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Greene County, Mississippi

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

Very Low overall risk
53rd of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$9Mexpected losses a year
31federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Greene County, Mississippi has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 58% of US counties. It ranks 53rd of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $9.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $699 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (22 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (Tropical Storm Arthur). Only 32 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $651,000 on 45 claims here.

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

Top risks in Greene County

Hurricane

Moderate
$3.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
$3.2 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneModerate87.5
$4M
Inland floodingLow38.3
$3M
TornadoLow56.9
$1M
Cold waveLow32.4
$334K
Heat waveLow48.2
$244K
Strong windLow30.7
$211K
LightningLow50.8
$169K
WildfireLow73.3
$159K
HailLow34.3
$100K
EarthquakeVery Low31.0
$61K
DroughtLow36.2
$33K
Ice stormVery Low25.4
$17K
Winter weatherVery Low17.5
$11K
LandslideVery Low47.2
$814

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 very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane18
Severe Storm7
Flood2
Winter Storm2
Snowstorm1
Tropical Storm1

Most recent

Aug 3, 2026Tropical Storm ArthurMajor disaster
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
Dec 31, 2020Hurricane ZetaMajor disaster
Oct 28, 2020Hurricane ZetaEmergency
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Aug 23, 2020Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm LauraEmergency
Show all 31
Feb 14, 2019Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoMajor disaster
Nov 22, 2017Hurricane NateMajor disaster
Mar 25, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 13, 2013Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2012Tropical Storm IsaacEmergency
Apr 29, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
May 12, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Oct 1, 2002Tropical Storm IsidoreMajor disaster
Oct 1, 1998Hurricane GeorgesMajor disaster
Sep 28, 1998Hurricane GeorgesEmergency
Feb 28, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 16, 1983Severe Storms, Flooding & TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 13, 1979Hurricane FredericMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Apr 18, 1974Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 18, 1969Hurricane CamilleMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 205 storm reports in Greene County since 1958, with 1 death and 32 injuries and about $18.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on April 15, 2011 near Leakesville.

29tornadoes
55hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
87damaging thunderstorm winds
31floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 15, 2011EF3Leakesville25 / 1
Mar 20, 1983F3–0 / 0
Feb 26, 1958F3–0 / 0
Feb 19, 1996F2Richton4 / 0
Feb 12, 1971F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 15, 2011TornadoLeakesville$11M
Mar 20, 1983Tornado–$3M
Jun 5, 1998Thunderstorm WindCountywide$2M
Nov 15, 2006TornadoAvera$750K
Apr 4, 2011TornadoAvera$500K
Dec 27, 2018Flash FloodSand Hill$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 7, 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 1852, 19 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Greene County, 16 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with top winds near 125 mph about 63 miles away.

19hurricanes
5major hurricanes (Category 3+)
31tropical storms
2021most recent: Claudette

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1969CamilleCategory 3, 125 mph63 mi
Jul 5, 1916UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph64 mi
Sep 13, 1979FredericCategory 3, 115 mph57 mi
Aug 12, 1860UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph63 mi
Aug 26, 1852UnnamedCategory 3, 110 mph61 mi
Sep 27, 1906UnnamedCategory 2, 110 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jun 19, 2021ClaudetteTropical storm, 40 mph57 mi
Oct 29, 2020ZetaCategory 1, 90 mph29 mi
Sep 5, 2018GordonTropical storm, 70 mph64 mi
Oct 8, 2017NateCategory 1, 75 mph60 mi
Aug 29, 2005KatrinaCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Jul 10, 2005DennisTropical storm, 65 mph62 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 Greene County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (32 policies)
3.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$651,043paid on 45 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $135,033 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 Greene County

$92,700median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1987median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
38%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
34.9%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; 5,190 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
Mobile County, ALHigh39
George CountyLow32
Wayne CountyLow30
Washington County, ALLow25
Perry CountyVery Low31

Common questions about Greene County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Greene County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Greene County, about $3.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Greene County had?

Greene County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 22 major disasters. The most recent was Tropical Storm Arthur in August 2026.

Is Greene County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 53rd 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 Greene County?

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

NOAA records list 29 tornadoes in Greene County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on April 15, 2011 near Leakesville. The weather service has also logged 55 hail reports and 31 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Greene County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 19 hurricanes and 31 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Greene County, including 5 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with winds near 125 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.