How Likely Is a Tornado in Martin County, IN?
How likely is a tornado in Martin County, IN?
Martin County has recorded 9 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 8.5 years - our Low band. Put another way: Martin County sees more tornado activity than 26% of US counties. Within Indiana alone, Martin County ranks 87 of 92 counties for tornado frequency.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
5 weak and 4 significant tornadoes make up Martin County's 9-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure Martin County's rating leads to
Indiana's Indiana Department of Homeland Security's Residential Safe Room Program is the number that matters for a Martin County homeowner: 75% of an approved shelter, capped at $5,000, cutting the typical $2,890-$13,280 national range to about $722.5-$8,280 net.
What a direct hit isn't required for
A direct hit is not required for Martin County to lose power - outbreak-wide outages across Indiana 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 this number is, and is not
One caveat before relying on Martin County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 336 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. Martin County has about 9,864 residents.