Union County, Mississippi
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Union 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 51st of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $379 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 15 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $504,000 on 19 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Union 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.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 38.1 | $3M | ||
| Earthquake | 85.1 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 73.0 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 47.4 | $862K | ||
| Heat wave | 72.1 | $765K | ||
| Strong wind | 68.2 | $699K | ||
| Lightning | 61.5 | $270K | ||
| Hurricane | 62.0 | $192K | ||
| Hail | 29.1 | $87K | ||
| Drought | 45.4 | $78K | ||
| Ice storm | 43.3 | $48K | ||
| Wildfire | 47.3 | $31K | ||
| Winter weather | 13.6 | $8K | ||
| Landslide | 66.7 | $3K |
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 moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Union 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 303 storm reports in Union County since 1950, with 6 deaths and 35 injuries and about $33.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 21, 1984.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 1984 | F3 | – | 2 / 1 |
| Jan 21, 1959 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 17, 1965 | F3 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Mar 1, 1997 | F3 | Ingomar | 16 / 0 |
| Jan 3, 2000 | F3 | Pinedale | 4 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 1984 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Apr 5, 2025 | Tornado | Flatwood | $2M |
| May 2, 2010 | Flash Flood | Jericho | $1M |
| May 27, 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | New Albany Union Arp | $500K |
| Jan 21, 1959 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Mar 17, 1965 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 29, 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 13 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Union County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 60 mph about 58 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 30, 2005 | Katrina | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Jul 7, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 29, 1881 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 59 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2005 | Katrina | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 45 mi |
| Aug 31, 1950 | Baker | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 56 mi |
| Jun 17, 1934 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 20, 1932 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 36 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 Union 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 Union 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; 12,250 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 20 | |
| Lafayette County | 19 | |
| Marshall County | 16 | |
| Pontotoc County | 18 | |
| Prentiss County | 20 | |
| Tippah County | 18 | |
| Benton County | 15 |
Common questions about Union County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Union County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Union County, about $3.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $2.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Union County had?
Union County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.
Is Union County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 51st 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 Union County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Union 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 Union County had?
NOAA records list 27 tornadoes in Union County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 21, 1984. The weather service has also logged 103 hail reports and 31 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Union County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Union 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.