Attala County, Mississippi
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 27.9 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 73.0 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 53.2 | $771K | ||
| Earthquake | 70.0 | $569K | ||
| Strong wind | 59.6 | $524K | ||
| Heat wave | 60.6 | $429K | ||
| Hail | 69.2 | $387K | ||
| Hurricane | 68.3 | $368K | ||
| Drought | 60.8 | $213K | ||
| Lightning | 48.1 | $157K | ||
| Ice storm | 52.1 | $68K | ||
| Winter weather | 38.3 | $31K | ||
| Wildfire | 47.5 | $30K | ||
| Landslide | 62.7 | $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
Most recent
Show all 21
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 22, 1992 | F4 | – | 12 / 0 |
| Jan 19, 1988 | F4 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Mar 11, 1963 | F4 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Jun 3, 1950 | F3 | – | 1 / 2 |
| Jan 1, 2011 | EF3 | Boyette | 2 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 2010 | Tornado | Boyette | $64M |
| Nov 22, 1992 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jan 1, 2011 | Tornado | Boyette | $5M |
| Jan 19, 1988 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jan 10, 2008 | Tornado | Ethel | $2M |
| Feb 16, 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Category 1, 80 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 29, 2005 | Katrina | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 27, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 2, 1879 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 51 mi |
| Oct 3, 1860 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 63 mi |
| Jul 6, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 59 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2021 | Ida | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 29, 2005 | Katrina | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 26, 2002 | Isidore | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 4, 1995 | Erin | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 17, 1971 | Edith | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Category 1, 80 mph | 63 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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 24 | |
| Neshoba County | 23 | |
| Yazoo County | 29 | |
| Leake County | 25 | |
| Winston County | 16 | |
| Holmes County | 28 | |
| Carroll County | 22 | |
| Montgomery County | 19 |
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.