The US tornado season, which spans from March through to June, is approaching — and with that in mind, RoofGnome set out to determine which counties nationwide are at the highest risk of damage from tornadoes.
To come up with their ranking, they compared the 946 US counties with a relatively moderate to very high tornado risk (according to FEMA) on factors across three categories: incidence risk, financial risk and exacerbating factors. Counties that scored the highest were considered the most vulnerable to tornado damage.
Key Findings:
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Of the 100 most vulnerable counties in terms of high tornado incidence and financial risk, 17 are in Texas, 12 are in Illinois and nine are in Missouri.
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The study found that tornado frequency has been increasing farther north and out east since 1989. Now, six Michigan counties and five Ohio counties rank among the top 100 spots for tornado damage risk.
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Counties that are home to major cities have the costliest expected yearly loss from tornadoes, thanks to their large populations and expensive infrastructure. Seven Texas counties — including Harris, Dallas and Bexar — placed on the top 10 list for highest expected annual loss from tornadoes.
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When it comes to exacerbating factors, Missouri, Kansas and Illinois score highly as states with lots of older homes that do not comply with current building standards from the International Residential Code and International Building Code. These standards, which include stronger roofs, safe rooms and impact-resistant windows, can make homes more resilient against tornadoes and other extreme weather events.
Via RoofGnome.
