Sidney, Montana
8 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1909 and the latest in 1981. It stands in the Sidney census division. It lies in ZIP code area 59270. The Survey maps it on the Sidney quadrangle. 6,346 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,949 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Sidney
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 1 record
Peoples' Congregational Churchlisted 1982
Population over time
2 figuresSidney grew from 5,191 to 6,346 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 5,191 | |
| 2020 | 6,346 | +1,155 (+22%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
6 surveys from 8 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1909 USGS Glendive quadrangle1:250000
- 1954 USGS Glendive quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1957 USGS Glendive quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Glendive quadrangle1:250000
- 1966 USGS Sidney quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1981 USGS Sidney quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
10 since 2016Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 10 fires within 5 miles of Sidney between 2016 and 2020, burning about 7 acres in total. 3 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Natural | 3 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 2 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 1 |
| Smoking | 1 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 September 2016 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | under an acre | Eastern Land Office | PRAIRIE ELK - MCCONE |
| 6 August 2016 | Natural | 1.0 acres | Eastern Land Office | FLYING V - MCCONE |
| 28 August 2020 | Natural | 1.0 acres | Richland County | MAIN CANAL - RICHLAND |
| 15 August 2020 | Smoking | under an acre | Richland County | BENNIE PEER - RICHLAND |
| 6 July 2017 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Eastern Land Office | BELL |
| 28 July 2017 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Eastern Land Office | TREE |
| 26 July 2020 | Natural | under an acre | Richland County | DITCH - RICHLAND |
| 24 June 2017 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1.0 acres | Eastern Land Office | RACCOON |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
3 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 3 workings within 5 miles of Sidney: 2 past producers, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Sulfur. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle-Pitcher | Sulfur | Past Producer | ||
| Fawcitt Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Nb Frontage Plant | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 116 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Sidney in 116 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 56 hail, 36 thunderstorm wind, 7 flood, 6 heavy rain. The reports record 4 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2006 | Lightning | Sidney | 3 hurt | no account filed |
| June 2003 | Lightning | Sidney | 1 hurt | no account filed |
| July 1997 | Flash Flood | Sidney | $269,000 | Six inches of rain falling in less than four hours caused flash flooding throughout much of Richland County. Five bridges in the county sustained damage. One family along Lone Tree Creek was evacuated as the normally dry creek rose four feet. Numerous county roads were closed due to washouts and flood waters over the roads. The added water put a strain on the Vaux Dam and there was some concern it would fail. |
| June 2001 | Hail | Sidney | $50,000 | no account filed |
| August 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | $20,000 | no account filed |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | $15,000 | High winds blew down a total of 13 wooden power poles. |
| June 1997 | Flash Flood | Sidney | $10,000 | More than 6 inches of rain falling in less than 2 hours caused a total loss of wheat which was pounded by heavy rain or washed away. Rapid runoff caused Hay Creek to rise rapidly and the high flow and velocity took out a bridge on County Road 350. Further downstream the creek washed out a bank causing a telephone pole to be toppled as well as taking out a shed and a propane tank. The resident of the property esttimated he lost about 125 square feet of property. |
| June 1997 | Flash Flood | Sidney | $5,000 | A bridge northeast of Lambert sustained damage due to flash flood waters. |
| August 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | $500 | Large tree blown down. |
| August 2025 | Flood | Sidney | - | Richland County Dispatch in Sidney reported flooding at the intersection of W Holly St and Third Avenue. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | The public reported an estimated 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | The public estimated thunderstorm wind gusts at around 60 mph. They also reported hail up to the size of peas, along with some minor street flooding. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | Storm chaser estimated hurricane force thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| June 2021 | Hail | Sidney | - | Richland County DES Coordinator reported hail up to the size of ping pong balls. |
| June 2021 | Hail | Sidney | - | Public reported, via facebook, hen egg size hail located along the lost highway near Sidney. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | Public reported an 84 mph thunderstorm wind gust, measured on their home weather station. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | An NDAWN mesonet site located 1 NNE Sidney measured a 77 mph thunderstorm wind gust. |
| March 2019 | Flood | Sidney | - | Richland County DES Coordinator reported the Yellowstone River out of its banks and flooding low lying areas east and south of Highway 200 due to an ice jam just east of Fairview. Flood start and end times estimated. |
| March 2019 | Flood | Sidney | - | During the morning of March 24th, at the Sidney forecast point (SIDM8) along the Yellowstone River, an ice jam caused the river level to briefly rise above the flood stage of 19.0 feet at 7:52 AM MST. The river crested at 19.59 feet at 1:27 PM MST on the 24th. As the ice jam cleared, the river fell back down below flood stage at 4:55 PM MST on the 24th. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | Trained spotter reported 5-inch diameter tree limbs broken off from strong winds, along with penny size hail. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | ASOS site at the Sidney airport measured a 66 mph wind gust. |
| June 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | The AWOS site at the Sidney airport measured a 63 mph wind gust. |
| July 2017 | Hail | Sidney | - | Public reported quarter sized hail. |
| June 2015 | Hail | Sidney | - | The Ranger Review Newspaper in Sidney reported quarter-sized hail. |
| June 2015 | Hail | Sidney | - | Hail continued through the town of Sidney and went south-southeast of town. There was some damage to vehicles and gardens and crops in the area, but the extent was unknown. |
| June 2015 | Hail | Sidney | - | Richland County Emergency Manager reported half dollar sized hail. |
| June 2015 | Hail | Sidney | - | Public reported quarter-sized hail. Duration was at least 5 minutes. |
| June 2015 | Hail | Sidney | - | Trained spotter reported hen egg sized hail. Duration at least 5 minutes. |
| June 2015 | Hail | Sidney | - | Trained spotter reported golf ball sized hail. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | Trained spotter reported wind gusts up to 65 mph. |
| July 2015 | Hail | Sidney | - | Public reported quarter-sized hail. |
| July 2015 | Hail | Sidney | - | Trained spotter reported nickel-sized hail. |
| August 2013 | Hail | Sidney | - | Public reported quarter-sized hail. Power out for roughly two hours. |
| August 2013 | Heavy Rain | Sidney | - | Very heavy rainfall clogged up the streets in Sidney, specifically the busy intersection area between Highway 16 and Highway 200. Water was waist high on some people as they attempted to get drains unclogged. Rainfall reports ranged from 3/4 to 1.5 around town, with the rainfall falling in about a 30 minute window. |
| July 2013 | Hail | Sidney | - | Public reported nickel-sized hail. |
| July 2013 | Hail | Sidney | - | Public reported golf ball sized hail with photos on social media. |
| June 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | No damage reported, but this is a very rural area with few trees. |
| June 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | Very strong winds reported with a lot of sand/dust lofted into the air. No significant damage reports. |
| June 2011 | Funnel Cloud | Sidney | - | Several people contacted Richland County Dispatch to report seeing a funnel cloud near this location around the same time. |
| May 2011 | Flood | Sidney | - | Many gravel roads became impassible due to the extremely wet conditions. Also, several local campgrounds and fishing sites along the Yellowstone River were flooded and evacuated. Local ranchers near Savage reported cattle isolated by flood waters. |
| May 2011 | Flood | Sidney | - | The river gauge reading at Sidney on the Yellowstone River crested at 21.92 feet on May 25rd. Flood stage is 19 feet. |
| May 2011 | Flood | Sidney | - | The river gauge reading at Sidney on the Yellowstone River crested at 19.19 feet on May 30th. Flood stage is 19 feet. |
| May 2011 | Flood | Sidney | - | Runoff from recent heavy rain has brought flooding to several creeks and streams that feed the Yellowstone River. |
| June 2010 | Hail | Sidney | - | Dents on vehicles were reported with the large hail. |
| May 2010 | Heavy Rain | Sidney | - | Flash flooding washed out low spot on County Road 120. |
| August 2010 | Hail | Sidney | - | Public reported quarter size hail. |
| August 2010 | Hail | Sidney | - | Rancher reported golfball size hail. Also had one stone that was 2.25 inches in diameter but was composed of smaller stones fused together. |
| August 2010 | Heavy Rain | Sidney | - | Rainfall of 1.7 inches fell along with hail. |
| September 2010 | Hail | Sidney | - | At 1842 MST 1 mile southwest of Sidney, hail ranged from pea to quarter size. At 1845 MST in Sidney, County Emergency Manager reported 1.5 inch hail. At 1855 MST, 10 miles north-northeast of Sidney 1 inch hail along with heavy rain fell. This storm also damaged the sugar beet crop in the Yellowstone Valley in and north of Fairview. The crop's leaves were damaged which significantly reduces the ability for the plant to produce sugar (as much of it's energy goes into repairing the leaves). |
| June 2009 | Heavy Rain | Sidney | - | Very high winds led to under reported rainfall in gages. Several observers in the area reported two to four inches of rain. Minor street flooding occurred in town as leaves and branches clogged drains. The airport AWOS reported 1.84 inches. |
| August 2009 | Heavy Rain | Sidney | - | Measured four inches of rainfall with this storm. |
| August 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | Thunderstorm wind gust came from a storm to the northwest of the Sidney Airport. |
| August 2009 | Heavy Rain | Sidney | - | Total rainfall of 3.08 inches, 2.72 fell through midnight. Water flowed over local roadway, washing some gravel off, but no damage was reported. |
| July 2008 | Hail | Sidney | - | Some crop damage was noted. |
| May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | Wind along with pea size hail. |
| May 2007 | Hail | Sidney | - | A few golf ball size stones with plenty of dime and nickel size hail. |
| June 2007 | Flash Flood | Sidney | - | Rain amounting to 1.95 inches fell within 35 minutes and led to flash flooding with water flowing over a small stock dam. A total of 2.5 inches of rain fell. |
| June 2007 | Hail | Sidney | - | The hail covered the ground and was accompanied by wind of 50 to 60 mph. See entire episode narrative for full details. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sidney | - | Tree branches down in the downtown area. |
| June 2007 | Hail | Sidney | - | The hail covered the ground. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fischer Park | 0.6 miles | 8 | |
| Riverview | 3.1 miles | 8 | |
| Wooley | 4.3 miles | 8 | |
| Newlon Junction | 4.6 miles | 8 | |
| Ridgelawn | 6.4 miles | 8 | |
| Brorson (historical) | 8.4 miles | 7 | |
| Piche | 8.4 miles | 7 | |
| Ludington | 9.1 miles | 8 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Sidney | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q959533 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 776533. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.





