Natural hazards · Missoula

Missoula, MT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Missoula comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 19 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Missoula?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Missoula to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding31%Cold waves26%Earthquakes25%Avalanches10%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Missoula faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Avalanches

10% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 0% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 50 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Missoula flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Missoula, from FEMA’s records.

19paid claims since 1978

$55Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Missoula is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Missoula County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Missoula

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Missoula itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Missoula.

Brought FEMA money into MissoulaDeclared for Missoula County only

2024

Straight-Line Winds

$2.0M to the City of Missoula for repairs

2018

Flooding

$32K to the City of Missoula for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

79 households applied for aid $109K aid approved

2001

Severe Winter Storms

$369K to the City of Missoula for repairs

Missoula County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and severe storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Missoula covers 15 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Missoula’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Missoula. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Missoula total about $28.8M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.