Yalobusha County, Mississippi
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 19.1 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 49.2 | $921K | ||
| Earthquake | 71.7 | $676K | ||
| Cold wave | 47.6 | $655K | ||
| Lightning | 79.7 | $543K | ||
| Heat wave | 57.8 | $405K | ||
| Strong wind | 24.4 | $175K | ||
| Hail | 37.5 | $123K | ||
| Hurricane | 54.0 | $83K | ||
| Drought | 44.8 | $76K | ||
| Wildfire | 39.2 | $19K | ||
| Ice storm | 25.3 | $18K | ||
| Winter weather | 3.9 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 56.0 | $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
Most recent
Show all 18
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 1984 | F3 | – | 65 / 7 |
| Apr 21, 1984 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 27, 1988 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 3, 2000 | F2 | Water Vly | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 12, 1975 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 1984 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Oct 25, 1997 | Hail | Coffeeville | $525K |
| Apr 21, 1984 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Dec 27, 1988 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 8, 2021 | Flash Flood | Water Vly | $200K |
| Jan 3, 2000 | Tornado | Water 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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 54 mi |
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 30, 2005 | Katrina | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 3, 1860 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 55 mi |
| Jul 7, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 64 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2005 | Katrina | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 47 mi |
| Jun 17, 1934 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 20, 1932 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 2, 1932 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 59 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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lafayette County | 19 | |
| Panola County | 24 | |
| Grenada County | 25 | |
| Calhoun County | 20 | |
| Tallahatchie County | 25 |
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.