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Flood in Phillips County, Montana
51 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Phillips County, Montana, has 51 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 17 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 41 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 4.3% of the 1,175 flood events recorded in Montana; its 1.0 per 100 square miles compares with 0.8 statewide.
Compared with Montana
| Measure | Phillips County | Montana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 51 | 1,175 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.0 | 0.8 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 121.7 | 10.6 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 9 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | April | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
6Apr
12May
8Jun
11Jul
6Aug
3Sep
0Oct
4Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 51 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 1999 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 1999 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Phillips County had?
51 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Phillips County?
12 Apr 2023 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Phillips County?
The flash flood of 3 Jul 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $5K and crop damage at $10K.
How does Phillips County compare with Montana for flood?
1.0 events per 100 square miles against 0.8 statewide; the county holds 51 of the state's 1,175 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Flood hub and the county page.