How Likely Is a Tornado in Carroll County, AR?
Carroll County's tornado history, by the numbers
Carroll County has recorded 16 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 4.7 years - our Moderate band. Put another way: Carroll County sees more tornado activity than 43% of US counties. Within Arkansas alone, Carroll County ranks 69 of 75 counties for tornado frequency.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
10 weak and 4 significant tornadoes make up Carroll County's 16-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure Carroll County's rating leads to
Cost nationally: $2,890-$13,280, about $7,645 typical. Arkansas 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 Arkansas this pass.
What a direct hit isn't required for
Power loss after a tornado outbreak in Arkansas 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 Carroll County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 630 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. Carroll County has about 28,968 residents.