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Warren County, Mississippi

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
6th of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$43Mexpected losses a year
31federal declarations
1 in 59homes with flood insurance
Photo: Aleatoric Consonance, CC BY 2.0

Warren County, Mississippi has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 86% of US counties. It ranks 6th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $43 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $952 per resident. Since 1971 it has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (23 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 59 homes here carry federal flood insurance (321 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $36 million on 2,690 claims here.

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

Top risks in Warren County

Drought

Very High
$15.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 14 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$10.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • 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.
$5.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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
DroughtVery High99.5
$15M
Inland floodingLow72.8
$10M
TornadoHigh91.7
$6M
HailHigh98.0
$4M
Heat waveModerate87.8
$2M
Strong windHigh89.9
$1M
Cold waveModerate67.3
$1M
EarthquakeLow74.3
$763K
HurricaneLow74.1
$607K
LightningModerate77.7
$458K
Ice stormModerate78.7
$257K
LandslideLow84.9
$21K
WildfireVery Low39.4
$18K
Winter weatherVery Low20.8
$13K

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 very high and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Warren County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm14
Hurricane7
Flood4
Severe Ice Storm2
Winter Storm2
Tornado1

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Aug 12, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes.Major disaster
Oct 22, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2021Hurricane IdaEmergency
May 4, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Oct 8, 2020Hurricane DeltaEmergency
Apr 23, 2020Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jun 20, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 31
Apr 30, 2014Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
May 11, 2011FloodingMajor disaster
May 4, 2011FloodingEmergency
Apr 29, 2010Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
May 8, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Apr 24, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsMajor disaster
Jan 25, 1999Severe Winter Storms, Ice and Freezing RainMajor disaster
Jun 13, 1997FloodingMajor disaster
May 17, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 3, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 1, 1983Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 16, 1979Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsMajor disaster
Apr 14, 1979Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsEmergency
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Apr 4, 1975Heavy Rains & FloodingEmergency
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 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 733 storm reports in Warren County since 1951, with 41 deaths and 342 injuries and about $219 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F5 tornado on December 5, 1953.

71tornadoes
135hail reports, largest 4 inches
444damaging thunderstorm winds
72floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 5, 1953F5–270 / 38
Feb 21, 1971F4–28 / 2
Dec 2, 1967F3–3 / 0
Nov 26, 1988F2–0 / 0
Apr 24, 2010EF2Brunswick2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 18, 2013HailNational Cemetery$75M
Mar 18, 2013HailFloweree$50M
Dec 5, 1953Tornado–$25M
Mar 13, 2005HailVicksburg$20M
Apr 6, 2003Flash FloodVicksburg$10M
Sep 3, 2008Flash FloodYoungton$4M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 22, 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, 3 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Warren County, 12 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with top winds near 85 mph about 61 miles away.

3hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
22tropical storms
2021most recent: Ida

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1969CamilleCategory 1, 85 mph61 mi
Sep 21, 1909UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph52 mi
Aug 20, 1888UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Sep 2, 1879UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Oct 3, 1860UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph55 mi
Sep 2, 1985ElenaTropical storm, 60 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 30, 2021IdaTropical storm, 45 mph59 mi
Oct 10, 2020DeltaTropical storm, 50 mph62 mi
Oct 4, 2002LiliTropical storm, 45 mph59 mi
Sep 26, 2002IsidoreTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Aug 26, 1992AndrewTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi
Sep 2, 1985ElenaTropical storm, 60 mph64 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 Warren County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (321 policies)
17.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$35.6 millionpaid on 2,690 flood claims since 1978
2011costliest year, with $5.5 million 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 Warren County

$156,400median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
53%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
18.6%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; 21,566 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
Hinds CountyModerate24
Yazoo CountyLow29
Madison Parish, LAVery Low31
Claiborne CountyVery Low27
East Carroll Parish, LAVery Low30
Tensas Parish, LAVery Low27
Issaquena CountyVery Low25

Common questions about Warren County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Warren County?

Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Warren County, about $15.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $10.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Warren County had?

Warren County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1971, including 23 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Warren County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 6th 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 Warren County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 59 homes in Warren 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 Warren County had?

NOAA records list 71 tornadoes in Warren County since 1950. The strongest was an F5 tornado on December 5, 1953. The weather service has also logged 135 hail reports and 72 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Warren County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 3 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Warren County. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with winds near 85 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.