Madison County, Montana: hazard risk
FEMA rates Madison County's overall risk Very Low (score 41.0 of 100, higher than 40% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by avalanche. Its storm record holds 676 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Very High | 97.4 | $6.1M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 95.8 | $192K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 87.3 | $1.1M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 79.9 | $1.9M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57.4 | $99K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 53.9 | $1.3M |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 35.9 | $164K |
| Drought | Very Low | 29.8 | $30K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 29.8 | $4.1M |
| Hail | Very Low | 24.4 | $106K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 14.0 | $0 |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 7.5 | $4K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5.7 | $8K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.2 | $42K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.1 | $16K |
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 | 275 | 0 | $212K | 29th of 56 | 2073rd of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 264 | 0 | $45K | 18th of 56 | 869th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 40 | 0 | $29K | 52nd of 56 | 2864th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 29 | 0 | – | 55th of 56 | 2897th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 26 | 0 | – | 37th of 56 | 2348th of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 16 | 0 | – | 12th of 56 | 621st of 2,972 |
| Floods | 11 | 0 | – | 50th of 56 | 2988th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 0 | – | 53rd of 56 | 2334th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 6 | 2 | – | 15th of 56 | 289th of 2,278 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 0 | $53K | 49th of 56 | 2951st 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 Madison County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.