How Likely Is a Tornado in Scotland County, MO?
Scotland County's tornado history, by the numbers
Scotland County has recorded 15 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 5.1 years - our Low band. Put another way: Scotland County sees more tornado activity than 40% of US counties. Within Missouri alone, Scotland County ranks 93 of 115 counties for tornado frequency.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
12 weak and 3 significant tornadoes make up Scotland County's 15-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure Scotland County's rating leads to
Cost nationally: $2,890-$13,280, about $7,645 typical. Missouri 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 Missouri this pass.
What a direct hit isn't required for
4,698 people live in Scotland County, and a tornado outbreak's power loss usually reaches far more of Missouri than the tracks themselves touch. A portable battery unit is the faster, no-fuel way to bridge that outage.
What this number is, and is not
One caveat before relying on Scotland County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 437 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. Scotland County has about 4,698 residents.