Cold Wave Risk in Montana
All Montana counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index cold wave score
Cold Wave risk — prolonged spells of dangerously low temperatures — is rated for 56 of 56 Montana counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Cascade County carries the state's highest cold wave score at 98.0, with $23M in expected annual cold wave losses.
13 Montana counties are rated High or Very High for cold wave, and expected annual losses from cold wave total roughly $244M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Cold Wave
| # | County | Cold Wave Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cascade County | High | 8.10 / yr | $23M | |
| 2 | Dawson County | High | 13.79 / yr | $16M | |
| 3 | Yellowstone County | High | 3.55 / yr | $19M | |
| 4 | Richland County | High | 15.21 / yr | $17M | |
| 5 | Flathead County | High | 4.19 / yr | $14M | |
| 6 | Roosevelt County | High | 18.76 / yr | $6M | |
| 7 | Lewis and Clark County | High | 6.33 / yr | $13M | |
| 8 | Hill County | High | 11.55 / yr | $8M | |
| 9 | Gallatin County | High | 3.57 / yr | $14M | |
| 10 | Missoula County | High | 3.44 / yr | $14M | |
| 11 | Fergus County | High | 8.81 / yr | $8M | |
| 12 | Glacier County | High | 8.99 / yr | $5M | |
| 13 | Blaine County | High | 11.37 / yr | $4M | |
| 14 | Ravalli County | Medium | 2.18 / yr | $6M | |
| 15 | Custer County | Medium | 6.32 / yr | $4M | |
| 16 | Phillips County | Medium | 14.32 / yr | $4M | |
| 17 | Lake County | Medium | 4.49 / yr | $5M | |
| 18 | Valley County | Medium | 19.30 / yr | $5M | |
| 19 | Wibaux County | Medium | 13.26 / yr | $6M | |
| 20 | Silver Bow County | Medium | 4.31 / yr | $5M | |
| 21 | Chouteau County | Medium | 9.12 / yr | $3M | |
| 22 | Pondera County | Medium | 8.97 / yr | $3M | |
| 23 | Sheridan County | Medium | 20.95 / yr | $3M | |
| 24 | Rosebud County | Medium | 5.05 / yr | $2M | |
| 25 | Big Horn County | Medium | 3.15 / yr | $2M | |
| 26 | Toole County | Medium | 10.51 / yr | $2M | |
| 27 | Lincoln County | Medium | 2.50 / yr | $2M | |
| 28 | Beaverhead County | Medium | 3.48 / yr | $2M | |
| 29 | Park County | Medium | 1.26 / yr | $2M | |
| 30 | Teton County | Medium | 8.06 / yr | $2M | |
| 31 | Fallon County | Medium | 8.16 / yr | $3M | |
| 32 | Sanders County | Medium | 2.50 / yr | $1M | |
| 33 | Musselshell County | Medium | 3.95 / yr | $1M | |
| 34 | Liberty County | Low | 10.32 / yr | $1M | |
| 35 | Prairie County | Low | 11.95 / yr | $1M | |
| 36 | Carbon County | Low | 2.35 / yr | $1M | |
| 37 | McCone County | Low | 13.68 / yr | $2M | |
| 38 | Jefferson County | Low | 4.21 / yr | $2M | |
| 39 | Deer Lodge County | Low | 4.31 / yr | $1M | |
| 40 | Powell County | Low | 4.40 / yr | $1M | |
| 41 | Judith Basin County | Low | 8.30 / yr | $1M | |
| 42 | Broadwater County | Low | 4.00 / yr | $990K | |
| 43 | Daniels County | Low | 21.06 / yr | $1M | |
| 44 | Madison County | Low | 3.61 / yr | $1M | |
| 45 | Garfield County | Low | 11.47 / yr | $886K | |
| 46 | Stillwater County | Low | 2.72 / yr | $1M | |
| 47 | Carter County | Low | 7.42 / yr | $852K | |
| 48 | Wheatland County | Low | 4.11 / yr | $485K | |
| 49 | Meagher County | Low | 5.42 / yr | $521K | |
| 50 | Granite County | Low | 2.94 / yr | $470K | |
| 51 | Petroleum County | Low | 7.69 / yr | $505K | |
| 52 | Powder River County | Low | 5.16 / yr | $559K | |
| 53 | Sweet Grass County | Low | 2.41 / yr | $578K | |
| 54 | Mineral County | Low | 2.05 / yr | $299K | |
| 55 | Golden Valley County | Very Low | 4.02 / yr | $220K | |
| 56 | Treasure County | Very Low | 3.85 / yr | $254K |
56 Montana counties with measurable cold wave risk. See the national cold wave ranking or all Montana counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Montana county has the highest cold wave risk?
Cascade County has the highest FEMA cold wave risk score in Montana at 98.0 (High), with $23M in expected annual losses and about 8.10 events per year.
How many Montana counties face significant cold wave risk?
56 Montana counties record measurable cold wave risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 13 of them are rated High or Very High.