Wibaux County, Montana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 30109 · population 937 · 890 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 460 records for Wibaux County, Montana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 360 days; the most frequent are hail reports (127 records). The deadliest single record is the November 9, 2012 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Wibaux, which covers the county: 2 deaths, 1 injury and $32,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 5 declarations naming the county since 2000, 3 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on June 17, 2011.
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
- 460on 360 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 43 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $4.2Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 5latest 2020
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 Wibaux County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 127 since 1963. 79% of its hail reports since 1963 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 | 127 | 82 | 1963-2026 | 0 | 0 | $273K | 1 of 56 |
| Winter storms | 84 | 82 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 1 | $49K | 17 of 56 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 83 | 66 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 0 | $627K | 1 of 56 |
| Drought | 45 | 45 | 2005-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 56 |
| High wind and dust storms | 45 | 45 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $68K | 19 of 56 |
| Extreme cold | 23 | 22 | 1997-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 7 of 56 |
| Floods | 18 | 17 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | $49K | 3 of 56 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 15 | 15 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $11K | 3 of 56 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 8 | 1952-2014 | 1 | 2 | $3.1M | 1 of 56 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 6 | 2009-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 56 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 2002-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 56 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $26K | 9 of 56 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 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 Wibaux County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Wibaux County from 1952 to 2014, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 2 injuries recorded in the county. That is 1st 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Wibaux County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952-07-19 18:30, as SPC files it | WibauxCrossed MT, ND | F3 | 16.4 mi | 1 |
| 1953-05-24 17:00, as SPC files it | Wibaux | F3 | 9.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Montana.
Every tornado record filed for Wibaux County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-07-24 | Beaver Hill Dot, Wibaux County | EF0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-30 | Carlyle, Wibaux County | EF0 0.25 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-31 | Carlyle, Wibaux County | F0 0.1 mi x 4 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-08-06 | Wibaux County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-07-10 | Wibaux County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1979-06-30 | Wibaux County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1953-05-24 | Wibaux County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1952-07-19 | Wibaux County | F3 9.1 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 2 | $250K 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 Wibaux County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the November 9, 2012 winter storm (2 deaths, 1 injury and $32,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Cooperative observer in Wibaux reported 7 inches of snowfall. Other reports across the county included freezing drizzle, snow, and melting snow which caused very slick road conditions, resulting in an automobile accident on Interstate 94 with multiple fatalities. Two pregnant women, not wearing seatbelts, were killed when the vehicle rolled over off the interstate. Neither fetus survived. The driver was wearing a seatbelt and had some non-life threatening injuries.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 421638)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindBeaver Hill Dot, Wibaux County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindWibaux County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindCarlyle, Wibaux County | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | HailWibaux County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtWibaux County · forecast zone Wibaux | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindWibaux County · forecast zone Wibaux | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-15 | High WindWibaux County · forecast zone Wibaux | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-20 | Heavy RainPine Hill Raws, Wibaux County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindCarlyle, Wibaux County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-01 | DroughtWibaux County · forecast zone Wibaux | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-01 | DroughtWibaux County · forecast zone Wibaux | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-01 | DroughtWibaux County · forecast zone Wibaux | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-11-09 | Winter StormWibaux County · forecast zone Wibaux Cooperative observer in Wibaux reported 7 inches of snowfall. Other reports across the county included freezing drizzle, snow, and melting snow which caused very slick road conditions, resulting in an automobile accident on Interstate 94 with multiple fatalities. Two pregnant women, not wearing seatbelts, were killed ... | 2 | 1 | $32K | |
| 1952-07-19 | TornadoWibaux County | F3 9.1 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 2 | $250K step |
| 2009-12-24 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWibaux County · forecast zone Wibaux A two year old visiting relatives in Wibaux was found dead outside due to hypothermia at 0630 am on December 24th. He had gotten out of the house sometime during the night. Temperatures were around 15 below zero with wind chills near 30 below zero. | 1 | 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-07-11 | Thunderstorm WindWibaux County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $625K |
| 2012-11-09 | Winter StormWibaux County · forecast zone Wibaux | 2 | 1 | $32K |
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: July 19, 1952 (tornado, Wibaux County, 1 killed).
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 Wibaux 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 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 57 | 27 | 19 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 27 | 34 | 15 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 33 | 26 | 10 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 5 | 34 z |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 12 | 15 | 15 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 6 | 9 |
Drought in the 2020-26: 34 records against 5 in the decade before, 34 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 Wibaux 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?
79% of its hail reports since 1963 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 35 · Feb 27 · Mar 34 · Apr 20 · May 28 · Jun 97 · Jul 105 · Aug 35 · Sep 14 · Oct 15 · Nov 15 · Dec 35 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wibaux County
FEMA's register lists 5 declarations that include Wibaux County: 3 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and severe storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4508 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3476 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 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 |
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 Wibaux County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 18 flood or flash flood records for Wibaux County from 1996 to 2011, on 17 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Wibaux County ranks 2685th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $77,000 on 3 claims filed in Wibaux 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 · 2011: 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 Wibaux County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wibaux County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.6M | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $52K | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $39K | once in about 794 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $27K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $93K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $4K | 27 modeled event-days a year |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $31K | 2.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Very Low | $68K | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Wibaux 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 Wibaux CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wibaux County's FEMA declarations (CSV)5 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis