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Sheridan County, Montana

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
36th of 56highest risk in Montana
$5Mexpected losses a year
4federal declarations
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Sheridan County, Montana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 85% of US counties. It ranks 36th of 56 counties in Montana. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and winter weather. FEMA estimates about $5.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,417 per resident. Since 2000 it has been included in 4 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (3 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2023 (flooding). No homes here carry federal flood insurance.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Sheridan County

Cold wave

Moderate
$2.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 21 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$151,141 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 18 times a year.
  • Keep a winter kit in the car.
  • Have food, water and medicine for several days at home.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveModerate79.5
$3M
Inland floodingVery Low13.3
$1M
Winter weatherModerate77.0
$151K
TornadoVery Low16.1
$135K
Strong windLow18.5
$134K
HailVery Low22.2
$67K
Ice stormLow46.7
$62K
DroughtLow37.1
$43K
WildfireVery Low51.2
$43K
Heat waveVery Low16.9
$37K
LightningVery Low8.8
$24K
EarthquakeVery Low6.5
$5K
LandslideVery Low17.5
$72

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Sheridan County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm2
Hurricane1
Flood1

Most recent

Aug 12, 2023FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 2011Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Dec 6, 2000Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster

Montana also had 36 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 355 storm reports in Sheridan County since 1957, with 2 deaths and 3 injuries and about $6.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on July 26, 2010 near Redstone Hill Dot.

10tornadoes
197hail reports, largest 3 inches
126damaging thunderstorm winds
14floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 26, 2010EF3Redstone Hill Dot1 / 2
Jul 2, 1971F2–0 / 0
Jul 9, 2018EF1Plentywood Shrwd Arp0 / 0
Jul 5, 1988F0–0 / 0
May 25, 1991F0–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 31, 1999WildfireOutlook$6M
Jul 26, 2010TornadoRedstone Hill Dot$300K
Jun 6, 2005Thunderstorm WindWestby$75K
Aug 10, 2007Thunderstorm WindHomestead$35K
Jul 30, 2006HailOutlook$27K
Sep 3, 2014Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lake$25K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 28, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Sheridan County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (0 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$73paid on 1 flood claims since 1978
1979costliest year, with $73 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Sheridan County

$124,000median home value (Montana $375,800, US $332,700)
1963median year homes were built (Montana 1981, US 1980)
76%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
9.9%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 2,041 housing units.

Compare in Montana

All 56 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Yellowstone CountyModerateInland flooding
Gallatin CountyModerateEarthquake
Missoula CountyLowInland flooding
Flathead CountyModerateInland flooding
Cascade CountyModerateInland flooding
Lewis and Clark CountyLowCold wave
Ravalli CountyLowWildfire
Silver Bow CountyVery LowCold wave

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Williams County, NDLow18
Roosevelt CountyLow5
Divide County, NDVery Low15
Daniels CountyVery Low6

Common questions about Sheridan County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Sheridan County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Sheridan County, about $2.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Sheridan County had?

Sheridan County has been included in 4 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 2000, including 3 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in August 2023.

Is Sheridan County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 36th highest of 56 in Montana. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Sheridan County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Sheridan County had?

NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Sheridan County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on July 26, 2010 near Redstone Hill Dot. The weather service has also logged 197 hail reports and 14 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.