Powell County, MT Environment & Hazard Risk

• LandslideRelatively Moderate$60.8K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.6 events a year
• WildfireRelatively Low$684K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 233 years
• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$140K/yr expected annual loss, about 46 events a year
• AvalancheVery Low$1,921/yr expected annual loss, about once every 15 years
• EarthquakeVery Low$376K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 90 years
• Cold waveRelatively Low$1.1M/yr expected annual loss, about 4.4 events a year
• DroughtVery Low$5,237/yr expected annual loss, about 75 events a year
• LightningVery Low$42.5K/yr expected annual loss, about 25 events a year
• Ice stormVery Low$6,236/yr expected annual loss, about once every 67 years
• HailVery Low$28.8K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• Heat waveVery Low$6,211/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• Strong windVery Low$31K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• TornadoVery Low$3,118/yr expected annual loss, about once every 21 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

19 of 4,344 (0.4%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

0

Flood claims since 1978

18

Claims paid since 1978

$120K

• Heavy Snow240
• Winter Storm143 · 2 deaths
• Winter Weather115 · 12 deaths
• High Wind57
• Hail51
• Extreme Cold/Wind Chill31
• Thunderstorm Wind21 · 1 death
• Strong Wind18
• Flood17
• Cold/Wind Chill15

• Winter Weather02/15/2026

  Potomac / Seeley Lake Region

  3 deaths, 3 injured

  What happened

  On the morning of February 15, 2026, a head-on collision involving two SUVs occurred on Highway 200 just west of Bear Creek. The accident resulted in three injuries requiring hospitalization and a two-hour closure of the highway. Precipitation totals in the vicinity of the accident ranged from 0.10 to 0.22 inches.

• Winter Weather12/23/2025

  Butte / Blackfoot Region

  3 deaths, $8,000 damage

  What happened

  Along Interstate 90 between Drummond and Garrison Junction, freezing rain contributed to at least 6 accidents. At 1125MST a small car lost control, slid into the eastbound lane and crashed into a tractor trailer. All three people in the car were declared dead(indirect) on the scene. The road conditions were described as wet and icy.

• Winter Weather02/07/2025

  Potomac / Seeley Lake Region

  2 deaths, 2 injured

  What happened

  At least two crashes involving injuries were reported by the Montana Department of Justice crash webpage: one near Clinton and another near Seeley Lake. Snowfall was light, with only 1 to 2 inches reported by observers, but breezy north to east winds between 10 and 20 mph caused blowing snow and reduced visibility, making the morning commute slower than usual.

• Winter Weather10/03/2013

  Butte / Blackfoot Region

  2 deaths

  What happened

  The ASOS weather sensor at the Bert Mooney Airport (5,545 ft.), located 6 miles south-southeast of Butte, Montana reported rain that changed to snow during the early morning hours of Oct. 3rd. It reported moderate snow from 9 am to 12 pm MDT on the 3rd with winds gusting out of the northerly direction between 17 and 31 mph. One to two inches of total snow fell at the airport and in the city of Butte. The Montana DOT reported snow and slush at Homestake Pass on I-90. A 60-year-old woman and her 37-year-old-son from Washington State were killed in a roll-over accident on I-90 west of Butte (west of the Ramsay exit) at 6:45 am MDT on Friday Oct. 4th. A Montana Highway Patrol trooper reported the driver was going too fast for the slick road conditions.

• Avalanche01/01/2020

  Potomac / Seeley Lake Region

  2 deaths

  What happened

  Three snowmobilers were involved in an avalanche approximately 1 mile northwest of Lake Dinah, or about 12 miles northwest of Seeley Lake. The riders were caught and carried a short distance; two were fully buried, and one extricated himself after being separated from his snowmobile. The dimensions of the avalanche were 560 feet long, 100 feet wide, and an average of 6 feet deep. The two riders who were fully buried could not be saved, thus two fatalities occurred as a result of the avalanche.

• Dust Storm09/10/2000

  Blackfoot Region

  1 death, 8 injured

  What happened

  Wind gusts between 40 to 50 mph blew over a newly plowed farm field, which reduced visibility to near zero from dust on highway 200 near Greenough. A multiple car accident occurred in the dust storm with eight people injured. One women died along the highway as she got out of her vehicle and was struck by a passing vehicle.

• Deer Lodge City ofServes 2,900 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Montana State PrisonServes 2,100 · Groundwater · StateNo health violations+99 monitoring or reporting