Rosebud County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30087 · population 8,302 · 5,008 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 832 records for Rosebud County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 442 days; the most frequent are hail reports (333 records). The deadliest single record is the January 30, 2020 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Southern Rosebud, which covers the county: 2 deaths and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1978, 13 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
- 832on 442 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 56 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.3Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 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 Rosebud County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 333 since 1958. 77% of its hail reports since 1958 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 333 | 169 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 0 | $52K | 25 of 56 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 218 | 116 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $66K | 32 of 56 |
| Winter storms | 130 | 95 | 1996-2026 | 5 | 3 | – | 53 of 56 |
| High wind and dust storms | 87 | 72 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 56 |
| Floods | 28 | 22 | 1999-2019 | 0 | 0 | $471K | 40 of 56 |
| Wildfires | 12 | 9 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $683K | 25 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 7 | 1980-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 5 | 2010-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 56 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 56 |
| Drought | 2 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 56 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1998-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 56 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1998-2001 | 0 | 3 | $18K | 19 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 Rosebud County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in Rosebud County from 1980 to 2014, 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Rosebud County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9: 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 Montana.
Every tornado record filed for Rosebud County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-05-31 | Rock Spgs, Rosebud County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-08-15 | Forsyth, Rosebud County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-08-15 | Ingomar, Rosebud County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-24 | Rock Spgs, Rosebud County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-29 | Rosebud County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-21 | Rosebud County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-21 | Rosebud County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-19 | Rosebud County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-06-14 | Rosebud County | F1 | 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.
When was the last damaging storm in Rosebud County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 30, 2020 winter weather (2 deaths and 2 injuries).
Two people died after a crash involving a school bus and a car on U.S. Highway 212 between Lame Deer and Ashland. The crash occurred about 6:46 a.m. on U.S. Highway 212 at about mile marker 51. The car was traveling east on Highway 212, on a downhill slope curving right when it crossed over the center line and collided with a school bus that was driving west. The roads were icy and speed on the part of the car was considered to be a factor in the crash.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 867068)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-13 | High WindRosebud County · forecast zone Northern Rosebud | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-08 | High WindRosebud County · forecast zone Northern Rosebud | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Winter StormRosebud County · forecast zone Southern Rosebud | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-02 | Winter StormRosebud County · forecast zone Northern Rosebud | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter StormRosebud County · forecast zone Southern Rosebud | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter StormRosebud County · forecast zone Northern Rosebud | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindRosebud County · forecast zone Southern Rosebud | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-08 | High WindRosebud County · forecast zone Northern Rosebud | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindRosebud County · forecast zone Northern Rosebud | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-17 | Thunderstorm WindRock Spgs, Rosebud County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindBrandenberg, Rosebud County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindForsyth, Rosebud County | 55 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-01-30 | Winter WeatherRosebud County · forecast zone Southern Rosebud Two people died after a crash involving a school bus and a car on U.S. Highway 212 between Lame Deer and Ashland. The crash occurred about 6:46 a.m. on U.S. Highway 212 at about mile marker 51. The car was traveling east on Highway 212, on a downhill slope curving right when it crossed over the center line and ... | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2009-02-19 | Winter WeatherRosebud County · forecast zone Southern Rosebud Two women died in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 212, about 8 miles west of Ashland. Although road conditions were icy and snowpacked at the time of the accidents, Montana State Patrol reported speed was also a factor. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-01-13 | Winter WeatherRosebud County · forecast zone Northern Rosebud A 31-year-old Miles City woman died in Rosebud County after she was rear-ended while slowing for a crash in front of her. The fatal crash occurred east of the town of Rosebud on I-94 west of mile marker 108 at about 11:04 a.m.. The woman was driving a sedan and slowed after the passenger car in front of her went off ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2001-05-16 | LightningForsyth, Rosebud County Three men suffered minor injuries when lightning struck their truck as they were crack sealing on Interstate 94. | 0 | 3 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-07-17 | WildfireColstrip, Rosebud County | 0 | 0 | $362K | |
| 2003-08-12 | WildfireRosebud County · forecast zone Southern Rosebud | 0 | 0 | $321K | |
| 2011-05-21 | FloodNichols, Rosebud County | 0 | 0 | $295K | |
| 2000-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindRock Spgs, Rosebud County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2000-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindIngomar, Rosebud County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $9K |
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 Rosebud 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 2 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 56 | 143 | 98 | 20 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 66 | 68 | 56 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 49 | 47 | 27 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 20 | 29 | 35 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 16 | 0 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
77% of its hail reports since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 28 · Feb 35 · Mar 43 · Apr 41 · May 84 · Jun 241 · Jul 206 · Aug 80 · Sep 11 · Oct 19 · Nov 14 · Dec 30 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Rosebud County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Rosebud County: 10 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (6) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4902 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2021-09-30 | DR-4623 | Fire | Richard Spring Fire |
| 2021-08-10 | FM-5406 | Fire | Richard Spring Fire |
| 2020-09-03 | FM-5345 | Fire | Snider/Rice Fire Complex |
| 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 |
| 2013-07-10 | DR-4127 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2012-08-02 | DR-4074 | Fire | Wildfire |
| 2012-06-27 | FM-2989 | Fire | Ash Creek Fire |
| 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 |
| 1986-10-14 | DR-777 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-05-29 | DR-558 | Flood | 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 Rosebud County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 28 flood or flash flood records for Rosebud County from 1999 to 2019, on 22 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Rosebud County ranks 2291st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $15,000 on 12 claims filed in Rosebud County; the most in one year was 4 in 2014. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1997: 3 · 2011: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 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 Rosebud County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Rosebud County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | once in about 191 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $147K | 17 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | 5.1 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $2K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.4M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $150K | 30 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $114K | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $20K | 64 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Rosebud 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
- Hail in MontanaThe state's hail reports, 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 Rosebud CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Rosebud County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis