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Tippah County, Mississippi

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

Relatively Low overall risk
50th of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$10Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: aidankinser, public domain

Tippah County, Mississippi has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 56% of US counties. It ranks 50th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are tornadoes, earthquakes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $464 per resident. Since 1971 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 5 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Tippah County

Tornado

Moderate
$2.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$2.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 210 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$2.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 years.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
TornadoModerate78.6
$3M
EarthquakeLow86.6
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low26.0
$2M
Cold waveModerate69.4
$2M
Heat waveLow66.1
$560K
Strong windLow36.2
$265K
LightningLow51.6
$180K
HurricaneLow59.2
$138K
DroughtLow46.1
$80K
HailVery Low26.5
$73K
WildfireVery Low51.0
$37K
Ice stormLow31.0
$25K
LandslideLow74.7
$6K
Winter weatherVery Low9.9
$5K

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 Tippah County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm10
Hurricane4
Winter Storm2
Tornado1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 22, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2021Hurricane IdaEmergency
Dec 6, 2019Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 4, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 29, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
May 14, 2010Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Show all 18
Dec 7, 2001Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 23, 2001Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 18, 1994Severe Winter Storm, Freeezing Rain and SleetMajor disaster
May 17, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Mar 27, 1973Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1971Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 227 storm reports in Tippah County since 1956, with 1 death and 14 injuries and about $7.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on December 23, 2015 near Tiplersville.

23tornadoes
69hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
111damaging thunderstorm winds
19floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 23, 2015EF4Tiplersville5 / 1
Apr 19, 1970F4–0 / 0
May 2, 2010EF3Tiplersville0 / 0
Sep 29, 1972F3–0 / 0
Mar 22, 1991F3–3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 23, 2015TornadoTiplersville$3M
May 1, 2010Flash FloodFalkner$750K
May 2, 2010Flash FloodRipley Arpt$750K
May 2, 2010TornadoTiplersville$500K
Feb 16, 2023TornadoRipley Arpt$500K
Apr 2, 2025TornadoBrownfield$300K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 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, 0 hurricanes and 11 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Tippah County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 60 mph about 50 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
11tropical storms
2005most recent: Katrina

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph50 mi
Aug 30, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 50 mph65 mi
Oct 19, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Sep 28, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Aug 29, 1881UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Oct 3, 1860UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 30, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 50 mph65 mi
Aug 18, 1969CamilleTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 45 mph59 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 45 mph53 mi
Jun 17, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi
Sep 20, 1932UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph50 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 Tippah County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (5 policies)
2.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$36,752paid on 7 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $24,136 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 Tippah County

$124,100median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1985median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
44%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
18.1%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; 9,959 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
Alcorn CountyLow16
Union CountyLow17
Prentiss CountyLow20
Hardeman County, TNLow16
Benton CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Tippah County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Tippah County?

Tornado has the highest expected yearly losses in Tippah County, about $2.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $2.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Tippah County had?

Tippah County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1971, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Tippah County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 50th 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 Tippah County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Tippah 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 Tippah County had?

NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Tippah County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on December 23, 2015 near Tiplersville. The weather service has also logged 69 hail reports and 19 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Tippah County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 11 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Tippah County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 60 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.