Montana lightning risk
Gallatin County has the highest lightning risk in Montana, scoring 92.7 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gallatin County | 92.7 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 2 | Yellowstone County | 88.2 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 3 | Big Horn County | 83.2 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 4 | Blaine County | 80.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 5 | Carbon County | 76.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 6 | Custer County | 76.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 7 | Dawson County | 74.8 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 8 | Musselshell County | 73.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 9 | Broadwater County | 73.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 10 | Cascade County | 72.9 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 11 | Petroleum County | 69.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 12 | Fergus County | 69 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 13 | Lewis and Clark County | 66.3 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 14 | Ravalli County | 65.4 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 15 | Phillips County | 64.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 16 | Beaverhead County | 64 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 17 | Missoula County | 64 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 18 | Silver Bow County | 61.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 19 | Hill County | 61.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 20 | Park County | 60.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 21 | Jefferson County | 59 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 22 | Flathead County | 58.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 23 | Rosebud County | 54.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 24 | Glacier County | 52.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 25 | Wheatland County | 44.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 26 | Chouteau County | 43.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 27 | Deer Lodge County | 41.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 28 | Stillwater County | 39.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 29 | Golden Valley County | 38.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 30 | Richland County | 37.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 31 | Lake County | 37.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 32 | Madison County | 35.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 33 | Garfield County | 35.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 34 | Judith Basin County | 34 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 35 | Lincoln County | 28.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 36 | Roosevelt County | 24.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 37 | Meagher County | 19.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 38 | Sanders County | 18.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 39 | Sweet Grass County | 18.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 40 | Pondera County | 16.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 41 | Valley County | 15.6 | Very Low | 3 |
| 42 | Powell County | 14.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 43 | Toole County | 9.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 44 | Sheridan County | 8.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 45 | Fallon County | 8.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 46 | Granite County | 8.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 47 | Prairie County | 8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 48 | Teton County | 7.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 49 | McCone County | 5.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 50 | Mineral County | 5.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 51 | Treasure County | 4.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 52 | Powder River County | 4.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 53 | Liberty County | 3.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 54 | Wibaux County | 3.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 55 | Carter County | 2.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 56 | Daniels County | 2.4 | Very Low | 1 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Lightning risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Montana:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest lightning risk county in Montana?
Gallatin County, MT has the highest lightning risk in Montana, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 92.7 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes lightning risk in Montana?
Lightning risk reflects expected annual losses from cloud-to-ground strikes, which ignite building fires, damage electrical systems, and cause fatalities. Florida consistently leads the US in lightning density. High scores also appear across the Gulf Coast, Southeast, and central Plains, where afternoon convective storms are most frequent in summer months.