Montague County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Montague County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 55% of US counties. It ranks 126th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $782 per resident. Since 1981 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (63 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.5 million on 77 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Montague County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 98.2 | $4M | ||
| Inland flooding | 30.7 | $3M | ||
| Tornado | 77.6 | $3M | ||
| Heat wave | 78.1 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 89.8 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 54.0 | $943K | ||
| Strong wind | 72.8 | $903K | ||
| Ice storm | 87.8 | $643K | ||
| Hail | 60.7 | $333K | ||
| Earthquake | 36.0 | $101K | ||
| Lightning | 17.3 | $51K | ||
| Winter weather | 34.7 | $31K | ||
| Hurricane | 38.8 | $24K | ||
| Landslide | 58.8 | $2K |
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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Montague County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 20
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 621 storm reports in Montague County since 1955, with 1 death and 28 injuries and about $16 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 7, 1995 near Sunset-.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 1995 | F3 | Sunset- | 11 / 1 |
| Apr 19, 1976 | F3 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 1958 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 14, 1965 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 1957 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2020 | Flash Flood | Fruitland | $5M |
| Apr 29, 2009 | Flood | St Jo | $3M |
| May 7, 1995 | Tornado | Sunset- | $2M |
| May 22, 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bowie | $1M |
| Apr 26, 1994 | Tornado | St. Jo | $500K |
| Apr 11, 2016 | Hail | Bowie | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 8, 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.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1900, 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Montague County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with top winds near 55 mph about 61 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 9, 1900 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 12, 1961 | Carla | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 1961 | Carla | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 9, 1900 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 61 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Montague County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Montague County
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; 10,348 housing units.
Compare in Texas
All 254 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | Inland flooding | |
| Dallas County | Inland flooding | |
| Tarrant County | Inland flooding | |
| Bexar County | Inland flooding | |
| Travis County | Inland flooding | |
| Collin County | Tornado | |
| Denton County | Tornado | |
| Hidalgo County | Hurricane |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Wise County | 20 | |
| Cooke County | 20 | |
| Clay County | 19 | |
| Love County, OK | 24 | |
| Jack County | 17 | |
| Jefferson County, OK | 28 |
Common questions about Montague County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Montague County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Montague County, about $4.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Montague County had?
Montague County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1981, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.
Is Montague County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 126th highest of 254 in Texas. 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 Montague County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Montague 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 Montague County had?
NOAA records list 56 tornadoes in Montague County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 7, 1995 near Sunset-. The weather service has also logged 380 hail reports and 43 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Montague County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Montague County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with winds near 55 mph.
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.