Choctaw County, Alabama
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 01023 · population 12,632 · 913 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 356 records for Choctaw County, Alabama from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 252 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (171 records). The deadliest single record is the May 1, 1953 tornado: 2 deaths and 3 injuries. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1973, 26 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 26, 2024.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 356on 252 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 49 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $31Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 34strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 2024
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Choctaw County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 171 since 1960. The rank column places the county among Alabama's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 171 | 132 | 1960-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 49 of 67 |
| Hail | 70 | 52 | 1965-2022 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 54 of 67 |
| Floods | 46 | 37 | 1997-2023 | 2 | 0 | $3.7M | 30 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 34 | 23 | 1953-2026 | 2 | 9 | $23M | 64 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 15 | 13 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | $12K | 42 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 8 | 1997-2020 | 0 | 0 | $169K | 27 of 67 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2001-2007 | 0 | 0 | $190K | 43 of 67 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1996-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 67 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2000-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 64 of 67 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Choctaw County had?
NOAA records 34 tornadoes in Choctaw County from 1953 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 2 deaths and 9 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 30 tornadoes whose track touched Choctaw County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 34: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 9 people, 2 of them in Choctaw County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 16:42, as SPC files it | LouinCrossed AL, MS | EF4 | 122.04 mi | 7 |
| 1953-05-01 20:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F4 | 0.1 mi | 2 |
| 2019-12-16 17:59, as SPC files it | LaurelCrossed AL, MS | EF3 | 61.19 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Alabama.
Every tornado record filed for Choctaw County (34)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-11 | Souwilpa, Choctaw County | EF1 0.12 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Souwilpa, Choctaw County | EF1 0.16 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Isney, Choctaw County | EF1 1.47 mi x 320 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-06 | Yantley, Choctaw County | EF0 2.24 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-12-14 | Bladon Spgs, Choctaw County | EF2 2.67 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-12-14 | Bladon Spgs, Choctaw County | EF2 1.93 mi x 140 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-30 | Ararat, Choctaw County | EF1 0.51 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-30 | Souwilpa, Choctaw County | EF1 18.27 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-22 | Wimberly, Choctaw County | EF1 0.19 mi x 130 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-22 | Cyril, Choctaw County | EF2 2.45 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-03-25 | Lavaca, Choctaw County | EF1 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-03-17 | Aquilla, Choctaw County | EF2 23.17 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-12 | Cullomburg, Choctaw County | EF1 0.41 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-12-16 | Hinton, Choctaw County | EF1 9.91 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-11-01 | Barrytown, Choctaw County | EF0 0.14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-01-21 | Lou, Choctaw County | EF2 14.93 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 4 | $903K |
| 2012-12-25 | West Butler, Choctaw County | EF2 5.91 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-08-30 | Toxey, Choctaw County | EF0 0.01 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2012-01-26 | Isney, Choctaw County | EF0 0.38 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2011-04-27 | Cyril, Choctaw County | EF3 25.19 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 2011-04-15 | Land, Choctaw County | EF2 17.73 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $7.0M |
| 2011-04-15 | Hinton, Choctaw County | EF1 19.46 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $197K |
| 2011-04-15 | Butler, Choctaw County | EF1 12.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $52K |
| 2011-04-15 | Evansboro, Choctaw County | EF0 4.65 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $52K |
| 2011-04-15 | Melvin, Choctaw County | EF0 0.12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $79K |
| 2004-11-24 | Silas, Choctaw County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2001-11-24 | Toxey, Choctaw County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $42K |
| 2001-11-24 | Gilbertown, Choctaw County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2001-11-24 | Butler, Choctaw County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2000-04-03 | Needham, Choctaw County | F1 11 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 1968-11-17 | Choctaw County | F2 11.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1964-04-06 | Choctaw County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-02-26 | Choctaw County | F2 20.9 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1953-05-01 | Choctaw County | F4 | 2 | 3 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Choctaw County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 28, 2018 flash flood ($823,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Extensive flash flooding occurred across the central and northern portions of Choctaw County due to a large swath of 6 to 10 inches of rain. Some of the harder hit areas included the Yantley and Jachin communities along Highway 10, along with the Mosley Bridge Road area near Gilberton. In total, around 20 roads were flooded, with more than 10 damaged. 5 homes and 3 businesses also suffered flooding damage. In total, there was over $600,000 in infrastructure damage, including damage to roads, railroads, and water utilities.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 797929)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-11 | TornadoSouwilpa, Choctaw County | EF1 0.12 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | TornadoSouwilpa, Choctaw County | EF1 0.16 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | TornadoIsney, Choctaw County | EF1 1.47 mi x 320 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-06 | TornadoYantley, Choctaw County | EF0 2.24 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-21 | Heavy SnowChoctaw County · forecast zone Choctaw | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-12-14 | TornadoBladon Spgs, Choctaw County | EF2 2.67 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-12-14 | TornadoBladon Spgs, Choctaw County | EF2 1.93 mi x 140 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-30 | TornadoArarat, Choctaw County | EF1 0.51 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-30 | TornadoSouwilpa, Choctaw County | EF1 18.27 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-22 | TornadoWimberly, Choctaw County | EF1 0.19 mi x 130 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-22 | TornadoCyril, Choctaw County | EF2 2.45 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-03-25 | TornadoLavaca, Choctaw County | EF1 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-05-01 | TornadoChoctaw County | F4 | 2 | 3 | $25K step |
| 2005-03-31 | Flash FloodCountywide, Choctaw County Heavy rains caused several roads across Choctaw county to have standing water in them. Several roads had to be closed for more than an hour due to high water. Radar estimated that five to six inches of rain fell across the county between 630 and 900 AM. A male drowned during the heavy rain event just south of ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-01-07 | Flash FloodCountywide, Choctaw County Three to five inches of rain caused extensive flooding and road closures throughout the county. Most of the roads that had to be closed were secondary dirt roads. One death was attributed to the flooding. Two persons were driving along a county road six miles east of Gilbertown. Their automobile became stranded near a ... | 1 | 0 | $36K | |
| 2017-01-21 | TornadoLou, Choctaw County The tornado first touched down on Clark Road near Gilbertown and continued 15 miles to the northeast to the Choctaw and Marengo County line. The tornado then crossed the Tombigbee River and continued into Marengo County. A total of 24 structures were damaged by the tornado along its path. 4 residences were completely ... | EF2 14.93 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 4 | $903K |
| 1968-11-17 | TornadoChoctaw County | F2 11.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoCyril, Choctaw County | EF3 25.19 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 2011-04-15 | TornadoLand, Choctaw County | EF2 17.73 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $7.0M |
| 2015-04-16 | Flash FloodWater Vly, Choctaw County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2011-04-15 | HailNaheola, Choctaw County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 1997-07-22 | Flash FloodLisman, Choctaw County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2017-01-21 | TornadoLou, Choctaw County | EF2 14.93 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 4 | $903K |
| 2018-12-28 | Flash FloodGilbertown, Choctaw County | 0 | 0 | $823K | |
| 1998-06-05 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Choctaw County | 0 | 0 | $543K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: February 26, 1958 (tornado, Choctaw County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Choctaw County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 40 | 63 | 30 | 26 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 25 | 23 | 3 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 13 | 17 | 8 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 13 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Choctaw County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 37 · Feb 21 · Mar 51 · Apr 76 · May 33 · Jun 31 · Jul 30 · Aug 22 · Sep 7 · Oct 12 · Nov 16 · Dec 20 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Choctaw County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Choctaw County: 16 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (14) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3618 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020-12-10 | DR-4573 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020-09-14 | EM-3545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020-05-21 | DR-4546 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4503 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3472 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-11-16 | DR-4349 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017-10-08 | EM-3394 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017-09-11 | EM-3389 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2011-04-28 | DR-1971 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-04-27 | EM-3319 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2009-04-28 | DR-1835 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes & Straight-Line |
| 2008-08-30 | EM-3292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3237 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-08-29 | DR-1605 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2005-08-28 | EM-3214 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2005-07-10 | DR-1593 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis |
| 2004-09-15 | DR-1549 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 1998-09-30 | DR-1250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges - 18 Sep 98 |
| 1997-07-25 | DR-1185 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding,High Winds, Assoc With Hurr Danny |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3096 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1990-03-21 | DR-861 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-09-13 | DR-598 | Hurricane | Hurricane Frederic |
| 1979-04-18 | DR-578 | Flood | Storms, Wind, Flooding |
| 1979-03-17 | EM-3074 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3045 | Drought | Drought |
| 1975-03-14 | DR-458 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-03-27 | DR-369 | Tornado | Tornadoes & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Choctaw County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 46 flood or flash flood records for Choctaw County from 1997 to 2023, on 37 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Choctaw County ranks 1637th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $563,000 on 53 claims filed in Choctaw County; the most in one year was 8 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1979: 8 · 1980: 8 · 1983: 4 · 1987: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1997: 6 · 1998: 5 · 2001: 1 · 2005: 3 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2023: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Choctaw County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Choctaw County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $20.6 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.8M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.5M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $11M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $6K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $596K | once in about 482 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.0M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $195K | 72 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $61K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Choctaw County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in AlabamaEvery Alabama tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in AlabamaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Alabama recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Choctaw CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Choctaw County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis