Missoula County, Montana: hazard risk
FEMA rates Missoula County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 77.0 of 100, higher than 77% of rated U.S. counties); 3 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave, avalanche, ice storm. Its storm record holds 1,530 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 | 93.1 | $14M |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 91.5 | $2.9M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 89.9 | $1.4M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 95.8 | $6.8M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 95.1 | $202K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.3 | $10M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | $331K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.0 | $605K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 68.6 | $19M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 53.5 | $675K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 21.1 | $292K |
| Drought | Very Low | 16.0 | $1K |
| Hail | Very Low | 13.3 | $67K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 10.1 | $101K |
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 | 994 | 31 | $1.9M | 6th of 56 | 664th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 142 | 1 | $3.6M | 31st of 56 | 1269th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 118 | 0 | $29K | 33rd of 56 | 2670th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 109 | 1 | $8.5M | 23rd of 56 | 2693rd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 82 | 1 | $72K | 9th of 56 | 1228th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 36 | 0 | $5.8M | 12th of 56 | 2649th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 0 | $5K | 10th of 56 | 1563rd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 11 | 0 | – | 3rd of 56 | 2115th of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 10 | 0 | $704K | 20th of 56 | 811th of 2,972 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 7 | 5 | $398K | 14th of 56 | 248th of 2,278 |
| Lightning | 3 | 1 | – | 8th of 56 | 2179th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 0 | $89 | 46th of 56 | 2930th 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 Missoula County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.