How Likely Is a Tornado in Camas County, ID?
Camas County's tornado history, by the numbers
Camas County has recorded 4 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 18.9 years - our Minimal band. Put another way: Camas County sees more tornado activity than 12% of US counties. Idaho has 44 counties in this dataset; Camas County ranks 24 of them by frequency.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
4 weak and 0 significant tornadoes make up Camas County's 4-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure Camas County's rating leads to
Cost nationally: $2,890-$13,280, about $7,645 typical. Idaho 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 Idaho this pass.
What a direct hit isn't required for
Power loss after a tornado outbreak in Idaho often reaches homes the storm itself never touched. A battery-backup unit covers the outage without the fuel and venting a generator needs.
What this number is, and is not
One caveat before relying on Camas County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 1,074 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. Camas County has about 1,247 residents.