How Likely Is a Tornado in Little River County, AR?
How likely is a tornado in Little River County, AR?
Little River County has recorded 19 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 4 years - our Moderate band. Put another way: Little River County sees more tornado activity than 48% of US counties. Within Arkansas alone, Little River County ranks 62 of 75 counties for tornado frequency.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
15 weak and 4 significant tornadoes make up Little River County's 19-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure Little River 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 Little River County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 531 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. Little River County has about 11,626 residents.