How Likely Is a Tornado in San Miguel County, CO?
How likely is a tornado in San Miguel County, CO?
In 76 years of NOAA/SPC tracking, San Miguel County has no recorded tornado track. Zero is the honest answer here, not missing data. Put another way: San Miguel County sees more tornado activity than 1% of US counties. Within Colorado alone, San Miguel County ranks 58 of 64 counties for tornado frequency.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
0 weak and 0 significant tornadoes make up San Miguel County's 0-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure San Miguel County's rating leads to
Cost nationally: $2,890-$13,280, about $7,645 typical. Colorado 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 Colorado this pass.
What a direct hit isn't required for
A direct hit is not required for San Miguel County to lose power - outbreak-wide outages across Colorado 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 San Miguel County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 1,287 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. San Miguel County has about 7,819 residents.