Stone County, Mississippi
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Stone County, Mississippi has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 39th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $686 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (Tropical Storm Arthur). Only 26 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.8 million on 55 claims here, including $1.3 million for floods in 2026.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Stone County
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 91.1 | $7M | ||
| Inland flooding | 26.7 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 54.7 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 84.3 | $482K | ||
| Lightning | 75.3 | $447K | ||
| Drought | 68.1 | $344K | ||
| Heat wave | 52.1 | $305K | ||
| Strong wind | 38.3 | $291K | ||
| Cold wave | 26.9 | $267K | ||
| Hail | 37.6 | $120K | ||
| Earthquake | 34.6 | $79K | ||
| Ice storm | 28.4 | $21K | ||
| Winter weather | 16.4 | $10K | ||
| Landslide | 31.3 | $252 |
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 Stone County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 29
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 193 storm reports in Stone County since 1953, with 1 death and 19 injuries and about $1.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 4, 1953.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 1953 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 3, 1968 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Dec 25, 2012 | EF2 | Dean Griffin Mem Arp | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 2, 1985 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 4, 2011 | EF1 | Ten Mile | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 1985 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 22, 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wiggins | $100K |
| Sep 4, 2011 | Tornado | Ten Mile | $100K |
| Jul 24, 2017 | Flash Flood | Bond | $100K |
| Sep 30, 2012 | Tornado | Perry | $60K |
| Mar 7, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wiggins | $50K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 11, 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, 20 hurricanes and 33 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Stone County, 18 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with top winds near 175 mph about 38 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Category 5, 175 mph | 38 mi |
| Aug 29, 2005 | Katrina | Category 3, 125 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 13, 1979 | Frederic | Category 3, 120 mph | 63 mi |
| Jul 5, 1916 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 16, 1855 | Unnamed | Category 3, 120 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 2, 1985 | Elena | Category 3, 115 mph | 57 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 19, 2021 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 28, 2020 | Zeta | Category 2, 100 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 5, 2018 | Gordon | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 8, 2017 | Nate | Category 1, 80 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 29, 2005 | Katrina | Category 3, 125 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 6, 2005 | Cindy | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 64 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 Stone 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 Stone 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; 7,670 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Harrison County | 35 | |
| Jackson County | 34 | |
| Forrest County | 30 | |
| Pearl River County | 35 | |
| Hancock County | 31 | |
| George County | 32 | |
| Perry County | 31 |
Common questions about Stone County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Stone County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Stone County, about $6.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Stone County had?
Stone County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Tropical Storm Arthur in August 2026.
Is Stone County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 39th 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 Stone County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Stone 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 Stone County had?
NOAA records list 22 tornadoes in Stone County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 4, 1953. The weather service has also logged 32 hail reports and 46 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Stone County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 20 hurricanes and 33 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Stone County, including 8 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with winds near 175 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.