Montana strong wind risk
Big Horn County has the highest strong wind risk in Montana, scoring 95.9 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Horn County | 95.9 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 2 | Roosevelt County | 83 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 3 | Cascade County | 60.9 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 4 | Custer County | 60.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 5 | Yellowstone County | 60.2 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 6 | Dawson County | 51.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 7 | Gallatin County | 39.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 8 | Richland County | 26 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 9 | McCone County | 22.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 10 | Lewis and Clark County | 21.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 11 | Missoula County | 21.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 12 | Sheridan County | 18.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 13 | Rosebud County | 17.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 14 | Valley County | 17.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 15 | Garfield County | 16 | Very Low | 0 |
| 16 | Pondera County | 15.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 17 | Flathead County | 14.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 18 | Glacier County | 14.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 19 | Ravalli County | 12.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 20 | Toole County | 12.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 21 | Hill County | 12.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 22 | Lake County | 11.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 23 | Carbon County | 11.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 24 | Lincoln County | 10 | Very Low | 0 |
| 25 | Silver Bow County | 10 | Very Low | 0 |
| 26 | Chouteau County | 9.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 27 | Musselshell County | 9.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 28 | Park County | 9.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 29 | Blaine County | 9.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 30 | Teton County | 9.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 31 | Prairie County | 8.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 32 | Phillips County | 8.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 33 | Fergus County | 8.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 34 | Fallon County | 8.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 35 | Sanders County | 7.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 36 | Jefferson County | 7.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 37 | Beaverhead County | 6.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 38 | Wibaux County | 5.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 39 | Stillwater County | 5.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 40 | Deer Lodge County | 5.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 41 | Powell County | 5.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 42 | Madison County | 5.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 43 | Daniels County | 5.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 44 | Carter County | 4.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 45 | Broadwater County | 4.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 46 | Liberty County | 3.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 47 | Meagher County | 3.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 48 | Sweet Grass County | 3.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 49 | Granite County | 3.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 50 | Judith Basin County | 3.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 51 | Mineral County | 2.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 52 | Wheatland County | 2.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 53 | Treasure County | 2.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 54 | Powder River County | 2.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 55 | Golden Valley County | 1.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 56 | Petroleum County | 1.6 | Very Low | 0 |
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.
Strong Wind risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Montana:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest strong wind risk county in Montana?
Big Horn County, MT has the highest strong wind risk in Montana, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 95.9 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes strong wind risk in Montana?
Strong wind risk covers non-convective, non-tropical sustained high winds — including derechos and general high-wind events, but excluding tornado and hurricane winds. High scores appear in mountain passes, coastal headlands, and open plains where topography amplifies wind speeds. Damage concentrates on utility infrastructure, trees, and lightweight structures.