How Likely Is a Tornado in Kauai County, HI?
Kauai County, HI: what NOAA's tornado record says
Kauai County has recorded 6 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 12.7 years - our Minimal band. Put another way: Kauai County sees more tornado activity than 20% of US counties. Hawaii has 5 counties in this dataset; Kauai County ranks 3 of them by frequency.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
6 weak and 0 significant tornadoes make up Kauai County's 6-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure Kauai County's rating leads to
Cost nationally: $2,890-$13,280, about $7,645 typical. Hawaii 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 Hawaii this pass.
What a direct hit isn't required for
Tornado outbreaks routinely knock out power across Hawaii 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 Kauai County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 620 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. Kauai County has about 73,840 residents.