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Alcorn County, Mississippi

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
24th of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$19Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Alcorn County, Mississippi has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 65% of US counties. It ranks 24th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $19 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $540 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (59 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.3 million on 67 claims here, including $3.4 million for floods in 2010.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Alcorn County

$5.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$4.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • 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.
$3.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 215 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow51.6
$5M
TornadoModerate87.5
$5M
EarthquakeLow89.8
$4M
Cold waveModerate81.2
$3M
Heat waveLow74.9
$877K
Strong windLow43.3
$345K
LightningModerate62.0
$275K
HurricaneVery Low57.6
$119K
HailVery Low31.3
$97K
DroughtLow45.2
$77K
Ice stormLow37.4
$36K
WildfireVery Low44.3
$26K
Winter weatherVery Low16.7
$11K
LandslideLow64.8
$3K

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 relatively high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Alcorn County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm9
Hurricane4
Winter Storm2
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 22, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2021Hurricane IdaEmergency
Dec 6, 2019Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 29, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
May 14, 2010Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Show all 16
Feb 23, 2001Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 18, 1994Severe Winter Storm, Freeezing Rain and SleetMajor disaster
May 17, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Mar 27, 1973Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

Mississippi also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 303 storm reports in Alcorn County since 1953, with 5 deaths and 94 injuries and about $12.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 19, 1970.

25tornadoes
85hail reports, largest 3 inches
147damaging thunderstorm winds
39floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 19, 1970F4–78 / 4
Nov 10, 1966F3–4 / 0
May 24, 1971F3–5 / 0
Nov 27, 1973F2–0 / 0
Apr 8, 1980F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 2, 2010Flash FloodLone Pine$5M
Apr 19, 1970Tornado–$3M
Oct 13, 2001Flash FloodCountywide$1M
Apr 3, 2025TornadoAllentown$900K
Nov 10, 1966Tornado–$250K
May 24, 1971Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 1, 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 1860, 0 hurricanes and 9 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Alcorn County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 60 mph about 54 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
9tropical storms
2005most recent: Katrina

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph54 mi
Sep 13, 1979FredericTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Aug 30, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 45 mph54 mi
Oct 19, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph47 mi
Oct 3, 1860UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 45 mph55 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 30, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 45 mph54 mi
Sep 13, 1979FredericTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph53 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 45 mph55 mi
Jun 17, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph50 mi
Oct 19, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph47 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 Alcorn County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (59 policies)
8.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$4.3 millionpaid on 67 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $3.4 million paid

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 Alcorn County

$142,100median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1981median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
48%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
16.9%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 16,283 housing units.

Compare in Mississippi

All 82 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Hinds CountyModerateInland flooding
Harrison CountyHighHurricane
DeSoto CountyModerateEarthquake
Rankin CountyModerateInland flooding
Jackson CountyModerateHurricane
Madison CountyModerateInland flooding
Lee CountyModerateInland flooding
Forrest CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Hardin County, TNLow26
McNairy County, TNLow19
Prentiss CountyLow20
Hardeman County, TNLow16
Tippah CountyLow18
Tishomingo CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Alcorn County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Alcorn County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Alcorn County, about $5.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $4.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Alcorn County had?

Alcorn County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Alcorn County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 24th 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 Alcorn County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Alcorn 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 Alcorn County had?

NOAA records list 25 tornadoes in Alcorn County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 19, 1970. The weather service has also logged 85 hail reports and 39 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Alcorn County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 9 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Alcorn County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 60 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.