FEMA National Risk Index hazard
Prepare your home for tornado
Tornado damage NRI models from historical tornado paths and widths.
309 US counties are rated Relatively High or Very High for tornado by FEMA’s National Risk Index. The three things that matter most at home: 1. Pick the safe room: lowest floor, interior, no windows. Tell everyone in the house. 2. Keep shoes, a flashlight and a helmet for each person there. 3. Turn on wireless emergency alerts on every phone.
Before the season
- Choose a shelter spot: a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor.
- Look into a FEMA P-361/ICC 500 storm shelter if you are building or remodeling.
- Secure or remove outdoor items that become projectiles.
When a warning comes
- Go to the shelter spot and cover your head and neck.
- Leave a mobile home for a sturdy building or shelter.
- Do not open windows.
After
- Watch for downed lines and the smell of gas; leave and call the utility if you smell gas.
- Photograph damage before cleanup.
- Wear sturdy shoes and gloves in debris.
Ask your insurer
Ask whether your policy has a separate wind or hail deductible. We explain and organize; we never predict coverage.
Ready.gov: Tornadoes Checklist: original casaq guidance
Counties with the highest tornado scores
Top 25 by FEMA NRI risk score for this hazard. Scores and ratings are relative to other US counties, not probabilities of a loss.
| # | County | Rating | Score | Recorded events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harris County, TX | Very High | 100.0 | 150 |
| 2 | Cook County, IL | Very High | 100.0 | 45 |
| 3 | Collin County, TX | Very High | 99.9 | 35 |
| 4 | Bexar County, TX | Very High | 99.9 | 47 |
| 5 | Tarrant County, TX | Very High | 99.9 | 73 |
| 6 | Dallas County, TX | Very High | 99.8 | 73 |
| 7 | Denton County, TX | Very High | 99.8 | 41 |
| 8 | Shelby County, TN | Very High | 99.8 | 36 |
| 9 | Jefferson County, KY | Very High | 99.7 | 27 |
| 10 | Oakland County, MI | Very High | 99.7 | 32 |
| 11 | Travis County, TX | Very High | 99.7 | 36 |
| 12 | Hillsborough County, FL | Very High | 99.7 | 83 |
| 13 | Hennepin County, MN | Very High | 99.6 | 31 |
| 14 | East Baton Rouge Parish, LA | Very High | 99.6 | 38 |
| 15 | Jefferson County, AL | Very High | 99.6 | 83 |
| 16 | Oklahoma County, OK | Very High | 99.5 | 104 |
| 17 | Wayne County, MI | Very High | 99.5 | 27 |
| 18 | Jackson County, MO | Very High | 99.5 | 32 |
| 19 | Montgomery County, TX | Very High | 99.4 | 43 |
| 20 | Douglas County, NE | Very High | 99.4 | 16 |
| 21 | Hamilton County, OH | Very High | 99.4 | 13 |
| 22 | DuPage County, IL | Very High | 99.3 | 32 |
| 23 | Macomb County, MI | Very High | 99.3 | 15 |
| 24 | Sedgwick County, KS | Very High | 99.3 | 57 |
| 25 | Will County, IL | Very High | 99.2 | 67 |