Extreme weather can strike just about anywhere, and much of it happens during the winter. However, some areas are far more vulnerable to it than others.
According to a study, these are the counties in the U.S. that are the most vulnerable to extreme winter weather based on the area’s risk of severe weather as well as their economic vulnerability.
Methodology
HVAC Gnome determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the Most Vulnerable Counties for Extreme Winter Weather. They then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance and grouped those factors into 3 categories: Extreme Weather Risk, Winter Climate, and Financial Risk. The categories, factors, and their weights are listed in the table below.
For 447 U.S. counties with Relatively High and Very High risk of extreme winter weather, as determined by FEMA, they then gathered data on each factor from the sources listed below the table.
Finally, theycalculated scores (out of 100 points) for each county to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A county’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Most Vulnerable” (No. 1) and the lowest “Least Vulnerable” (No. 447).
Note: The “Least Vulnerable” among individual factors may not be No. 447 due to ties.
Johnson County, KS
As a part of Tornado Alley and a cold area of the country, Kansas as a whole is vulnerable to extreme weather. Johnson County is ranked number two in extreme winter weather risk and number one in financial vulnerability.
Cook County, IL
Cook County is known for a lot of things, and its serious winter weather is one of them. It ranks ninth for winter weather vulnerability and third for its financial risk from this weather.
St. Louis County, MO
This county can get some serious weather in the winter, and that’s seen in its high vulnerability ranking. It comes in fourth for its risk of extreme weather and fifth for the financial risk it faces.
Tulsa County, OK
Another area that’s vulnerable to both snow and tornadoes, is this county that has a high degree of vulnerability. The county comes in third for its risk of extreme weather in the winter and fourth for its financial vulnerability.
Nassau County, NY
This county is ranked second out of all U.S. counties for its financial risk and 106th for its risk of severe winter weather. This gives it a high degree of vulnerability every winter.
Washington County, AR
Located in the Ozark Mountains, this county is ranked as the number one spot for the risk of severe winter weather. It’s also ranked seventh for its financial vulnerability.
Ward County, ND
Out of the hundreds of counties that can get severe winter weather, this county ranks number six among them. It’s ranked 16th among the many counties that are at a high level of financial risk.
Lancaster County, NE
The Midwest is always vulnerable to severe weather, and that’s especially true in the winter. Lancaster County is the 36th most likely to suffer from severe winter weather, and it’s the 6th most economically vulnerable county.
Clay County, MO
Like many counties in Missouri, this county is severely vulnerable to bad winter weather. It ranks seventh for the chance of severe weather and ninth for the financial risk it faces each winter.
Jackson County MO
Another Missouri county this one is ranked near the top for its chances of serious winter weather. It comes in at fifth for this risk and 10th for its financial vulnerability.
Morton County, ND
North Dakota gets extreme weather every winter, and it’s ranked highly for this vulnerability. It’s ranked in the 10th spot for its risk of extreme weather and 21st for its financial risk.
St. Louis City, MO
Missouri is highly vulnerable to bad winter weather, and this county is no exception. It’s ranked 21st for its risk of severe winter weather and eighth for its financial vulnerability.
Brown County, SD
In the 11th spot for the risk of severe winter weather, this county has its share of snow and ice. For financial risk, this county ranks number 23 for its level of financial risk in the winter.
Dane County, WI
The winters in Wisconsin are legendary, and so is the risk this county faces in the winter. It’s ranked number eight for its winter weather vulnerability and 20th for its financial vulnerability.
Lincoln County, SD
South Dakota gets some brutal winters, and Lincoln County is very familiar with them. It’s ranked 18th for its financial risk and 14th for its extreme winter weather risk.
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