Tishomingo County, Mississippi
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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 | 30.8 | $3M | ||
| Cold wave | 72.2 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 64.4 | $2M | ||
| Earthquake | 81.3 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 67.3 | $587K | ||
| Strong wind | 35.1 | $256K | ||
| Lightning | 55.3 | $206K | ||
| Hurricane | 57.1 | $109K | ||
| Hail | 24.6 | $66K | ||
| Drought | 37.9 | $40K | ||
| Ice storm | 34.1 | $29K | ||
| Wildfire | 37.2 | $16K | ||
| Landslide | 77.1 | $8K | ||
| Winter weather | 13.8 | $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
Most recent
Show all 17
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 29, 1972 | F3 | – | 3 / 0 |
| May 13, 1976 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 4, 1988 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 23, 2019 | EF2 | Leedy | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF2 | Belmont | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 9, 2019 | Tornado | Cross Roads | $2M |
| Mar 24, 2020 | Tornado | Paden | $2M |
| Feb 23, 2019 | Tornado | Leedy | $1M |
| May 2, 2010 | Flash Flood | Eastport | $1M |
| Apr 27, 2011 | Tornado | Belmont | $500K |
| Mar 19, 2018 | Tornado | Tishomingo 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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 1979 | Frederic | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 53 mi |
| Oct 19, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 44 mi |
| Aug 30, 2005 | Katrina | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 49 mi |
| Oct 3, 1860 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 31, 1950 | Baker | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 2, 1879 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 57 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2005 | Katrina | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 49 mi |
| Sep 13, 1979 | Frederic | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 53 mi |
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 44 mi |
| Aug 31, 1950 | Baker | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Jun 17, 1934 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 19, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 44 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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale County, AL | 18 | |
| Colbert County, AL | 22 | |
| Alcorn County | 16 | |
| Franklin County, AL | 20 | |
| Hardin County, TN | 26 | |
| Prentiss County | 20 | |
| Itawamba County | 24 |
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.