How Likely Is a Tornado in Barron County, WI?
Barron County's tornado history, by the numbers
Barron County has recorded 43 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 1.8 years - our High band. Put another way: Barron County sees more tornado activity than 83% of US counties. Among 72 Wisconsin counties in this dataset, Barron County ranks 8 for how often a tornado touches down.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
32 weak and 11 significant tornadoes make up Barron County's 43-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure Barron County's rating leads to
Cost nationally: $2,890-$13,280, about $7,645 typical. Wisconsin has no state rebate program confirmed here; FEMA's underlying 75% cost-share exists nationwide, but applying through a state program is what usually makes it real, and none was found for Wisconsin this pass.
What a direct hit isn't required for
Tornado outbreaks routinely knock out power across Wisconsin for days, separately from any single house getting hit. A portable battery bank keeps a fridge, phone chargers and a radio running through that gap - cheaper and faster to set up than a generator.
What this number is, and is not
One caveat before relying on Barron County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 863 square miles, so a single touch counts the same as one in a county a fraction of that size. Weaker pre-1990s tornadoes are also documented as undercounted in NOAA's own record. Barron County has about 46,810 residents.