Coahoma County, Mississippi
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Coahoma County, Mississippi has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 62% of US counties. It ranks 28th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $703 per resident. Since 1973 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). About 1 in 83 homes here carry federal flood insurance (107 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $6.8 million on 333 claims here, including $3.3 million for floods in 2016.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Coahoma 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.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 46.3 | $4M | ||
| Earthquake | 90.7 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 86.6 | $4M | ||
| Heat wave | 78.3 | $908K | ||
| Strong wind | 76.3 | $758K | ||
| Drought | 80.1 | $615K | ||
| Cold wave | 49.0 | $598K | ||
| Hail | 63.8 | $284K | ||
| Lightning | 47.1 | $138K | ||
| Hurricane | 59.7 | $131K | ||
| Ice storm | 42.1 | $39K | ||
| Winter weather | 20.7 | $12K | ||
| Wildfire | 10.5 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 27.6 | $164 |
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 high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Coahoma 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 1953
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 247 storm reports in Coahoma County since 1953, with 10 deaths and 67 injuries and about $40.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 29, 1963.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 1963 | F3 | – | 10 / 5 |
| Dec 23, 2015 | EF3 | Africa | 19 / 2 |
| Apr 24, 1976 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Dec 21, 2013 | EF2 | Rena Lara | 2 / 1 |
| May 12, 1978 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 1978 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| May 25, 1996 | Hail | Friars Pt | $3M |
| May 2, 1984 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jul 30, 2009 | Tornado | Hillhouse | $2M |
| Dec 21, 2013 | Tornado | Rena Lara | $1M |
| Mar 10, 2016 | Flood | Clarksdale | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Sep 22, 2025. 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 12 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Coahoma County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 70 mph about 53 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 53 mi |
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 21, 1909 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 56 mi |
| Oct 16, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 50 mi |
| Jul 7, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 64 mi |
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 50 mi |
| Jun 17, 1934 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 20, 1932 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 2, 1932 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 16, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 50 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 Coahoma 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 Coahoma 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; 10,189 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bolivar County | 22 | |
| Sunflower County | 20 | |
| Phillips County, AR | 16 | |
| Tallahatchie County | 25 | |
| Tunica County | 16 | |
| Quitman County | 20 |
Common questions about Coahoma County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Coahoma County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Coahoma County, about $3.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $3.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Coahoma County had?
Coahoma County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.
Is Coahoma County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 28th 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 Coahoma County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 83 homes in Coahoma 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 Coahoma County had?
NOAA records list 29 tornadoes in Coahoma County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 29, 1963. The weather service has also logged 61 hail reports and 20 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Coahoma County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Coahoma County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 70 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.