Sanders County, Montana: hazard risk
FEMA rates Sanders County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 47.4 of 100, higher than 47% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by winter weather. Its storm record holds 1,122 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 | Relatively High | 88.1 | $212K |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.8 | $149K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 91.2 | $969K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | $223K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 66.5 | $1.1M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 67.9 | $422K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 67.1 | $2K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 61.9 | $5.8M |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 31.1 | $86K |
| Drought | Very Low | 20.0 | $2K |
| Lightning | Very Low | 18.5 | $38K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 7.3 | $32K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.7 | $10K |
| Hail | Very Low | 4.5 | $6K |
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 | 809 | 25 | $6.9M | 9th of 56 | 842nd of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 142 | 1 | $6.1M | 35th of 56 | 1410th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 65 | 1 | $3K | 18th of 56 | 1596th of 3,076 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 26 | 0 | $162K | 55th of 56 | 2876th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 25 | 0 | $5.6M | 28th of 56 | 2806th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 23 | 0 | $26K | 53rd of 56 | 2868th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 11 | 0 | – | 5th of 56 | 2171st of 3,076 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 7 | 1 | – | 12th of 56 | 236th of 2,278 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 0 | $3.9M | 28th of 56 | 1023rd of 2,972 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 0 | $6K | 40th of 56 | 2101st of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | – | 51st of 56 | 2967th 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 Sanders County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.