Tornado Risk in Allegany County, MD
How likely is a tornado in Allegany County, MD?
8 tornado tracks have crossed Allegany County since 1969 by NOAA's count, roughly one every 9.5 years - the Low band on this site's scale. That is the 25th percentile nationally for tornado frequency. Within Maryland alone, Allegany County ranks 18 of 24 counties for tornado frequency.
The number that matters more than frequency
No violent (EF4-5) tornado has been recorded in Allegany County in NOAA's 76-year database. Of its 8 recorded tracks, 7 were weak (EF0-1) and 1 significant (EF2-3).
Shelter and safe-room economics
Maryland does not currently have a confirmed state rebate layered on top of FEMA's 75% Hazard Mitigation cost-share, so a Allegany County homeowner should expect the full national range: $2,890-$13,280, $7,645 typical.
Power after the storm, not just shelter during it
Power loss after a tornado outbreak in Maryland often reaches homes the storm itself never touched. A battery-backup unit covers the outage without the fuel and venting a generator needs.
What Allegany County's figure does not tell you
Allegany County's figure is county-wide, not address-specific. Allegany County covers about 422 square miles, so a single touch here counts the same as a single touch in a county a fraction of that size. NOAA also documents that older records undercount weaker tornadoes from before Doppler radar became standard. Allegany County has about 67,097 residents.