Hill County, Montana: hazard risk
FEMA rates Hill County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 50.4 of 100, higher than 50% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave, winter weather. Its storm record holds 764 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.7 | $7.8M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.2 | $309K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 61.5 | $284K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 44.6 | $79K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 43.4 | $4.4M |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 62.8 | $83K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 38.7 | $478 |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 24.7 | $76K |
| Hail | Very Low | 24.1 | $71K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 20.5 | $24K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 12.9 | $6K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 12.4 | $78K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 8.3 | $39K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 4.5 | $2 |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 242 | 0 | $537K | 16th of 56 | 633rd of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 215 | 0 | $481K | 13th of 56 | 2619th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 122 | 0 | – | 40th of 56 | 2419th of 3,077 |
| Hail | 112 | 0 | $1.1M | 36th of 56 | 2685th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 36 | 0 | – | 22nd of 56 | 1803rd of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 11 | 0 | – | 20th of 56 | 1704th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 9 | 0 | $4.0M | 49th of 56 | 2986th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 0 | $903K | 23rd of 56 | 2778th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 0 | – | 38th of 56 | 1205th of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Hill County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.