every tornado record filed for Richland County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-06-30 | Crane, Richland County | EF1 5.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $62K |
| 2011-07-29 | Enid, Richland County | EF0 11.45 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-07-05 | Sidney, Richland County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-06-22 | Savage, Richland County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-25 | Richland County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-06-27 | Richland County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-08-23 | Richland County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-08-23 | Richland County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-08-23 | Richland County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1975-06-25 | Richland County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-06-11 | Richland County | F2 9.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1962-07-22 | Richland County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1962-06-22 | Richland County | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Richland County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 15, 2024 ice storm (1 injury).
Rainfall of 0.05 (eastern Richland) to 0.52 (central Richland) and freezing temperatures and frozen ground resulted in a widespread icy glaze. A person falling in Sidney resulted in an injury.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1220447)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindEnid, Richland County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | HailEnid, Richland County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | HailEnid, Richland County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | HailSioux Pass Dot, Richland County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindSioux Pass Dot, Richland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindEnid, Richland County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindEnid, Richland County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-14 | High WindRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-12 | DroughtRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-22 | Thunderstorm WindSavage, Richland County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-22 | Thunderstorm WindEnid, Richland County | 51 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07-20 | LightningSidney, Richland County | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2024-12-15 | Ice StormRichland County · forecast zone Richland Rainfall of 0.05 (eastern Richland) to 0.52 (central Richland) and freezing temperatures and frozen ground resulted in a widespread icy glaze. A person falling in Sidney resulted in an injury. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2015-06-30 | TornadoCrane, Richland County The National Weather Service in Glasgow, along with Richland County Disaster and Emergency Services conducted a damage survey of a property. The mobile home and its associated storage building (also a mobile home) were thrown from its foundation. The primary home lost its metal frame and was thrown onto a storage shed ... | EF1 5.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $62K |
| 2012-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindLambert, Richland County Initial reports came from Richland County Sheriff's Department and then also from trained spotters in the area. There were a total of 8 large steel tanks blown over that weigh 12,000-14,000 pounds each. They were empty, and not staked into the ground yet. They stood about 25 feet tall and 8 feet across. Consulted with ... | 83 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $208K |
| 2010-10-26 | BlizzardRichland County · forecast zone Richland Twenty-one miles northwest of Sidney, a spotter reported a quarter mile visibility. Two to three foot snow drifts were observed by the time the storm was done. One person was injured in an auto accident northwest of Sidney when their car slid off the road and rolled. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2003-06-20 | LightningSidney, Richland County A 46 year old man was struck by lightning on a motorcycle on Highway 200 approximately 10 miles west of Sydney. The man was burned on his left shoulder. The lightning exited at the ball of his right foot. He was treated at the hospital and released the next day. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-06-16 | HailEnid, Richland County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2011-07-29 | Thunderstorm WindSavage, Richland County | 96 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $984K |
| 2000-11-01 | Winter StormRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | $745K | |
| 1997-03-20 | FloodRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | $515K | |
| 1997-07-01 | Flash FloodSidney, Richland County | 0 | 0 | $495K | |
| 1997-06-22 | Flash FloodSidney, Richland County | 0 | 0 | $478K | |
| 2012-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindLambert, Richland County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $208K |
| 2013-08-05 | Thunderstorm WindLambert, Richland County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $190K |
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: June 25, 1975 (tornado, Richland County); June 25, 1991 (tornado, Richland 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 Richland 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 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 67 | 65 | 52 |
| Hail | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 57 | 84 | 18 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 32 | 31 | 11 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 8 | 7 | 41 z |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 14 | 14 | 19 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 14 | 13 |
Drought in the 2020-26: 41 records against 7 in the decade before, 41 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 Richland 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?
74% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1959 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 50 · Feb 32 · Mar 41 · Apr 23 · May 50 · Jun 210 · Jul 150 · Aug 95 · Sep 17 · Oct 21 · Nov 26 · Dec 43 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Richland County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Richland County: 6 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-13 | DR-4608 | Other | Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4508 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3476 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 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 |
| 2000-12-06 | DR-1350 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1997-07-25 | DR-1183 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Ice Jams, Snow Melt, 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 Richland County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 37 flood or flash flood records for Richland County from 1997 to 2025, on 32 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Richland County ranks 2436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $95,000 on 8 claims filed in Richland County; the most in one year was 2 in 1978. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1997: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2021: 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 Richland County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Richland County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $23.3 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 | $17M | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $324K | 19 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $413K | 2.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $297K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $85K | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $199K | 27 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $45K | 37 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $561K | 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 Richland 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MontanaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Richland CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Richland County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis