Tornado Risk in Rhode Island

All Rhode Island counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index tornado score

Tornado risk — violently rotating columns of air capable of catastrophic local damage — is rated for 5 of 5 Rhode Island counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Providence County carries the state's highest tornado score at 78.3, with $3M in expected annual tornado losses.

No Rhode Island county reaches the High band for tornado, and expected annual losses from tornado total roughly $5M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.

County Rankings — Tornado

#CountyTornado ScoreRatingAnn. Freq.Ann. Loss
1 Providence County
78.3
Medium 0.10 / yr $3M
2 Kent County
39.1
Low 0.04 / yr $931K
3 Washington County
29.4
Low 0.10 / yr $664K
4 Newport County
17.0
Very Low 0.04 / yr $219K
5 Bristol County
12.9
Very Low 0.01 / yr $141K

5 Rhode Island counties with measurable tornado risk. See the national tornado ranking or all Rhode Island counties by overall risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Rhode Island county has the highest tornado risk?

Providence County has the highest FEMA tornado risk score in Rhode Island at 78.3 (Medium), with $3M in expected annual losses and about 0.10 events per year.

How many Rhode Island counties face significant tornado risk?

5 Rhode Island counties record measurable tornado risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 0 of them are rated High or Very High.

Other Hazards in Rhode Island