How Likely Is a Tornado in Moultrie County, IL?
Moultrie County's tornado history, by the numbers
Moultrie County has recorded 15 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 5.1 years - our Moderate band. Put another way: Moultrie County sees more tornado activity than 40% of US counties. Within Illinois alone, Moultrie County ranks 86 of 102 counties for tornado frequency.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
8 weak and 5 significant tornadoes make up Moultrie County's 15-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure Moultrie County's rating leads to
Cost nationally: $2,890-$13,280, about $7,645 typical. Illinois 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 Illinois this pass.
What a direct hit isn't required for
Power loss after a tornado outbreak in Illinois 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 Moultrie 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. Moultrie County has about 14,365 residents.