Natural hazards · Red Lodge

Red Lodge, MT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Red Lodge comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 2011. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Red Lodge?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Red Lodge to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Wildfire10%Cold waves7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Red Lodge faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Wildfire

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Red Lodge flood?

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

8paid claims since 2011

$1.0Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20112026

Biggest named events

Yellowstone Flooding: 7 claims, $1.0M

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Red Lodge isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Carbon County.

Disasters that hit Red Lodge

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Red LodgeDeclared for Carbon County only

2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

148 households applied for aid $954K aid approved $2.4M to the City of Red Lodge for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

15 households applied for aid $23K aid approved

Carbon County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods 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. Red Lodge covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Red Lodge’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Red Lodge. 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 Red Lodge total about $3.2M 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.