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Silver Bow County, Montana

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

Very Low overall risk
26th of 56highest risk in Montana
$14Mexpected losses a year
5federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Silver Bow County, Montana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 62% of US counties. It ranks 26th of 56 counties in Montana. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, earthquakes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $412 per resident. Since 1981 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (3 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2005 (Hurricane Katrina Evacuation). Only 27 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $8,245 on 10 claims here.

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

Top risks in Silver Bow County

Cold wave

Moderate
$5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$4.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 80 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$3.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveModerate81.9
$5M
EarthquakeLow87.4
$4M
Inland floodingVery Low21.7
$3M
Winter weatherHigh92.4
$599K
WildfireLow80.7
$527K
LightningModerate61.9
$437K
HailVery Low27.2
$127K
Strong windVery Low10.0
$88K
TornadoVery Low9.8
$74K
LandslideModerate90.4
$72K
Heat waveVery Low13.9
$38K
Ice stormVery Low13.5
$10K
DroughtVery Low14.5
$526
AvalancheVery Low43.0
$379

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 very low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Fire2
Flood1
Severe Storm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Aug 30, 2000WildfiresMajor disaster
Aug 5, 2000Mt-Southwestern Zone Two Fire ComplexFire management
Feb 23, 1996Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice JamsMajor disaster
May 27, 1981Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 83 storm reports in Silver Bow County since 1958 and about $140,000 in reported damage. No tornadoes are on record here.

0tornadoes
45hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
27damaging thunderstorm winds
7floods and flash floods

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 11, 1994Thunderstorm WindButte$50K
Aug 6, 2009HailMooney Arpt But$50K
Jun 6, 2023Flash FloodMooney Arpt But$15K
Jun 16, 2005HailRocker$5K
Aug 6, 2009HailJanney$5K
Aug 1, 2013Thunderstorm WindMooney Arpt But$5K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 16, 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 Silver Bow County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (27 policies)
11.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$8,245paid on 10 flood claims since 1978
2011costliest year, with $5,419 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 Silver Bow County

$255,200median home value (Montana $375,800, US $332,700)
1956median year homes were built (Montana 1981, US 1980)
74%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.1%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; 17,499 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
Jefferson CountyVery Low9
Deer Lodge CountyVery Low8
Beaverhead CountyLow4
Madison CountyVery Low5

Cities in Silver Bow County

Common questions about Silver Bow County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Silver Bow County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Silver Bow County, about $5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $4.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Silver Bow County had?

Silver Bow County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1981, including 3 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in September 2005.

Is Silver Bow County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 26th 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 Silver Bow County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Silver Bow County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Silver Bow County had?

NOAA records list 0 tornadoes in Silver Bow County since 1950. The weather service has also logged 45 hail reports and 7 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.