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Tishomingo County, Mississippi

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

Very Low overall risk
58th of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$9Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Tishomingo County, Mississippi has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 63% of US counties. It ranks 58th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $8.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $453 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 16 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $269,000 on 18 claims here.

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

Top risks in Tishomingo County

$2.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$1.5 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low30.8
$3M
Cold waveModerate72.2
$2M
TornadoLow64.4
$2M
EarthquakeLow81.3
$1M
Heat waveLow67.3
$587K
Strong windLow35.1
$256K
LightningLow55.3
$206K
HurricaneVery Low57.1
$109K
HailVery Low24.6
$66K
DroughtLow37.9
$40K
Ice stormLow34.1
$29K
WildfireVery Low37.2
$16K
LandslideLow77.1
$8K
Winter weatherVery Low13.8
$8K

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 Tishomingo County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm8
Hurricane4
Winter Storm2
Snowstorm1
Flood1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 22, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2021Hurricane IdaEmergency
Mar 12, 2020Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, 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 17
Feb 23, 2001Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 25, 1999Severe Winter Storms, Ice and Freezing RainMajor disaster
Feb 18, 1994Severe Winter Storm, Freeezing Rain and SleetMajor disaster
May 17, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Mar 27, 1973Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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 307 storm reports in Tishomingo County since 1950, with 3 deaths and 9 injuries and about $11.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on September 29, 1972.

28tornadoes
76hail reports, largest 3 inches
174damaging thunderstorm winds
22floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 29, 1972F3–3 / 0
May 13, 1976F3–0 / 0
Nov 4, 1988F3–0 / 0
Feb 23, 2019EF2Leedy0 / 0
Apr 27, 2011EF2Belmont1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 9, 2019TornadoCross Roads$2M
Mar 24, 2020TornadoPaden$2M
Feb 23, 2019TornadoLeedy$1M
May 2, 2010Flash FloodEastport$1M
Apr 27, 2011TornadoBelmont$500K
Mar 19, 2018TornadoTishomingo Co Arpt$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 25, 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 8 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Tishomingo County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Frederic (1979), with top winds near 50 mph about 53 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
8tropical storms
2005most recent: Katrina

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 1979FredericTropical storm, 50 mph53 mi
Oct 19, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph44 mi
Aug 30, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 45 mph49 mi
Oct 3, 1860UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph60 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi
Sep 2, 1879UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph57 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 30, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 45 mph49 mi
Sep 13, 1979FredericTropical storm, 50 mph53 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 40 mph44 mi
Aug 31, 1950BakerTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi
Jun 17, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi
Oct 19, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph44 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 Tishomingo County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (16 policies)
5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$269,386paid on 18 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $119,748 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 Tishomingo County

$145,100median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1981median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
49%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
12.9%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; 10,577 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
Lauderdale County, ALModerate18
Colbert County, ALLow22
Alcorn CountyLow16
Franklin County, ALLow20
Hardin County, TNLow26
Prentiss CountyLow20
Itawamba CountyLow24

Common questions about Tishomingo County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Tishomingo County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Tishomingo County, about $2.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Tishomingo County had?

Tishomingo County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Tishomingo County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 58th 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 Tishomingo County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Tishomingo 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 Tishomingo County had?

NOAA records list 28 tornadoes in Tishomingo County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on September 29, 1972. The weather service has also logged 76 hail reports and 22 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Tishomingo County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Tishomingo County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Frederic (1979), with winds near 50 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.