Tornadoes in Montana
The Storm Prediction Center records 447 tornadoes that touched Montana between 1952 and 2024, and 444 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 4 people and injured 32. The busiest month is June, with 168 tornadoes.
- 447tornadoes
- 4deaths
- 32injuries
- 31per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 51counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Montana's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 288 | 64% |
| F1 / EF1 | 96 | 21% |
| F2 / EF2 | 45 | 10% |
| F3 / EF3 | 11 | 2% |
| F4 / EF4 | 1 | <1% |
| F5 / EF5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown rating | 6 | 1% |
Montana tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2024, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1952.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 22 |
| 1960s | 38 |
| 1970s | 51 |
| 1980s | 55 |
| 1990s | 138 |
| 2000s | 65 |
| 2010s | 61 |
| 2020s | 17 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Montana was 1991, with 30.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 2 |
| Apr | 6 |
| May | 48 |
| Jun | 168 |
| Jul | 150 |
| Aug | 64 |
| Sep | 7 |
| Oct | 1 |
| Nov | 1 |
| Dec | 0 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Montana
- Flaxville, Montana tornado26 July 2010, EF3, 2 deaths, 1 injury, 18 miles long
- Wibaux, Montana tornado19 July 1952, F3, 1 death, 2 injuries, 16.4 miles long
- Montana tornado9 July 1983, F1, 1 death, 1 injury, 1 mile long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Montana
- Glendive, Montana tornado29 June 1961, F4, 1 injury, 15.9 miles long
- Flaxville, Montana tornado26 July 2010, EF3, 2 deaths, 1 injury, 18 miles long
- Wibaux, Montana tornado19 July 1952, F3, 1 death, 2 injuries, 16.4 miles long
- Montana tornado19 July 1952, F3, 55.5 miles long
- Montana tornado16 June 1965, F3, 20.6 miles long
- Montana tornado5 July 1988, F3, 12 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Montana
- Montana tornado12 July 2024, EF0, 3 miles long
- Montana tornado12 July 2024, EF0, 2 miles long
- Montana tornado12 July 2024, EF0, 1 mile long
- Montana tornado16 May 2024, Unknown rating, 0.5 miles long
- Montana tornado6 August 2023, Unknown rating, 3.7 miles long
Notable Montana tornadoes with their own pages
- Flaxville, Montana tornado26 July 2010, EF3, 2 deaths, 1 injury, 18 miles long
- Wibaux, Montana tornado19 July 1952, F3, 1 death, 2 injuries, 16.4 miles long
- Glendive, Montana tornado29 June 1961, F4, 1 injury, 15.9 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Montana counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 43 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.