Louisiana and Mississippi compared
Since 1996, NOAA recorded 25,459 storm events in Louisiana and 35,448 in Mississippi; per 1,000 square miles that is 589 against 755. FEMA has declared 111 disasters in Louisiana and 99 in Mississippi since 1953.
Side by side
| Measure | Louisiana | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| FEMA declarations for natural disasters since 1953 | 105 | 95 |
| Of which major disasters | 76 | 76 |
| Tornadoes since 1950 (SPC) | 2,503 | 2,883 |
| Storm records since 1996 | 25,459 | 35,448 |
| Storm records per 1,000 sq mi | 589 | 755 |
| Storm deaths since 1996 | 1,189 | 538 |
| Storm deaths per million people | 256 | 182 |
| Storm damage since 1996, 2025 dollars | $100.6B | $45.6B |
| FEMA expected annual loss per person | $720 | $555 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996 to 2026-06-30; FEMA OpenFEMA; FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025) for population and expected annual loss; land area from the Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. Search the record at NCEI.
Hazard by hazard
| Hazard | Louisiana records | Mississippi records | Louisiana deaths | Mississippi deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 12,655 | 18,161 | 46 | 45 |
| Hail | 6,412 | 8,457 | 0 | 0 |
| Floods | 3,330 | 3,812 | 39 | 26 |
| Heat | 2,491 | 2,741 | 68 | 40 |
| Winter storms | 1,092 | 1,854 | 28 | 33 |
| Drought | 1,418 | 1,382 | 0 | 0 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1,195 | 552 | 887 | 186 |
| High wind and dust storms | 212 | 670 | 10 | 9 |
| Lightning | 437 | 393 | 39 | 21 |
| Extreme cold | 276 | 338 | 22 | 28 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 277 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Heavy rain | 140 | 87 | 1 | 2 |
| Wildfires | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers, once per state.