Lightning Risk in Montana
All Montana counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index lightning score
Lightning risk — electrical discharges from storms that ignite fires and cause casualties — is rated for 56 of 56 Montana counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Gallatin County carries the state's highest lightning score at 92.7, with $2M in expected annual lightning losses.
3 Montana counties are rated High or Very High for lightning, and expected annual losses from lightning total roughly $15M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Lightning
| # | County | Lightning Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gallatin County | High | 37.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 2 | Yellowstone County | High | 31.99 / yr | $1M | |
| 3 | Big Horn County | High | 32.42 / yr | $493K | |
| 4 | Blaine County | Medium | 24.25 / yr | $429K | |
| 5 | Carbon County | Medium | 34.91 / yr | $490K | |
| 6 | Custer County | Medium | 31.02 / yr | $493K | |
| 7 | Dawson County | Medium | 28.17 / yr | $541K | |
| 8 | Musselshell County | Medium | 30.79 / yr | $426K | |
| 9 | Broadwater County | Medium | 33.11 / yr | $491K | |
| 10 | Cascade County | Medium | 25.09 / yr | $604K | |
| 11 | Petroleum County | Medium | 28.75 / yr | $538K | |
| 12 | Fergus County | Medium | 29.16 / yr | $461K | |
| 13 | Lewis and Clark County | Medium | 24.56 / yr | $504K | |
| 14 | Ravalli County | Medium | 26.85 / yr | $394K | |
| 15 | Phillips County | Medium | 25.61 / yr | $282K | |
| 16 | Missoula County | Medium | 21.74 / yr | $605K | |
| 17 | Beaverhead County | Medium | 34.80 / yr | $288K | |
| 18 | Silver Bow County | Medium | 34.75 / yr | $437K | |
| 19 | Hill County | Medium | 21.68 / yr | $284K | |
| 20 | Park County | Medium | 38.81 / yr | $364K | |
| 21 | Jefferson County | Medium | 34.48 / yr | $358K | |
| 22 | Flathead County | Medium | 20.85 / yr | $392K | |
| 23 | Rosebud County | Low | 30.29 / yr | $150K | |
| 24 | Glacier County | Low | 18.28 / yr | $149K | |
| 25 | Wheatland County | Low | 34.83 / yr | $155K | |
| 26 | Chouteau County | Low | 23.98 / yr | $151K | |
| 27 | Deer Lodge County | Low | 32.49 / yr | $151K | |
| 28 | Stillwater County | Low | 35.26 / yr | $226K | |
| 29 | Golden Valley County | Low | 33.48 / yr | $142K | |
| 30 | Richland County | Low | 27.26 / yr | $199K | |
| 31 | Lake County | Low | 20.53 / yr | $125K | |
| 32 | Madison County | Low | 37.66 / yr | $164K | |
| 33 | Garfield County | Low | 27.49 / yr | $158K | |
| 34 | Judith Basin County | Low | 30.81 / yr | $136K | |
| 35 | Lincoln County | Low | 19.97 / yr | $68K | |
| 36 | Roosevelt County | Low | 26.11 / yr | $48K | |
| 37 | Meagher County | Very Low | 33.14 / yr | $61K | |
| 38 | Sanders County | Very Low | 17.80 / yr | $38K | |
| 39 | Sweet Grass County | Very Low | 36.08 / yr | $88K | |
| 40 | Pondera County | Very Low | 18.56 / yr | $36K | |
| 41 | Valley County | Very Low | 25.78 / yr | $52K | |
| 42 | Powell County | Very Low | 25.47 / yr | $42K | |
| 43 | Toole County | Very Low | 19.57 / yr | $26K | |
| 44 | Sheridan County | Very Low | 25.43 / yr | $24K | |
| 45 | Fallon County | Very Low | 32.11 / yr | $38K | |
| 46 | Granite County | Very Low | 27.85 / yr | $24K | |
| 47 | Prairie County | Very Low | 29.24 / yr | $19K | |
| 48 | Teton County | Very Low | 20.13 / yr | $28K | |
| 49 | Mineral County | Very Low | 18.10 / yr | $15K | |
| 50 | McCone County | Very Low | 26.71 / yr | $20K | |
| 51 | Treasure County | Very Low | 29.49 / yr | $21K | |
| 52 | Powder River County | Very Low | 34.08 / yr | $17K | |
| 53 | Liberty County | Very Low | 20.80 / yr | $11K | |
| 54 | Wibaux County | Very Low | 30.04 / yr | $16K | |
| 55 | Carter County | Very Low | 34.68 / yr | $12K | |
| 56 | Daniels County | Very Low | 25.53 / yr | $10K |
56 Montana counties with measurable lightning risk. See the national lightning ranking or all Montana counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Montana county has the highest lightning risk?
Gallatin County has the highest FEMA lightning risk score in Montana at 92.7 (High), with $2M in expected annual losses and about 37.00 events per year.
How many Montana counties face significant lightning risk?
56 Montana counties record measurable lightning risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 3 of them are rated High or Very High.