Tornado Risk in Reagan County, TX
Reagan County's tornado history, by the numbers
16 tornado tracks have crossed Reagan County since 1957 by NOAA's count, roughly one every 4.7 years - the Moderate band on this site's scale. That is the 42nd percentile nationally for tornado frequency. Among 254 Texas counties in this dataset, Reagan County ranks 211 for how often a tornado touches down.
The number that matters more than frequency
No violent (EF4-5) tornado has been recorded in Reagan County in NOAA's 76-year database. Of its 16 recorded tracks, 15 were weak (EF0-1) and 1 significant (EF2-3).
Shelter and safe-room economics
Texas does not currently have a confirmed state rebate layered on top of FEMA's 75% Hazard Mitigation cost-share, so a Reagan County homeowner should expect the full national range: $2,890-$13,280, $7,645 typical.
Power after the storm, not just shelter during it
Power loss after a tornado outbreak in Texas often reaches homes the storm itself never touched. A battery-backup unit covers the outage without the fuel and venting a generator needs.
Wind damage may need its own endorsement
Texas is one of a handful of states where insurers can write wind/hail damage out of a standard homeowners policy - tornado damage may not be fully covered without a separate wind endorsement. Worth confirming directly on a Reagan County policy rather than assuming it is included.
What Reagan County's figure does not tell you
Reagan County's figure is county-wide, not address-specific. Reagan County covers about 1,175 square miles, so a single touch here counts the same as a single touch in a county a fraction of that size. NOAA also documents that older records undercount weaker tornadoes from before Doppler radar became standard. Reagan County has about 3,139 residents.