How Likely Is a Tornado in McDowell County, WV?
How likely is a tornado in McDowell County, WV?
McDowell County has recorded 2 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 38.5 years - our Minimal band. Put another way: McDowell County sees more tornado activity than 8% of US counties. Among 55 West Virginia counties in this dataset, McDowell County ranks 29 for how often a tornado touches down.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
2 weak and 0 significant tornadoes make up McDowell County's 2-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure McDowell County's rating leads to
Cost nationally: $2,890-$13,280, about $7,645 typical. West Virginia 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 West Virginia this pass.
What a direct hit isn't required for
The storm that misses McDowell County outright can still take its power out - outbreak-scale outages across West Virginia are common well beyond the tracked path. A battery-backup unit handles that without a generator's setup or fuel.
What this number is, and is not
One caveat before relying on McDowell County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 533 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. McDowell County has about 17,147 residents.