Flathead County, Montana
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1955 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
4
Tornado reports
103
Hail reports
18
Floods since 1996
209
All events
1
Deaths
$11.8M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Flathead County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 4 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
There were multiple reports from Kalispell, MT of 1.75 to 2.5 hail which caused extensive body and windshield damage to vehicles. Additionally, multiple homes sustained damage, especially roofs that needed to be replaced. One homeowner spent $80,000 US dollars to replace their ro…
The Associated Press reported 7.0 million in damages. Glacier National Park received 9.1 of rainfall in 36 hours. An additional .5 to 1.0 million in damages occurred to the park's trails.
Flood Flood
Glacier National Park Dispatch reported several flooding impacts west of the Continental Divide. Sprague Creek reached its banks, and water from Logan Creek began coming onto the road. Claudes Creek, located west of Claudes Corner, flooded the roadway, and water levels were close…
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Multiple photos of oblong hail placed on top of a ruler were shared on Facebook. Another person who lives south of MT-83 reported that they lost their greenhouse and their patio furniture went flying across the patio.
Hail Hail
A person located one mile west of Kalispell posted a photo with multiple hailstones placed on a ruler. This thunderstorm quickly developed severe hail within 15 minutes of forming south of Kalispell.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Around 2,260 customers were without power as a line of thunderstorms tracked northwards from Spotted Bear Lookout north to Glacier National Park. Also to mention, there was a storm that brought a downed tree near State Park Road in Whitefish around 1739MST on May 29, and resulted…
Flood Flood
Widespread high water affected the Flathead River basin. Anticipating heavy rainfall, operators at the Hungry Horse Dam opened the spillway gates at 1137MST on May 28 to manage reservoir capacity, causing significant downstream rises. On Friday morning, May 28, the City of Columb…
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Flooding was reported on the Highline Trail. People needed to be rescued, but ongoing thunderstorms prevented helicopter operations.
Hail Hail
A trained spotter reported one inch diameter hail. A flight into Kalispell was diverted to Spokane due to the storm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Flathead Electric reported about 15,000 without power due to downed power lines and downed trees. There was a social media post reporting a 64 mph gust near Badrock.
Hail Hail
A trained spotter measured one inch hail near Columbia Falls.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 68 mph was recorded at the Glacier Park International Airport. The thunderstorm resulted in a couple hundred customers without power in West Glacier and near Coram, according to Flathead Electric COOP. Numerous reports of downed trees were also received.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Several areas of flooding and debris flows occurred, mainly on June 15. Trumbull Creek west of Columbia Falls, flooded a dozen homes near Highway 2 with water on to the highway. Flooding also occurred on North Hilltop Road along Garnier Creek and Blankenship Road near Columbia Fa…
Flood Flood
The Flathead River at Columbia Falls reached minor flood stage on June 12 as Flathead Lake reached full pool, and continued at minor flood stage until June 26. Impacts included groundwater flooding agricultural fields along the Steel Bridge Road. Also water flooded recreational v…
Debris Flow Debris Flow
Backpackers camping at the edge of Lake Ellen Wilson in Glacier National Park were awakened by torrential rainfall and the clapping of thunder around midnight. Bias-corrected radar data estimated over half an inch of rain fell in one hour through 1 am on the 11th. The rain contin…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm outflow winds caused a few downed trees and tree branches which resulted in several power outages around Flathead Lake northward to Whitefish. The main power outages were centered on Woods Bay, Echo Lake, and in the Whitefish area with around 1000 customers without p…
Hail Hail
A photo was received via social media of a hailstone that appeared a little larger than a golf ball in Kila. Damage to cars, trailer and roof in Kila was also reported. Half dollar hail was reported in Kalispell and just south of Whitefish.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Flood Flood
Overbank flooding was reported along much of the North Fork of the Flathead River, from the North Fork and Camas Road intersection, north to the Canadian border. While much of the adjacent areas are rural, flooding did occur on North Fork Road and other local roads around Polebri…
Widespread high winds were reported as a line of thunderstorms, in the form of a squall line, moved north-northeastward across the region. While wind gusts of 50 to 60 miles per hour were common, a person from the public in Kila reported a measured peak wind gust of 78 miles per …
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple thunderstorms collided together just south of Flathead Lake and produced a severe gust front that tracked north to the Flathead Valley. Multiple observers reported that the strong winds lasted for up to 15 minutes. Dozens of toppled trees, damaged power poles, transmissi…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple reports of tree damage and a localized power outage occurred southeast of Kalispell and Evergreen according to a call to the NWS office and via Twitter reports.
Hail Hail
The public sent a photo in to local media showing hails stones up to approximately 1.5 inches in diameter. Photos of hail damage to cars in the vicinity also came across social media feeds.
Hail Hail
A hotel employee reported lots of hail ranging from dime size to quarter size. The storm lasted about 10 minutes and was accompanied by gusty winds.
Hail Hail
A member of the public located 5 miles west-southwest of Lupfer reported ping pong size hail, which dented 3 vehicles and broke the windshield of 1 vehicle. There were also many plants defoliated by the hail.
Hail Hail
Larger than quarter sized hail was reported at residence north of MT-35 bridge over Flathead River. The hail punched larger than golf ball-sized holes in plastic chicken coop roofing, destroyed residence's surveillance camera, and dented their metal barn roof.
Hail Hail
The public reported quarter-sized hail from a thunderstorm west of Kalispell, MT.
Hail Hail
The public sent a photo showing multiple hailstones as large as quarters in Kalispell, MT.
Hail Hail
The public reported 1-inch hail via social media 3 miles south of Columbia Falls, MT.
Flood Flood
Between 4 to 6 inches of rain fell within 24 hours causing Spoon and Duck lakes to spill out onto Lake Drive and North Fork Road, and ending up near the Blankenship Road intersection as culverts were unable to handle the extra runoff. Rabe Road also experienced flooding from wate…
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
A rockslide was reported along US-2 just east of West Glacier, MT. The eastbound lane was blocked by softball-sized rocks. Road crews cleared debris and the road was usable again an hour later.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
The Glacier National Park RAWS reported 0.76 of rainfall in one hour. Other heavy rainfall reports include 0.78 40 min. ending 4:10 pm MDT 3 miles east of Creston and 0.65 in one hour via Hungry Horse RAWS at 6:11 pm MDT.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
A COOP observer reported a 4 day precipitation total of 4.25 during this event which was the highest manual observation. Other total amounts include: 4.20 Bigfork 3.2 miles east-northeast, 4.08 Columbia Falls 7.7 miles south, 3.52 Kalispell 1.7 miles northwest, 3.23 Olney, 3.22 R…
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
An official observer at the Glacier Park International Airport observed a funnel cloud approximately 8 miles to the northwest. They reported that it didn't seem to reach the ground and only lasted for a minute. Radar and lightning data confirmed that the funnel cloud was attached…
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A cold core upper level trough dropped out of British Columbia providing the necessary lift and instability to trigger showers across western Montana early on November 4th. The unstable atmosphere saw a 24 degree difference between Flathead Lake water temperatures(8.9 deg. C) and…
Hail Hail
The Kalispell International airport tower observer estimated half dollar sized hail. Out of at least 5 vehicles damaged, one cost $5,600 to repair.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
The Kalispell International Airport ASOS measured 0.38 of rain in 20 minutes with a west-southwest wind gust to 25 mph at 1:54 pm.
Hail Hail
A trained spotter northwest of Kila reported estimated penny sized hail and strong winds estimated at 50 mph that blew off patio furniture from their deck.
Hail Hail
A trained spotter northwest of Kalispell reported strong winds with penny size hail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The weather sensor at the Kalispell International airport reported a gust to 55 mph, and heavy rain with reduced visibilities as low as one mile for at least 19 minutes. It reported 0.27 of rainfall in 23 minutes from 4:32 to 4:55 pm MDT. As the gust front moved through the Kalis…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A trained spotter reported strong gusty winds that brought down power lines and trees of unknown size. They also reported pea size hail.
Hail Hail
A trained spotter reported nickel size hail southwest of Columbia Falls.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A Glacier National Park official reported several cars damaged from downed trees. They also reported that there were several areas with rocks on the road partially blocking lanes, but no major landslide activity. Approximately 22 miles to the northwest in Polebridge, the RAWS sen…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Daily Inter Lake newspaper reported that a tree had fallen on a home on Kokanee Bend two miles southwest of Columbia Falls. The law enforcement scanner traffic indicated that the tree had cut the home in half trapping the people inside. They were uninjured and were eventually…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
An 80-foot-tall pine tree fell over on 5th Ave West in Kalispell crushing a Corvette and damaging a truck, car and a boat.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A member of the public measured strong gusty winds that pushed over three large Ponderosa Pine trees and power outages. A tree fell onto a transmission line that impacted two power substations causing power outages for the Many Lakes and Echo Lake area.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Kalispell ASOS station measured a strong southerly wind gust to 55 mph. The Flathead Valley power companies reported that around 5,000 customers lost power from 8pm MDT through the early morning hours on August 26. Multiple trees fell on power lines causing the outages.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 5 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 |
| 2013 | 24 | 1 |
| 2012 | 9 | 0 |
| 2011 | 15 | 0 |
| 2010 | 5 | 0 |
| 2009 | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 | 4 | 1 |
| 2007 | 6 | 1 |
| 2006 | 17 | 0 |
| 2005 | 2 | 0 |
| 2004 | 7 | 0 |
| 2003 | 3 | 0 |
| 2002 | 4 | 0 |
| 2000 | 4 | 1 |
| 1999 | 3 | 0 |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 | 5 | 0 |
| 1996 | 5 | 0 |
| 1995 | 8 | 0 |
| 1994 | 4 | 0 |
| 1993 | 3 | 0 |
| 1990 | 5 | 0 |
| 1989 | 8 | 0 |
| 1988 | 3 | 0 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 3 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 | 3 | 0 |
| 1972 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 |
| 1966 | 2 | 0 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Flathead County, measured to its path.
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