Flathead County, MT Environment & Hazard Risk

• AvalancheVery High$8.6M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• LandslideRelatively Moderate$417K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.2 events a year
• EarthquakeRelatively Moderate$21.2M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 33 years
• WildfireRelatively Moderate$4.8M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 301 years
• Cold waveRelatively High$14.3M/yr expected annual loss, about 4.2 events a year
• Winter weatherRelatively High$725K/yr expected annual loss, about 50 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively Moderate$264K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 67 years
• LightningRelatively Moderate$392K/yr expected annual loss, about 21 events a year
• Heat waveRelatively Low$632K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.3 events a year
• DroughtVery Low$13.7K/yr expected annual loss, about 36 events a year
• HailVery Low$96.4K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• Strong windVery Low$146K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 6 years
• TornadoVery Low$19.4K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 14 years

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: coastal flooding, hurricane, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

372 of 47,293 (0.8%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

1,700

Insured in high-risk zones

228 (13%)

Flood claims since 1978

132

Claims paid since 1978

$690K

• Heavy Snow364 · 1 death
• Winter Storm244 · 6 deaths
• Winter Weather174 · 10 deaths
• High Wind107 · 1 death
• Hail74
• Strong Wind51 · 2 deaths
• Thunderstorm Wind40 · 1 death
• Flood36 · 3 deaths
• Extreme Cold/Wind Chill33
• Cold/Wind Chill26

• Winter Storm02/14/2025

  Flathead/Mission Valleys

  4 deaths, 4 injured

  What happened

  Multiple social media reports indicated that roads became very slick during the evening of the 14th. One individual noted that while at the ER, three or four separate people were being treated for serious injuries from vehicle accidents that evening. Another person stated, 'Highway 2 between Evergreen and Columbia Falls is pure ice.' Light snow, combined with northerly winds gusting up to 24 mph at times between the GPI Airport and Columbia Falls, contributed to deteriorating conditions. Snowfall totals included 4 to 5 inches in the Kalispell area and Mission Valley, 9.5 inches at Creston, and 6 inches near Bigfork.

• Flood06/04/1996

  West Glacier Region

  3 deaths

  What happened

  Major damage from flooding occurred mainly in Ravalli County were numerous roads were flooded and washed out. The worst road damage occurred on the Skalkaho Highway between the Bitterroot Valley and the Philipsburg/Anaconda area were water was diverted into the road in several places. Flooding on the Bitterroot River caused the Victor Crossing Bridge in Ravalli County to move six inches down stream and drop 23 inches. Estimated repair to fix the bridge is one million dollars. Flooding on the Bitterroot also caused erosion east of Victor, exposing a high pressure gas line crossing the river to Victor.$10,000 damage also occurred to septic tanks in the Warm Springs area of Deer Lodge County were 40 to 50 homes were threatened along Warm Spings Creek.Seven damaged areas in the Fisher drainage near Libby Creek in Lincoln County is expected to cost $500,000 to repair. Flooding in Libby Creek had washed out a bridge leading into Howard Lake. Libby Creek road had a 400-foot long piece of pavement and road base washed out, six feet wide.In Flathead County, the East Side Road to Hungry Horse Reservoir has been closed due to a massive road slump due to flooding. Felix Creek also caused...

• Winter Weather11/07/2022

  Kootenai/Cabinet Region

  2 deaths, 1 injured

  What happened

  Snow showers brought several inches of snow to the region, including 3.1 inches in Kila and 2.1 inches in Marion. The slick roads contributed to two fatalities on US-2 west of Libby at 1423MST in the afternoon.

• Avalanche01/13/2008

  West Glacier Region

  2 deaths, 1 injured

  What happened

  Flathead County Search and Rescue personnel reported a large avalanche on the back side of Big Mountain Ski Resort. Two skiers were killed and one was injured. The avalanche was initiated by another skier who was skiing out of bounds in an area closed to skiing.

• Strong Wind26 kt wind04/14/2022

  West Glacier Region

  2 deaths

  What happened

  Two teenager kayakers drowned on Swan Lake following the development of strong offshore winds.

• Avalanche01/14/2006

  West Glacier Region

  2 deaths

  What happened

  Three snowmobilers were caught in a massive avalanche at Red Meadow Lake near Olney. One person survived, while two others perished. One of the fatalities was the result of injuries sustained in the incident. The other was caused by suffocation, a result of being buried.

• Kalispell Public WorksServes 25,000 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Whitefish City ofServes 10,418 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Flathead County Water and SewerServes 9,520 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Bigfork County Water and SewerServes 6,100 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Columbia Falls City ofServes 4,450 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+23 monitoring or reporting
• Big Mountain Water CompanyServes 2,435 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations+23 monitoring or reporting
• Lakeside Water SystemServes 1,225 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Hungry Horse Co Water and Sewer DistrictServes 1,135 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+4 monitoring or reporting