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Mississippi Environment & Hazard Risk

1 county rated high or very high risk. 35,750 storm events since 1996, #24 among states.

Expected yearly loss
$1.6B
$555 per person
Storm events since 1996
35,750
Most often thunderstorm wind
Flood insurance policies
40,942
$3.1B in claims paid
Superfund sites
14
318 toxic release facilities

Risk by county

FEMA National Risk Index rating, highest risk first

CountyOverall riskTop hazardFlood policiesFlood claims paid
Harrison CountyHighHurricane10,601$1.3B
Hinds CountyModerateHail2,255$70.8M
Jackson CountyModerateHurricane10,397$721M
DeSoto CountyModerateTornado467$6.7M
Lauderdale CountyModerateCold wave354$4.4M
Warren CountyModerateDrought321$35.6M
Pearl River CountyModerateHurricane642$18.1M
Rankin CountyModerateHail1,202$20.9M
Washington CountyModerateTornado1,236$37M
Hancock CountyModerateHurricane6,730$746M
Madison CountyModerateTornado650$10.1M
Lee CountyModerateEarthquake241$3.9M
Lowndes CountyLowTornado594$7.2M
Jones CountyLowTornado187$2.5M
Forrest CountyLowTornado469$12.8M
Bolivar CountyLowEarthquake384$21.7M
Leflore CountyLowDrought528$4.4M
Marshall CountyLowEarthquake22$227K
Yazoo CountyLowLightning271$7.8M
Pike CountyLowTornado78$4.3M
Sunflower CountyLowCold wave116$1.7M
Panola CountyLowStrong wind84$1.2M
Monroe CountyLowCold wave225$1.4M
Alcorn CountyLowEarthquake59$4.3M
Lamar CountyLowHurricane251$5.9M
Lafayette CountyLowEarthquake160$737K
Oktibbeha CountyLowEarthquake266$678K
Coahoma CountyLowEarthquake107$6.8M
Copiah CountyLowLandslide40$239K
Marion CountyLowHurricane141$7.3M
Neshoba CountyLowTornado36$58.5K
George CountyLowHurricane76$436K
Adams CountyLowHeat wave33$1.4M
Scott CountyLowHail49$1.1M
Leake CountyLowStrong wind22$982K
Wayne CountyLowHurricane26$850K
Grenada CountyLowEarthquake155$3.7M
Newton CountyLowTornado13$121K
Stone CountyLowHurricane26$1.8M
Prentiss CountyLowEarthquake9$46K
Simpson CountyLowHurricane68$2.6M
Covington CountyLowHurricane54$937K
Pontotoc CountyLowEarthquake12$48.1K
Holmes CountyLowDrought26$1.4M
Itawamba CountyLowCold wave16$51.6K
Lincoln CountyLowHeat wave35$514K
Amite CountyLowHurricane4$195K
Smith CountyLowHurricane9$78.4K
Chickasaw CountyLowStrong wind9$8,170
Tippah CountyLowEarthquake5$36.8K
Union CountyLowEarthquake15$504K
Clay CountyVery LowEarthquake118$1.3M
Greene CountyVery LowHurricane32$651K
Tate CountyVery LowEarthquake38$1.5M
Tallahatchie CountyVery LowDrought57$767K
Winston CountyVery LowTornado21$545K
Jasper CountyVery LowHurricane21$112K
Tishomingo CountyVery LowEarthquake16$269K
Tunica CountyVery LowEarthquake71$4.9M
Clarke CountyVery LowLightning73$1.3M
Attala CountyVery LowTornado20$455K
Wilkinson CountyVery LowLightning57$18.7M
Noxubee CountyVery LowDrought10$155K
Humphreys CountyVery LowDrought99$3.9M
Calhoun CountyVery LowEarthquake33$807K
Walthall CountyVery LowStrong wind42$2.9M
Lawrence CountyVery LowHurricane40$672K
Claiborne CountyVery LowHail18$2.9M
Carroll CountyVery LowStrong wind16$268K
Jefferson Davis CountyVery LowHurricane5$5,025
Yalobusha CountyVery LowLightning11$364K
Perry CountyVery LowHurricane36$1.7M
Quitman CountyVery LowDrought98$2.3M
Franklin CountyVery LowHurricane6$98.7K
Sharkey CountyVery LowDrought109$2.8M
Benton CountyVery LowEarthquake6$798
Kemper CountyVery LowHurricane2-
Webster CountyVery LowEarthquake3$109K
Choctaw CountyVery LowStrong wind11$155K
Jefferson CountyVery LowHeat wave4$852K
Montgomery CountyVery LowEarthquake10-
Issaquena CountyVery LowDrought83$2M

Storm events by type

Since 1996: 538 deaths, $33B in property and crop damage

  • Thunderstorm Wind14,597 · 42 deaths
  • Hail6,644
  • Flash Flood3,546 · 19 deaths
  • Tornado2,282 · 150 deaths
  • Heat1,934 · 29 deaths
  • Drought1,394
  • Excessive Heat1,036 · 11 deaths
  • Winter Weather525 · 15 deaths
  • Strong Wind480 · 7 deaths
  • Winter Storm453 · 7 deaths
  • Heavy Snow441 · 2 deaths
  • Lightning394 · 21 deaths

Events per year

Storm events per year in Mississippi

Most damaging storms

Since 2017, ranked by deaths, injuries and damage

  • TornadoEF4, 18.87 mi path, 1,320 yd wide03/25/2023

    Egremont, Sharkey County

    14 deaths, 150 injured, $83.1M damage

    What happened

    This long track, violent tornado began over northern |Issaquena County near Grant Rd, downing multiple trees and damaging |two older outbuildings. It tracked northeastward, producing tree |damage as it crossed the Steele Bayou Canal before crossing into |Sharkey County. At this point, the tornado began to substantially |increase in size and intensity. A very high percentage of trees were |snapped along the path through a wooded area south of Bear Lake Rd. |It was in this wooded area where the first indications of EF3 to EF4 |damage were noted, with at least one tree and root ball and several |more large tree pieces fully displaced into the downstream field. |From this point along the path in Sharkey County, there was a well |defined confluence zone in damage along the center of the tornado |track. ||On the western outskirts of the city of Rolling Fork, homes began to |be impacted with significant roof damage along Bear Lake Rd. Several |tall wooden utility transmission poles were snapped along Bear |Lake Rd and MS Highway 826. Along Pinkins Rd, each structure along|the road, including several manufactured homes and two site built|homes, was demolished. Structures on the west...

  • TornadoEF3, 27.72 mi path, 1,600 yd wide03/25/2023

    Gibson, Monroe County

    2 deaths, 55 injured, $80M damage

    What happened

    This tornado crossed into Monroe County from Chickasaw County near the Highway 45 and Old Houston Road intersection, rapidly intensifying as it approached Egypt and Tumblin Roads. Several structures sustained significant damage, including the total destruction of a couple of single-wide, manufactured homes. Numerous trees and utility poles were heavily damaged in the area and roof damage was noted on several homes. |Several injuries were reported in this area. The tornado continued to move northeast, crossing White Rock Road and causing widespread, significant tree damage, and roof damage to several homes in the path. The tornado strengthened further as it approached McAllister Road. Several homes in the area of McAllister and Herndon Roads suffered significant damage with missing roofs and collapsed walls. A single-wide, manufactured home on Herndon Road was separated from its frame and completely destroyed, resulting in 2 fatalities and multiple significant injuries. Tree damage was severe with many hardwood trees snapped or uprooted. Additional home and widespread, significant tree damage was observed along Whatley Road near the intersection with Highway 45 East south of New...

  • TornadoEF4, 16.04 mi path, 3,520 yd wide04/12/2020

    Hebron, Jones County

    4 deaths, 80 injured, $14.8M damage

    What happened

    This violent, deadly tornado traveled 68 miles through parts of five counties including southeastern Jefferson Davis, central Covington, northwestern Jones, southeastern Jasper, and western Clarke counties. Locations impacted by this tornado include Bassfield, the areas between Collins and Seminary, Soso, Moss, Heidelberg, and Pachuta. This tornado is preliminarily rated EF4 with an estimated peak wind of 190 MPH east of Bassfield in southwestern Jefferson Davis County. Additional EF4 damage was noted near Soso in Jones County and at Moss in Jasper County. The maximum path width was 2.25 miles in the vicinity of Hughes Road west of Seminary in western Covington County. At this width, the tornado ranks 3rd widest in the official NOAA United States tornado database behind the El Reno, OK tornado of 2013 (2.6 mi) and the Hallam, NE tornado of 2004 (2.5 mi). This tornado now ranks as the widest on record in the state of Mississippi, surpassing the Yazoo City, MS tornado of 2010 (1.75 mi). Eight lives were lost in this tornado, and there was an undetermined number of additional injuries. Additional details on the damage path and area of most significant damage follow.|| ||The...

  • TornadoEF3, 14.13 mi path, 900 yd wide01/21/2017

    Bonhomie, Forrest County

    4 deaths, 56 injured, $9M damage

    What happened

    This tornado began along Purvis-Oloh Road, about 5 miles west northwest of Purvis. It tracked northeast across portions of Lamar County causing mainly tree damage, uprooting and snapping softwood and hardwood trees. It caused some minor to moderate structural damage as well. The tornado crossed Old Highway 11, continuing to cause mainly tree damage, although at least a few structures were also damaged. The tornado began to gain strength as it reached Slade Road, where some homes received roof damage. As the tornado crossed Sullivan Kilrain Road, additional homes received significant roof and structural damage, especially on Carter Circle and Tatum Camp Road. Comprehensive assessments from Lamar County emergency management officials count 26 homes in the county being destroyed or with major damage and 52 homes receiving minor damage. The tornado continued to gain strength as it crossed into Forrest County. There it struck a subdivision along Nellwood Drive, Lakeland Drive and Crestwood Drive and caused significant damage to many homes. Several homes received significant roof and structural damage. One home sustained significant damage and also was the site of one of the...

  • TornadoEF1, 2.11 mi path, 375 yd wide04/01/2023

    Tupelo, Lee County

    $105M damage

    What happened

    NWS meteorologists surveyed the damage in southern Tupelo and confirmed a relatively brief but strong EF1 tornado. The damage began along Nixon Drive, with minor roof and tree damage. Several roofs sustained damage along Chickasaw Trail, several trees were downed and a privacy fence was blown over near the North Mississippi Medical Center Women's Hospital. Several vehicles in this area were damaged as well. The damage intensified dramatically at the Legget and Platt warehouse, with likely failure of west-facing garage doors leading to roof uplift and collapse of most exterior walls. Damage here was rated high-end EF1, with winds estimated at 110 mph. Several semi-trailers were shifted in the back parking lot, with one being flipped. After crossing South Green Street, the Cooper Tire facility sustained considerable roof loss to several buildings, with insulation and roofing material scattered downwind. This damage was also rated EF1, with estimated winds of 100 mph. After crossing Highway 45, the damage path became weaker and slightly wider, with numerous small trees and tree limbs being damaged amid an extensive debris field from Cooper Tire. A small outbuilding was knocked...

  • TornadoEF4, 9.99 mi path, 2,640 yd wide04/12/2020

    Bassfield, Jefferson Davis County

    4 deaths, 4 injured, $20.5M damage

    What happened

    This violent, deadly tornado traveled 68 miles through parts of five counties including southeastern Jefferson Davis, central Covington, northwestern Jones, southeastern Jasper, and western Clarke counties. Locations impacted by this tornado include Bassfield, the areas between Collins and Seminary, Soso, Moss, Heidelberg, and Pachuta. This tornado is preliminarily rated EF4 with an estimated peak wind of 190 MPH east of Bassfield in southwestern Jefferson Davis County. Additional EF4 damage was noted near Soso in Jones County and at Moss in Jasper County. The maximum path width was 2.25 miles in the vicinity of Hughes Road west of Seminary in western Covington County. At this width, the tornado ranks 3rd widest in the official NOAA United States tornado database behind the El Reno, OK tornado of 2013 (2.6 mi) and the Hallam, NE tornado of 2004 (2.5 mi). This tornado now ranks as the widest on record in the state of Mississippi, surpassing the Yazoo City, MS tornado of 2010 (1.75 mi). Eight lives were lost in this tornado, and there was an undetermined number of additional injuries. Additional details on the damage path and area of most significant damage follow.|| ||The...

Flood insurance

National Flood Insurance Program policies and claims

40,942 homes in Mississippi have flood insurance, about 3.5% of residential buildings. In high-risk flood zones, 28,904 of 88,283 homes (33%) are insured.

Flood claims paid per year in Mississippi
  • Hurricane Katrina$2.5B · 19,041 claims
  • Flooding$54.9M · 5,876 claims
  • Mid-spring storms$46.4M · 948 claims
  • Hurricane Georges$45.4M · 3,186 claims
  • Hurricane Isaac$43M · 2,197 claims
  • Tropical Storm Isidore$16.4M · 1,685 claims

Drinking water

1,011 community water systems serve about 3,205,473 people

Since 2021, 262 systems reported 457 health-based violations. 85 systems had a violation of any kind still open at last report. These had the most:

  • City of JacksonServes 189,673 · Surface water · Local government20 health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
  • Moore Bayou W/A #3Serves 378 · Groundwater · Public and private14 health violations+14 monitoring or reporting
  • Town of EdwardsServes 1,980 · Groundwater · Local government11 health violations+7 monitoring or reporting
  • Traxler Water AssociationServes 855 · Groundwater · Public and private11 health violations+6 monitoring or reporting
  • Truelight Redevelopment Grp #2Serves 546 · Groundwater · Public and private9 health violations+43 monitoring or reporting
  • Ms State Penitentiary-Mn LnServes 2,500 · Groundwater · State8 health violations+9 monitoring or reporting
  • City of WaynesboroServes 4,570 · Groundwater · Local government7 health violations+12 monitoring or reporting
  • Town of FalconServes 124 · Groundwater · Local government7 health violations+11 monitoring or reporting

Select a county above to see every system that serves it.

Pollution sites

14 Superfund sites and 318 toxic release facilities

Superfund sites

All 14 in Mississippi

Largest toxic releases

All 318 in Mississippi

Facilities in Mississippi reported 50.3 million lbs of toxic releases in 2024, 14.1 million lbs of it into the air.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest natural hazard in Mississippi?
By expected annual loss, hurricane costs the most in Mississippi ($296M a year), according to FEMA's National Risk Index.
How many storms hit Mississippi each year?
NOAA recorded 35,750 storm events in Mississippi since 1996, about 1,153 a year. The most common type is thunderstorm wind.
How many hurricanes have hit Mississippi?
Mississippi has had 11 hurricane landfalls since 1851, including 4 major hurricanes of Category 3 or stronger.
How many homes in Mississippi have flood insurance?
40,942 residential flood insurance policies are in force in Mississippi. Since 1978 the National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.1B on 62,876 claims here.
How many Superfund sites are in Mississippi?
Mississippi has 14 Superfund sites on or deleted from EPA's National Priorities List.

Source: FEMA, NOAA, EPA · Last updated 08/01/2026 · Storm counts include events in forecast zones that touch each county. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.