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Flood in Ravalli County, Montana
22 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.
Ravalli County, Montana, has 22 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 10 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.9% of the 1,175 flood events recorded in Montana; its 0.9 per 100 square miles compares with 0.8 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with Montana
| Measure | Ravalli County | Montana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 22 | 1,175 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.9 | 0.8 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.8 | 10.6 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 9 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | May | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
1Apr
0May
8Jun
1Jul
6Aug
1Sep
0Oct
0Nov
3Dec
0
Recorded events
All 22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2018 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2018 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | Flood | — | $30K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2014 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2014 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2014 | Flood | — | $16K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Feb 2014 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2014 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Nov 2006 | Flood | — | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Ravalli County had?
22 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 Ravalli County?
1 Jul 2021 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Ravalli County?
The flood of 7 Nov 2006, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $60K.
How does Ravalli County compare with Montana for flood?
0.9 events per 100 square miles against 0.8 statewide; the county holds 22 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.