Tornado Risk in Sullivan County, NH
Sullivan County, NH: what NOAA's tornado record says
6 tornado tracks have crossed Sullivan County since 1955 by NOAA's count, roughly one every 12.7 years - the Minimal band on this site's scale. That is the 19th percentile nationally for tornado frequency. Among 10 New Hampshire counties in this dataset, Sullivan County ranks 10 for how often a tornado touches down.
The number that matters more than frequency
No violent (EF4-5) tornado has been recorded in Sullivan County in NOAA's 76-year database. Of its 6 recorded tracks, 6 were weak (EF0-1) and 0 significant (EF2-3).
Shelter and safe-room economics
New Hampshire does not currently have a confirmed state rebate layered on top of FEMA's 75% Hazard Mitigation cost-share, so a Sullivan County homeowner should expect the full national range: $2,890-$13,280, $7,645 typical.
Power after the storm, not just shelter during it
A direct hit is not required for Sullivan County to lose power - outbreak-wide outages across New Hampshire 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 Sullivan County's figure does not tell you
Sullivan County's figure is county-wide, not address-specific. Sullivan County covers about 538 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. Sullivan County has about 44,012 residents.