Sanders County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30089 · population 12,399 · 2,760 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,122 records for Sanders County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 659 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (809 records). 1,056 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 13, 2025 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys, which covers the county: 4 deaths and 4 injuries. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1974, 14 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
- 1,122on 659 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 3050 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $23Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest unrated
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Sanders County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 809 since 1996. 47% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 | 809 | 473 | 1996-2026 | 25 | 41 | $6.9M | 9 of 56 |
| High wind and dust storms | 142 | 82 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 3 | $6.1M | 35 of 56 |
| Extreme cold | 65 | 34 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $3K | 18 of 56 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 26 | 23 | 1985-2024 | 0 | 1 | $162K | 55 of 56 |
| Floods | 25 | 21 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $5.6M | 28 of 56 |
| Hail | 23 | 19 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 0 | $26K | 53 of 56 |
| Heat | 11 | 6 | 2018-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 56 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 7 | 7 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 12 of 56 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 4 | 2003-2021 | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | 28 of 56 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2009-2017 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 40 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 2009-2023 | 2 | 5 | $68K | 32 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 1978-1978 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 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 Sanders County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Sanders County from 1978 to 1978, 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 1 tornado whose track touched Sanders County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 1, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Montana.
Every tornado record filed for Sanders County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-07-09 | Sanders County | 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 Sanders County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 20, 2026 strong wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-08 | Frost/FreezeMineral County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Clark Fork Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-08 | Frost/FreezeFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Kootenai/Cabinet Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-29 | Debris FlowEddy, Sanders County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-20 | Strong WindSanders County | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-05-16 | Winter WeatherMineral County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Clark Fork Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-16 | Winter WeatherFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-14 | Winter WeatherFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Kootenai/Cabinet Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-25 | Frost/FreezeFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-25 | Frost/FreezeFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Kootenai/Cabinet Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-16 | Winter WeatherFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Kootenai/Cabinet Region | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Winter WeatherFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Kootenai/Cabinet Region | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $72K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-13 | Winter StormFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys Multiple social media reports indicated that roads became very slick during the evening of the 14th. One individual noted that while at the ER, three or four separate people were being treated for serious injuries from vehicle accidents that evening. Another person stated, 'Highway 2 between Evergreen and Columbia ... | 4 | 4 | – | |
| 2023-12-16 | Freezing FogMineral County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Clark Fork Region Freezing fog led to ice formation on area roadways. Icy roads were likely a contributing factor to a three vehicle collision on Highway 93 near Evaro. The crash resulted in five injuries and two fatalities. | 2 | 5 | $68K | |
| 2018-12-19 | Winter WeatherMineral County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Clark Fork Region A little bit before 4 am MDT, five semi-tractor trailers and one SUV crashed into each other at the bridge near the Quartz Flat Campground on Interstate 90 due to icy road conditions. As a result, two men in their 30s passed away while three other men were injured. The road conditions were labeled as very icy. The ... | 2 | 3 | $1K | |
| 2025-02-07 | Winter WeatherMineral County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Clark Fork Region Several crashes and slide-offs were reported along Interstate 90. Two of the crashes had unknown injuries. The COOP observer in Alberton measured 1.3 inches of snow. | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2025-01-03 | Winter WeatherMineral County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Clark Fork Region Snow intensity became heavy at Lookout Pass by the afternoon but decreased by late evening. The combination of wet roads re-freezing at sunset, falling snow, and rain likely contributed to very slick conditions and a double fatality(indirect) on Evaro Hill. A semi-truck jackknifed, rotated into the oncoming lane, and ... | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2022-11-07 | Winter WeatherFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Kootenai/Cabinet Region Snow showers brought several inches of snow to the region, including 3.1 inches in Kila and 2.1 inches in Marion. The slick roads contributed to two fatalities on US-2 west of Libby at 1423MST in the afternoon. | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-01-07 | Winter WeatherFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys Freezing rain turned to moderate snow over Flathead County causing numerous car accidents throughout the county from very slick roads. One fatality and six injuries were reported from automobile accidents to due icy roads. | 1 | 6 | – | |
| 2014-12-04 | Winter WeatherFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys The Glacier Park International Airport observers reported a storm snowfall total of 5.3 with 0.44 melted liquid and temperatures only rising from the mid-teens to the lower 20's during the event. The reports of freezing rain on top of snow were mainly found from the southern half of Flathead Lake and points south. ... | 1 | 5 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-01 | WildfireFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 1997-05-01 | FloodFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 1996-02-07 | FloodMineral County and 2 more · forecast zone Lower Clark Fork Region | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2020-04-11 | Strong WindFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2005-06-02 | FloodFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1997-05-01 | FloodFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Kootenai/Cabinet Region | 0 | 0 | $998K | |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindFlathead County and 2 more · forecast zone Kootenai/Cabinet Region | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $610K |
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 Sanders 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 | – | – | – | – | 131 | 240 | 280 | 158 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 22 | 49 | 59 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 7 | 8 | 29 z | 21 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 14 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
Extreme cold in the 2010s: 29 records against 8 in the decade before, 29 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 Sanders 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?
47% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 183 · Feb 172 · Mar 120 · Apr 56 · May 43 · Jun 24 · Jul 29 · Aug 28 · Sep 29 · Oct 41 · Nov 157 · Dec 240 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sanders County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Sanders County: 8 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 5 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 |
| 2025-12-19 | EM-3630 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2023-08-19 | FM-5480 | Fire | River Road East Fire |
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4508 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3476 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-09-10 | FM-5210 | Fire | Highway 200 Fire Complex |
| 2017-09-10 | FM-5211 | Fire | Moose Peak Fire |
| 2014-04-17 | DR-4172 | Flood | Ice Jams and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3253 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-08-12 | FM-2489 | Fire | Mt-Cherry Creek Fire -08/06/03 |
| 2000-08-30 | DR-1340 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2000-08-14 | FM-2320 | Fire | Mt - Northwestern Zone 1 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 |
| 1986-03-15 | DR-761 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1974-01-29 | DR-417 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding & Landslides |
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 Sanders County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 25 flood or flash flood records for Sanders County from 1996 to 2025, on 21 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sanders County ranks 2400th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $223,000 on 9 claims filed in Sanders County; the most in one year was 7 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1997: 7 · 2011: 2; 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 Sanders County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sanders County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $212K | 44 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $149K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $969K | once in about 591 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $223K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $422K | once in about 49 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $2K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.8M | about once 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 Sanders 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 Sanders CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sanders County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis