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Yalobusha County, Mississippi

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

Very Low overall risk
71st of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$5Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Yalobusha County, Mississippi has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 80% of US counties. It ranks 71st of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $5.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $438 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 11 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $364,000 on 39 claims here.

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

Top risks in Yalobusha County

$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$920,659 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.
$676,463 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 275 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low19.1
$2M
TornadoLow49.2
$921K
EarthquakeLow71.7
$676K
Cold waveLow47.6
$655K
LightningModerate79.7
$543K
Heat waveLow57.8
$405K
Strong windLow24.4
$175K
HailLow37.5
$123K
HurricaneVery Low54.0
$83K
DroughtLow44.8
$76K
WildfireVery Low39.2
$19K
Ice stormVery Low25.3
$18K
Winter weatherVery Low3.9
$2K
LandslideVery Low56.0
$2K

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 Yalobusha County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm6
Hurricane4
Tornado3
Winter Storm2
Snowstorm1
Flood1

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 22, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2021Hurricane IdaEmergency
Apr 16, 2020Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Feb 23, 2001Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 25, 1999Severe Winter Storms, Ice and Freezing RainMajor disaster
Show all 18
Feb 18, 1994Severe Winter Storm, Freeezing Rain and SleetMajor disaster
Mar 20, 1992Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster
May 17, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1984TornadoesMajor 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 1962

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 181 storm reports in Yalobusha County since 1962, with 8 deaths and 67 injuries and about $26.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 21, 1984.

10tornadoes
56hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
96damaging thunderstorm winds
13floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 21, 1984F3–65 / 7
Apr 21, 1984F2–0 / 0
Dec 27, 1988F2–0 / 0
Jan 3, 2000F2Water Vly0 / 0
Mar 12, 1975F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 21, 1984Tornado–$25M
Oct 25, 1997HailCoffeeville$525K
Apr 21, 1984Tornado–$250K
Dec 27, 1988Tornado–$250K
Jun 8, 2021Flash FloodWater Vly$200K
Jan 3, 2000TornadoWater Vly$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 28, 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 14 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Yalobusha County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 65 mph about 54 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
14tropical storms
2005most recent: Katrina

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 20, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph54 mi
Aug 18, 1969CamilleTropical storm, 60 mph63 mi
Aug 30, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Sep 28, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Oct 3, 1860UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph55 mi
Jul 7, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 30, 2005KatrinaTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Aug 18, 1969CamilleTropical storm, 60 mph63 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 45 mph47 mi
Jun 17, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi
Sep 20, 1932UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph52 mi
Sep 2, 1932UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph59 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 Yalobusha County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (11 policies)
7.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$363,829paid on 39 flood claims since 1978
1984costliest year, with $173,731 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 Yalobusha County

$122,300median 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
23.8%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; 6,504 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
Lafayette CountyLow19
Panola CountyLow24
Grenada CountyLow25
Calhoun CountyVery Low20
Tallahatchie CountyVery Low25

Common questions about Yalobusha County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Yalobusha County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Yalobusha County, about $1.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $920,659.

How many federal disasters has Yalobusha County had?

Yalobusha 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 Yalobusha County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 71st 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 Yalobusha County?

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

NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Yalobusha County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 21, 1984. The weather service has also logged 56 hail reports and 13 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Yalobusha County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Yalobusha County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 65 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.