How Likely Is a Tornado in Mora County, NM?
Mora County's tornado history, by the numbers
Mora County has recorded 12 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 6.3 years - our Low band. Put another way: Mora County sees more tornado activity than 33% of US counties. New Mexico has 33 counties in this dataset; Mora County ranks 18 of them by frequency.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
12 weak and 0 significant tornadoes make up Mora County's 12-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure Mora County's rating leads to
Cost nationally: $2,890-$13,280, about $7,645 typical. New Mexico 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 New Mexico this pass.
What a direct hit isn't required for
Tornado outbreaks routinely knock out power across New Mexico 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 Mora County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 1,926 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. Mora County has about 4,096 residents.