Treasure County

Population 728 (2025) 978 sq mi

Large wildfires have burned 47,115 acres of Treasure County since 1984, 39th most of 56 counties in Montana; the largest was the Busman Road Fire in 2022.

Hazard fingerprint for Treasure County Tornado: 8th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 70th percentile. Flood: 9th percentile. Hail & wind: 14th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 3th percentile. Winter: 41th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths since 19503
  • Wildfire burn scars since 198412

At a glance

The record for Treasure County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.

Acres burned since 1984

47,115

39th of 56 in Montana

12 large fires; the largest was Busman Road, 2022

Details

Tornadoes since 1950

3

35th of 56 in Montana

Fewer than the typical Montana county, which has had 6

Details

Strongest tornado

F1

July 6, 1955, 2.0 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

11

Most recent: Flooding, 2023

Details

Record high

111°F

July 28, 1947

Details

Record low

−48°F

January 20, 1954

Details

Snowiest season

77.0in

Winter of 1995-96

Costliest event since 1996

$200K

Tornado, August 23, 1998

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 25 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

July 6, 1955

F1, 2.0 mile path

73 yards wide.

Most recent

Sunday, August 23, 1998

F0, 7.0 mile path

28 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade Doppler radar era² 1950s: 1 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 2 2 2000s: 0 2010s: 0 2020s: 0 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 0 A: 0 M: 0 J: 0 J: 1 A: 2 2 S: 0 O: 0 N: 0 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes in Treasure County since 1950
Aug 23, 1998F07.05000
Aug 23, 1998F07.05000
Jul 6, 1955F12.07300
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Treasure County: 0.
  2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.

Wildfire and smoke

47,115 acres burned in 12 large fires since 1984, equal to 7.5% of the land.

Largest

August 4, 2022

Busman Road Fire, 12,584 acres

12,583 acres inside Treasure County.

Most recent

August 4, 2022

Busman Road Fire

12,584 acres in total.

Acres burned since 1984, cumulative 1994: 3,8742000: 1,2762003: 10,3142006: 4,6892012: 7,6132015: 4832020: 6,2832022: 12,583 47,115 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned inside the county (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Busman Road202212,58312,584
Gass Flats20206,02810,717
Horse Creek 220202541,591
North Fork20154821,280
Horse Creek20127,6127,637
Hutchinson Coulee20061,4381,437
Rosebud Co Assist 120063,2513,251
Stark20031,1161,116
Earl20031,5081,506
Jonny20037,6897,701
Stove20001,2761,276
Grierson19943,8747,986
  1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2021: 66 days

Heavy smoke on 42 days in 2021, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

30.7 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

23 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 38 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 6 2012: 25 2013: 16 2014: 13 2015: 25 2016: 9 2017: 28 2018: 28 2019: 7 2020: 24 2021: 66 66 2022: 28 2023: 45 2024: 49 2025: 23 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the county’s population centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Floods and flood insurance

No federal flood insurance claims are recorded for this county.

Flood events since 1996

  • Flood8
  • Flash Flood3
  • Heavy Rain2

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 98 of 1,581 months since 1895 (6%); the longest spell lasted 14 months.

98

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

44

Months in extreme drought

6%

Share of all months, severe or worse

1

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

August 1961

−6.41, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

14 months

July 1960 to August 1961.

Latest month

September 2026

+2.12, moderately wet

Last severe month: July 2021.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 2 1901: 6 1902: 2 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 4 1920: 0 1921: 3 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 0 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 4 1931: 8 8 1932: 2 1933: 0 1934: 6 1935: 0 1936: 7 1937: 6 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 6 1953: 1 1954: 0 1955: 0 1956: 0 1957: 0 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 6 1961: 8 1962: 0 1963: 0 1964: 0 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 4 1981: 1 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 1 1985: 1 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 3 1989: 0 1990: 3 1991: 3 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 7 2013: 3 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 1 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Earthquakes

9 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1987; none reached magnitude 4.

0

Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973

4

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

0

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

October 5, 1987

Magnitude 3.7

18 km ENE of Hardin, Montana; 13.0 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

July 6, 2021

Magnitude 3.6

27 km SSE of Melstone, Montana; 3.9 miles away.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles, by year 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 1 1 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 1 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 1 2021: 1 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023
Per year, 1973 to 2025.
  1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
  2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Severe weather and other events

232 events in the National Weather Service record, 217 of them since 1996.

59

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

10

Hail, 2 inches or larger

47

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

56

Winter weather events since 1996

0

Heat events since 1996

1

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

June 28, 2001

2.75 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

May 21, 2006

81 mph

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Aug 23, 1998Tornado$200,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Two small tornadoes in Treasure County knocked down several trees, antennas and power poles. One power pole which contained a transformer started some fires after it fell. The tornadoes also damaged some houses and sheds.

  2. Aug 23, 1998Tornado$100,000
  1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

Weather records

From Hysham, 3 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1945.

All-time high
111°FJul 28, 1947
All-time low
−48°FJan 20, 1954
Warmest night
75°FJul 4, 2017
Coldest day
−20°F3 times, most recently Dec 22, 1989
Wettest day
3.20 inMay 30, 2013
Snowiest day
14.5 inOct 20, 1949
Hottest year
2007mean 51.0°F
Coldest year
1950mean 42.9°F
Wettest year
199321.61 in
Driest year
19524.77 in
Snowiest season
77.0 in1995-96
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Hysham 32°F 35° 14° 0.5 Jan 38° 15° 0.6 Feb 50° 24° 0.8 Mar 60° 33° 1.7 Apr 70° 43° 2.7 May 79° 52° 2.2 Jun 89° 59° 1.2 Jul 87° 56° 1.2 Aug 77° 47° 1.3 Sep 61° 35° 1.4 Oct 48° 24° 0.5 Nov 36° 15° 0.6 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Days reaching 95°F per year 1976: 11 1977: 12 1978: 12 1980: 16 1981: 23 1982: 8 1983: 33 33 1984: 32 1985: 20 1986: 14 1989: 13 1990: 10 1991: 9 1992: 3 1993: 0 1994: 7 1995: 5 1996: 13 1997: 3 1998: 14 1999: 12 2000: 20 2001: 10 2002: 15 2003: 22 2004: 5 2005: 16 2006: 19 2007: 18 2008: 8 2011: 6 2012: 25 2013: 1 2014: 2 2015: 9 2016: 7 2017: 16 2018: 5 2019: 7 2020: 14 2021: 30 2022: 27 2023: 13 2024: 10 2025: 8 19761989199920112021
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 12.7.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 33.0 in 1977: 62.0 in 1982: 25.5 in 1984: 47.0 in 1987: 9.3 in 1989: 35.1 in 1990: 19.0 in 1991: 16.5 in 1992: 42.5 in 1993: 71.8 in 1994: 40.0 in 1995: 77.0 in 77.0 1996: 53.0 in 1997: 20.1 in 1998: 32.0 in 1999: 25.0 in 2000: 29.6 in 2001: 32.0 in 2002: 44.2 in 2003: 29.1 in 2004: 28.0 in 2005: 27.5 in 2006: 34.4 in 2007: 23.2 in 2008: 47.5 in 2009: 20.5 in 2011: 25.5 in 2012: 21.5 in 2013: 51.5 in 2014: 29.7 in 2015: 22.5 in 2016: 52.0 in 2017: 69.5 in 2018: 41.4 in 2019: 29.5 in 2020: 30.8 in 2021: 40.3 in 2022: 37.9 in 2023: 27.4 in 2024: 36.9 in 2025: 25.9 in 19761994200420152025
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 6

Earliest: September 22, 2000

Median last snow

April 5

Latest: May 13, 1995

0 of 56 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Hysham (USC00244358), 2,669 ft elevation, 3.0 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1945 to October 4, 2026; 97.1% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Federal disaster declarations

11 since 1953. The most recent: Flooding, October 11, 2023.

Federal disaster declarations
Oct 11, 2023FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-4745-MT
Jun 16, 2022FloodSevere Storm and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4655-MT
Mar 31, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4508-MT
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3476-MT
May 24, 2019FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-4437-MT
Oct 31, 2018FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-4405-MT
Jun 17, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1996-MT
Sep 13, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3253-MT
Aug 30, 2000FireWildfiresMajor disasterDR-1340-MT
Jul 25, 1997Severe StormSevere Storms,Ice Jams, Snow Melt, FloodingMajor disasterDR-1183-MT
May 29, 1978FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-558-MT

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

How this compares

Where Treasure County stands among 56 counties in Montana and 3,143 in the United States.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 1950335 / 562,775 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger0——
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 198447,11539 / 56471 / 3,143
Flood insurance claims0——
Flood insurance paid$0——
Disaster declarations1125 / 562,727 / 3,143
Flood events since 19961346 / 562,802 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 199614149 / 562,449 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 19965651 / 561,806 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$300,00042 / 563,065 / 3,143
River crests at major flood stage0——
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 18959850 / 562,433 / 3,143
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years30.718 / 56170 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 19000——
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 19730——

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Big Horn County110666,41016
Rosebud County120810,81412
Yellowstone County210331,530272

Sources and vintage

Every number on this page comes from these public records.

  • Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
  • Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
  • Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
  • Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
  • Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
  • Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00244358.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
  • Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.