Tornado Risk in Coos County, NH
How likely is a tornado in Coos County, NH?
7 tornado tracks have crossed Coos County since 1956 by NOAA's count, roughly one every 10.9 years - the Low band on this site's scale. That is the 22nd percentile nationally for tornado frequency. Among 10 New Hampshire counties in this dataset, Coos County ranks 8 for how often a tornado touches down.
The number that matters more than frequency
No violent (EF4-5) tornado has been recorded in Coos County in NOAA's 76-year database. Of its 7 recorded tracks, 7 were weak (EF0-1) and 0 significant (EF2-3).
Shelter and safe-room economics
New Hampshire does not currently have a confirmed state rebate layered on top of FEMA's 75% Hazard Mitigation cost-share, so a Coos County homeowner should expect the full national range: $2,890-$13,280, $7,645 typical.
Power after the storm, not just shelter during it
A direct hit is not required for Coos County to lose power - outbreak-wide outages across New Hampshire regularly reach homes and businesses well outside the actual tracks. A battery bank covers that gap without a generator's fuel and venting needs.
What Coos County's figure does not tell you
Coos County's figure is county-wide, not address-specific. Coos County covers about 1,795 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. Coos County has about 31,094 residents.