Gallatin County, Montana: hazard risk
FEMA rates Gallatin County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 81.0 of 100, higher than 80% of rated U.S. counties); 4 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by winter weather, avalanche, cold wave. Its storm record holds 819 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99.6 | $3.6M |
| Avalanche | Very High | 96.6 | $7.2M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.6 | $14M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 92.7 | $2.2M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.6 | $352K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.1 | $17M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 91.4 | $2.5M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 84.5 | $1.7M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 64.2 | $16M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 39.2 | $605K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 37.4 | $78K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 28.8 | $186K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 24.1 | $34K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 20.5 | $1 |
| Tornado | Very Low | 16.7 | $259K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 357 | 1 | $735K | 15th of 56 | 1535th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 166 | 1 | $15K | 23rd of 56 | 965th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 115 | 0 | $147K | 21st of 56 | 2687th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 94 | 0 | $81M | 44th of 56 | 2731st of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 24 | 0 | – | 34th of 56 | 2237th of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 21 | 0 | $548K | 4th of 56 | 410th of 2,972 |
| Floods | 15 | 0 | $1.8M | 36th of 56 | 2887th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 14 | 2 | – | 6th of 56 | 143rd of 2,278 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 0 | $25K | 40th of 56 | 2898th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 2 | 0 | – | 21st of 56 | 2403rd of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | – | 21st of 56 | 2382nd of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Gallatin County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.