How Likely Is a Tornado in Ward County, ND?
How likely is a tornado in Ward County, ND?
Ward County has recorded 55 tornado touches in NOAA's 76-year database, a rate of roughly one every 1.4 years - our High band. Put another way: Ward County sees more tornado activity than 90% of US counties. Within North Dakota alone, Ward County ranks 7 of 53 counties for tornado frequency.
Beyond the frequency band: violent history
48 weak and 7 significant tornadoes make up Ward County's 55-track record - none violent. NOAA has never logged an EF4 or EF5 crossing this county.
The dollar figure Ward County's rating leads to
Cost nationally: $2,890-$13,280, about $7,645 typical. North Dakota 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 North Dakota this pass.
What a direct hit isn't required for
Power loss after a tornado outbreak in North Dakota 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 Ward County's number: it is county-wide, and it covers about 2,013 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. Ward County has about 68,427 residents.