Enter any address in Flathead County, Montana to see its FEMA flood zone
River flooding from heavy precipitation events is the dominant flood character in Flathead County. For example, between June 11 and June 16, 2022, rainfall of 2 to 6 inches in lower elevations and up to 10 inches in mountain locations led to areal and river flooding, with the Flathead River experiencing flooding well into late June. Earlier, on May 31, 2020, thunderstorms combined with snowmelt produced near historical high discharge and river levels.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone X_SHADED have experienced the deepest average water depths at 7.2 feet, followed by Zone D at 6.8 feet. Properties in Zone A and Zone X_UNSHADED have also seen significant water depths, averaging 3.5 feet and 2.9 feet respectively. Homeowners in areas designated as Zone X_SHADED, Zone D, Zone A, and Zone X_UNSHADED should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
10 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Flathead County, Montana has recorded 39 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 5 flash floods and 34 river or area floods. The county has received 14 federal disaster declarations, 3 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1974–2022)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storm And Flooding | Flood | Jun 10, 2022 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 4, 2011 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Flathead Fire Zone-8/20/03 | Fire | Aug 21, 2003 |
| Robert Fire-07-23-03 | Fire | Jul 23, 2003 |
| Wedge Canyon Fire-07/18/2003 | Fire | Jul 21, 2003 |
| Mt - Northwestern Zone 1 Fire Complex | Fire | Aug 14, 2000 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Jul 13, 2000 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 15, 2022 | 500.00K |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 31, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 22, 2016 | 35.00K |
| Flood | May 14, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 13, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 11, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2009 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 16, 2006 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 15, 2006 | — |
Flash Flood — Jun 15, 2022
Periods of convective and upslope precipitation brought areal and river flooding June 11 through June 16. Rainfall of 2 to 6 inches was common for the lower elevations of Northwest Montana between June 11 and June 15. Mountain locations received up to 10 inches of moisture over the same period. River flooding continued well into late June for the Flathead River.
Flood — Jun 12, 2022
Periods of convective and upslope precipitation brought areal and river flooding June 11 through June 16. Rainfall of 2 to 6 inches was common for the lower elevations of Northwest Montana between June 11 and June 15. Mountain locations received up to 10 inches of moisture over the same period. River flooding continued well into late June for the Flathead River.
Flood — May 31, 2020
Thunderstorms passed through the area early Sunday, bringing a half inch to one inch of rain, which combined with ongoing snow melt to produce a near historical high discharge and river level.
Flood — May 22, 2016
A slow moving closed low pressure system tracked from Oregon north and east across northwest Montana into southern Alberta from May 21st to May 22nd. This system most likely tapped into Gulf of Mexico moisture that had been pooling up over the High Plains and dropped 4 to 6 inches of rainfall to the mountains near Columbia Falls and Glacier National Park. This heavy rainfall caused area lakes a...
Flood — May 14, 2013
Snow-melt caused by unseasonably warm temperatures reaching the middle 80s allowed for northwest Montana rivers to rise to minor flood stages.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Flathead County, Montana:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Flathead County, Montana that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.