1 flood insurance claims·$0 paid
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Fallon County, Montana. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates the flood profile of Fallon County, Montana. Over a 30-year period, NOAA records show 14 flash flood events compared to only 2 general flood events.
These severe weather episodes are driven by moist easterly flow, unstable atmospheres, and strong jet streams producing heavy rainfall. A notable event occurred in June 2014 when severe thunderstorms produced very large hail and damaging winds across the region. Another significant episode took place in July 2022, when an unstable southwest flow aloft combined with heavy rain-producing thunderstorms across the forecast area.
Regarding the National Flood Insurance Program, FEMA records show one claim submitted in an unknown zone, which resulted in an average payout of zero dollars and an average recorded water depth of zero inches. Given this mix of convective storm hazards and limited historical flood claim data, residents throughout the area—particularly those located in low-lying zones prone to intense seasonal downpours and flash flooding—should pay the closest attention to local weather alerts and changing conditions.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
1 NOAA storm reports from Fallon County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Montana flood stories →
8 federal disaster declarations since 2000.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Tornado | Jun 11, 2016 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Apr 4, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | May 1, 2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Oct 31, 2000 |
| Wildfires | Jul 13, 2000 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
16 since 1996: 14 flash floods and 2 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 3, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 17, 2014 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 22, 2013 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 18, 2013 | — |
| Flood | May 20, 2011 | $375,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 16, 2010 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 15, 2009 | — |
| Flood | Jun 26, 2005 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jul 3, 2022. An unstable southwest flow aloft, combined with a strong jet stream aloft and a moist low-level easterly flow, resulted in numerous severe thunderstorms across the Billings Forecast Area. These thunderstorms contained large hail and very heavy rain.
Flash Flood · Jun 17, 2014. Severe thunderstorms producing very large hail and damaging winds moved across portions of Southeast Montana.
Flash Flood · Jun 22, 2013. A moist, easterly flow and unstable atmosphere resulted in the development of heavy thunderstorms across portions of the Billings Forecast Area. The heaviest thunderstorms occurred just south of Billings, as well as across the Montana/North Dakota border.
Flash Flood · May 18, 2013. Several slow moving thunderstorms producing hail and very heavy rain in a short period of time moved across portions of Custer and Fallon Counties.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Fallon County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.