Small businesses and property owners across three southern Montana counties can now apply for federal disaster assistance loans following a powerful windstorm that struck the region just before Christmas, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced.
Eligible Counties and Storm Damage
Yellowstone, Big Horn, and Carbon counties were declared eligible for SBA disaster loans after federal officials completed a damage assessment of the area. The December storm brought hurricane-force wind speeds that caused widespread destruction across the region.
Reports from affected communities included trees crashing through car windows in Laurel, grain bins rolling away from their foundations, trees coming down in Hamilton, and roof damage at Park City Schools. The damage spanned rural and municipal areas alike, affecting businesses, farms, and public facilities.
SBA Response and Loan Program
SBA staff will be stationed in the affected counties through August to assist applicants with the loan process. The agency’s disaster loan program is designed to help businesses, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters recover costs not covered by insurance.
Tana Morehead, an SBA public affairs officer, described the agency’s mission in the affected communities as leaving them “better off than we found them.”
Business owners, agricultural operators, and others with documented losses from the December storm are encouraged to contact the SBA to determine their eligibility and begin the application process before agency staff depart the area in late summer.
A Pattern of Severe Weather
Red Lodge Mayor Dave Westwood placed the December windstorm in a broader pattern of repeated weather emergencies facing the region. “We’ve certainly had our fair share of emergencies and certainly have over the past few years,” Westwood said.
His comments reflect a growing concern among local officials in southern Montana that communities are facing more frequent and costly weather events, stretching local budgets and recovery resources. The availability of federal loan assistance offers some financial relief, though the application and approval process requires documentation that some small business owners may find challenging to compile.
What’s Next
Affected business owners and property owners in the three-county area should act soon, as the SBA’s on-the-ground presence runs only through August. Applications can also be submitted online through the SBA’s official website. Those with questions about eligibility or the documentation required for disaster loans are advised to connect with SBA representatives while staff remain locally available.
The loan program represents one of the primary federal tools available to help communities rebuild after presidentially or agency-designated disaster events. For southern Montana, where agricultural operations and small businesses form the backbone of the local economy, access to low-interest federal loans can be a critical bridge between storm losses and recovery — a dynamic also relevant to broader efforts to strengthen Montana’s local economic base.
