Forrest County, MS Environment & Hazard Risk

• TornadoRelatively High$7.8M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• Strong windRelatively High$1.9M/yr expected annual loss, about 2.6 events a year
• HurricaneRelatively Moderate$7.1M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 5 years
• LightningRelatively High$1M/yr expected annual loss, about 82 events a year
• Heat waveRelatively Moderate$1.6M/yr expected annual loss, about 12 events a year
• WildfireRelatively Low$414K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 231 years
• HailRelatively Moderate$681K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.2 events a year
• EarthquakeRelatively Low$629K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 837 years
• Ice stormRelatively Moderate$130K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$83.2K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.6 events a year
• LandslideVery Low$1,328/yr expected annual loss, about once every 5 years
• Cold waveRelatively Low$639K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• DroughtRelatively Low$71.5K/yr expected annual loss, about 15 events a year

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

469 of 25,943 (1.8%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

2,061

Insured in high-risk zones

353 (17%)

Flood claims since 1978

1,755

Claims paid since 1978

$12.8M

• Thunderstorm Wind297 · 2 deaths
• Hail159
• Flash Flood141 · 1 death
• Tornado33 · 4 deaths
• Lightning26 · 2 deaths
• Strong Wind15 · 1 death
• Tropical Storm11
• Drought11
• Heavy Snow5
• Funnel Cloud5

• Hurricane (Typhoon)08/29/2005

  Forrest

  $840M damage

  What happened

  Hurricane Katrina will likely go down as the worst and costliest natural disaster in United States history. The amount of destruction, the cost of damaged property/agriculture and the large loss of life across the affected region has been overwhelming. Catastrophic damage was widespread across a large portion of the Gulf Coast region. The devastation was not only confined to the coastal region, widespread and significant damage occurred well inland up to the Hattiesburg area and northward past Interstate 20. This hurricane has changed life as we know it across the Gulf Coast region which will take many years to return to normal.Hurricane Katrina was a very large and powerful storm which set several unfortunate records. This storm began as Tropical Depression 12 during the late afternoon and evening of August 23rd. The storm slowly moved northwest, became more organized, and was upgraded to Tropical Storm during the late morning of August 24th as it moved across the Central Bahamas. The Tropical Storm continued to become better organized as it moved slowly west toward Southern Florida. Katrina became a Category 1 Hurricane late in the afternoon on August 25th just before moving...

• 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...

• TornadoEF3, 12.3 mi path, 1,320 yd wide02/11/2013

  Hattiesburg, Forrest County

  63 injured, $25M damage

  What happened

  The tornado started along Highway 589, where some limbs and small trees were blown down. It became intense rather quickly, producing significant damage as it moved through the West Lake Serene area. The tornado reached its maximum intensity in the area around and just southwest of Oak Grove High School where maximum winds were estimated at 170 mph, which is EF-4 strength. There was a brick home in a subdivision southwest of the high school, just west of old Highway 11, that was completely leveled with all interior and exterior walls down, and a fair amount of large debris was blown downstream. Additionally, very high end timber damage occurred in this location with a number of trees showing debarking and denuding. Several other homes in this subdivision also sustained EF-2 to EF-3 damage. As the tornado crossed old Highway 11, it produced extensive damage on the campus of Oak Grove High School. The field house adjoining the football stadium was destroyed, the baseball stadium and a large metal building adjoining the stadium were essentially destroyed, and several large steel/concrete light standards were snapped at both the baseball and football stadiums. A vehicle was thrown...

• Thunderstorm Wind06/06/1998

  Hattiesburg, Forrest County

  2 deaths, 45 injured, $1M damage

  What happened

  Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across the city of Hattiesburg blocking many of the roads and highways. Winds heavily damaged twenty-five homes and twenty-five mobile homes. Forty-five people were injured and two people were killed. The two fatalities were both in automobiles which ran into falling trees or the trees fell on them.

• TornadoEF1, 1.09 mi path, 100 yd wide03/04/2008

  Mc Laurin, Forrest County

  14 injured, $1.5M damage

  What happened

  This tornado touched down at Camp Shelby and snapped or uprooted numerous trees, and downed several power lines along the short path. Twelve buildings, mostly barracks, were damaged. Several buildings had the roofs severely damaged with one roof nearly completely torn off. Several walls of the barrack buildings collapsed where the roof support was lost. A hummer was turned over and windows were blown out of several other vehicles. Maximum wind speed was 110 mph.

• Excessive Heat08/11/2023

  Forrest

  1 death, 2 injured

  What happened

  On August 11th, a soldier training at Camp Shelby died from heat exposure after a 2 mile run. Another soldier was injured from the heat on August 12th. The ASOS site KHBG at Hattiesburg - Bobby Chain Airport measured a maximum temperature of 104 degrees on the 11th and 105 degrees on the 12th. Peak heat index values were near 110 degrees on both days.

• City of HattiesburgServes 43,449 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+4 monitoring or reporting
• City of PetalServes 9,509 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+6 monitoring or reporting
• Barrontown W/AServes 7,999 · Groundwater · Public and privateNo health violations
• Sunrise Utility Assn INCServes 6,067 · Groundwater · Public and privateNo health violations+4 monitoring or reporting
• Dixie Community Utility Assn.Serves 5,840 · Groundwater · Public and privateNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Glendale Utility DistrictServes 4,477 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Rawls Springs Utility DistrictServes 3,168 · Groundwater · Public and privateNo health violations+5 monitoring or reporting
• Eastabuchie Water AssociationServes 2,363 · Groundwater · Public and private1 health violation+5 monitoring or reporting