Richland County, Montana: hazard risk
FEMA rates Richland County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 52.7 of 100, higher than 52% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 13 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave. Its storm record holds 758 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 | 95.5 | $17M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.9 | $324K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 46.1 | $413K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.6 | $297K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.6 | $85K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 37.8 | $199K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 32.6 | $45K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 27.0 | $561K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 26.0 | $332K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 55.0 | $85K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 25.1 | $4.0M |
| Landslide | Very Low | 22.7 | $204 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 8.4 | $11K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 219 | 0 | $2.2M | 4th of 56 | 2532nd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 217 | 0 | $1.8M | 7th of 56 | 2396th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 85 | 0 | $745K | 37th of 56 | 2387th of 3,077 |
| Drought | 56 | 0 | – | 5th of 56 | 1431st of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 51 | 0 | $12K | 43rd of 56 | 1683rd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 39 | 0 | – | 10th of 56 | 1253rd of 3,076 |
| Floods | 37 | 0 | $1.6M | 6th of 56 | 2511th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 0 | $304K | 8th of 56 | 2616th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 0 | – | 12th of 56 | 1580th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 3 | 0 | – | 10th of 56 | 2261st of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | – | 11th of 56 | 2261st 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 Richland County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.