Adams County, Mississippi
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Adams County, Mississippi has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 57% of US counties. It ranks 33rd of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $425 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 33 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.4 million on 187 claims here, including $474,000 for floods in 2011.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Adams County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 59.0 | $6M | ||
| Tornado | 82.1 | $3M | ||
| Heat wave | 84.8 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 56.1 | $770K | ||
| Hurricane | 75.2 | $657K | ||
| Strong wind | 61.2 | $488K | ||
| Hail | 71.3 | $382K | ||
| Earthquake | 47.2 | $153K | ||
| Lightning | 49.8 | $149K | ||
| Ice storm | 64.1 | $104K | ||
| Drought | 48.0 | $81K | ||
| Wildfire | 41.1 | $18K | ||
| Winter weather | 15.5 | $8K | ||
| Landslide | 72.4 | $5K |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very high and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Adams County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 25
Mississippi also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1950
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 386 storm reports in Adams County since 1950, with 2 deaths and 54 injuries and about $52.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on November 1, 2018 near Natchez.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2018 | EF2 | Natchez | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 2017 | EF2 | Linwood | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 20, 2013 | EF2 | Kingston | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 29, 1976 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 3, 1982 | F2 | – | 40 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26, 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Natchez | $30M |
| Sep 2, 2008 | Flash Flood | Sibley | $6M |
| May 3, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Natchez | $3M |
| Mar 17, 1987 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Dec 9, 2008 | Tornado | Natchez | $3M |
| Aug 18, 2010 | Flash Flood | Sibley | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 23, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1856, 6 hurricanes and 25 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Adams County, 14 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1909, with top winds near 95 mph about 51 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 1909 | Unnamed | Category 2, 95 mph | 51 mi |
| Aug 20, 1888 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 1, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 2, 1860 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 10, 1965 | Betsy | Category 1, 75 mph | 58 mi |
| Jun 16, 1934 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 54 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2021 | Ida | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 10, 2020 | Delta | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 61 mi |
| Jun 8, 2020 | Cristobal | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 30, 2012 | Isaac | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 3, 2002 | Lili | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 26, 1992 | Andrew | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 61 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Adams County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Adams County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 14,928 housing units.
Compare in Mississippi
All 82 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Hinds County | Inland flooding | |
| Harrison County | Hurricane | |
| DeSoto County | Earthquake | |
| Rankin County | Inland flooding | |
| Jackson County | Hurricane | |
| Madison County | Inland flooding | |
| Lee County | Inland flooding | |
| Forrest County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Concordia Parish, LA | 35 | |
| Wilkinson County | 30 | |
| Franklin County | 23 | |
| Jefferson County | 24 | |
| Tensas Parish, LA | 27 |
Common questions about Adams County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Adams County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Adams County, about $5.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Adams County had?
Adams County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.
Is Adams County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 33rd highest of 82 in Mississippi. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Adams County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Adams County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Adams County had?
NOAA records list 20 tornadoes in Adams County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on November 1, 2018 near Natchez. The weather service has also logged 75 hail reports and 44 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Adams County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 6 hurricanes and 25 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Adams County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1909, with winds near 95 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.