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Attala County, Mississippi

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

Very Low overall risk
61st of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$8Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Attala County, Mississippi has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 66% of US counties. It ranks 61st of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $7.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $442 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 20 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $455,000 on 26 claims here.

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

Top risks in Attala County

$2.3 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
$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
$771,038 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low27.9
$2M
TornadoModerate73.0
$2M
Cold waveLow53.2
$771K
EarthquakeLow70.0
$569K
Strong windModerate59.6
$524K
Heat waveLow60.6
$429K
HailLow69.2
$387K
HurricaneLow68.3
$368K
DroughtLow60.8
$213K
LightningLow48.1
$157K
Ice stormLow52.1
$68K
Winter weatherLow38.3
$31K
WildfireVery Low47.5
$30K
LandslideLow62.7
$2K

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm8
Hurricane7
Severe Ice Storm2
Winter Storm2
Snowstorm1
Tornado1

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Aug 12, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes.Major disaster
Oct 22, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2021Hurricane IdaEmergency
May 4, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2020Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2012Tropical Storm IsaacEmergency
Apr 29, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 21
Apr 29, 2010Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor disaster
Apr 24, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsMajor disaster
Apr 17, 2001Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 23, 2001Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 25, 1999Severe Winter Storms, Ice and Freezing RainMajor disaster
Nov 25, 1992Severe Storms, High Winds & TornadoesMajor disaster
Apr 16, 1979Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency

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 455 storm reports in Attala County since 1950, with 2 deaths and 30 injuries and about $110 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on November 22, 1992.

53tornadoes
131hail reports, largest 4 inches
240damaging thunderstorm winds
30floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 22, 1992F4–12 / 0
Jan 19, 1988F4–1 / 0
Mar 11, 1963F4–2 / 0
Jun 3, 1950F3–1 / 2
Jan 1, 2011EF3Boyette2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 24, 2010TornadoBoyette$64M
Nov 22, 1992Tornado–$25M
Jan 1, 2011TornadoBoyette$5M
Jan 19, 1988Tornado–$3M
Jan 10, 2008TornadoEthel$2M
Feb 16, 2001Thunderstorm WindCountywide$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 22, 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, 1 hurricane and 18 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Attala County, 6 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with top winds near 80 mph about 63 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
18tropical storms
2021most recent: Ida

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1969CamilleCategory 1, 80 mph63 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 65 mph56 mi
Sep 27, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
Sep 2, 1879UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph51 mi
Oct 3, 1860UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph63 mi
Jul 6, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 30, 2021IdaTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 65 mph56 mi
Sep 26, 2002IsidoreTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Aug 4, 1995ErinTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Sep 17, 1971EdithTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi
Aug 18, 1969CamilleCategory 1, 80 mph63 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 Attala County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (20 policies)
13.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$455,466paid on 26 flood claims since 1978
2001costliest year, with $175,024 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 Attala County

$104,600median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1981median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
49%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
19.4%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; 8,342 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
Madison CountyModerate24
Neshoba CountyLow23
Yazoo CountyLow29
Leake CountyLow25
Winston CountyVery Low16
Holmes CountyLow28
Carroll CountyVery Low22
Montgomery CountyVery Low19

Common questions about Attala County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Attala County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Attala County, about $2.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2 million.

How many federal disasters has Attala County had?

Attala County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Attala County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 61st 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 Attala County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Attala 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 Attala County had?

NOAA records list 53 tornadoes in Attala County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on November 22, 1992. The weather service has also logged 131 hail reports and 30 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Attala County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 18 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Attala County. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with winds near 80 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.