Golden Valley County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Golden Valley County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Golden Valley County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, lightning, and drought, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 58% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (15th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Golden Valley County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1977, covering 7 disaster types including flood (3), biological (2), straight-line winds (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2024 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Ice Jams And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 57.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 5.6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 11.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 13.8 | 24 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 1.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 21.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 1.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 20.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 38.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 22.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 16.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 13.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Golden Valley County ranks in the 15th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 15th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 29th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 9th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 42nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 13th | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 61st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 66th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 75.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 27 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 8 in 2021–25 (-58% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Golden Valley County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Golden Valley County, Montana are wildfire, lightning, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Golden Valley County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Golden Valley County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Golden Valley County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Golden Valley County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2026), Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Golden Valley County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Yellowstone County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Wheatland County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Golden Valley County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Golden Valley County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Golden Valley County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Golden Valley County's composite score of 1 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 1% of US counties.