Franklin County, Mississippi
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 28037 · population 7,653 · 564 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 328 records for Franklin County, Mississippi from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 245 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (152 records). The most damaging was the August 29, 2005 hurricane ($38.5 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1965, 23 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on June 30, 2026.
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
- 328on 245 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 010 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $68Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 21strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 2026
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 Franklin County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 152 since 1970. The rank column places the county among Mississippi'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 | 152 | 124 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.7M | 55 of 82 |
| Hail | 72 | 62 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 0 | $766K | 51 of 82 |
| Floods | 34 | 27 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | 46 of 82 |
| Tornadoes | 21 | 15 | 1972-2024 | 0 | 10 | $12M | 78 of 82 |
| Winter storms | 16 | 16 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 56 of 82 |
| Drought | 12 | 12 | 2006-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | 56 of 82 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 8 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $41M | 17 of 82 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2005-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 72 of 82 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 1996-2016 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 66 of 82 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2002-2013 | 0 | 0 | $114K | 37 of 82 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2010-2026 | 0 | 0 | $338K | 54 of 82 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 82 |
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 Franklin County had?
NOAA records 21 tornadoes in Franklin County from 1972 to 2024, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 10 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 21 tornadoes whose track touched Franklin County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 21, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-28 15:13, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 25.98 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Mississippi.
Every tornado record filed for Franklin County (21)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-28 | Bude, Franklin County | EF3 18.37 mi x 1,500 yd | 0 | 2 | $941K |
| 2023-11-20 | Little Spgs, Franklin County | EF1 1.21 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $48K |
| 2020-12-23 | Lucien, Franklin County | EF0 0.58 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2020-12-23 | Mc Call Creek, Franklin County | EF1 5.06 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2020-12-23 | Eddiceton, Franklin County | EF1 1.08 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2020-10-09 | Little Spgs, Franklin County | EF0 0.73 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2019-12-16 | Knoxville, Franklin County | EF2 4.23 mi x 720 yd | 0 | 1 | $144K |
| 2018-11-01 | Mc Call Creek, Franklin County | EF1 2.99 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $88K |
| 2018-11-01 | White Apple, Franklin County | EF1 13.6 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $400K |
| 2017-04-02 | Lucien, Franklin County | EF1 1.01 mi x 1,056 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2008-12-09 | Hamburg, Franklin County | EF1 4.17 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $685K |
| 2008-09-03 | Meadville, Franklin County | EF0 5.52 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $137K |
| 2005-09-24 | Meadville, Franklin County | F0 2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2005-09-24 | Mc Call Creek, Franklin County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2001-06-07 | Roxie, Franklin County | F0 0.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-11-16 | Franklin County | F1 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1987-11-16 | Franklin County | F1 2.5 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-10-14 | Franklin County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-10-14 | Franklin County | F1 0.5 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1983-04-05 | Franklin County | F2 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 1972-01-04 | Franklin County | F2 1.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $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 Franklin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindMeadville, Franklin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtFranklin County · forecast zone Franklin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindOldenburg, Franklin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindLittle Spgs, Franklin County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindLittle Spgs, Franklin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindBude, Franklin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindMeadville, Franklin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindKnoxville, Franklin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-03-09 | Thunderstorm WindKnoxville, Franklin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-09 | HailMeadville, Franklin County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-14 | Thunderstorm WindBude, Franklin County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-01-25 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillFranklin County · forecast zone Franklin | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-04-05 | TornadoFranklin County | F2 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 1984-10-14 | TornadoFranklin County | F1 0.5 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 2024-12-28 | TornadoBude, Franklin County An EF-3 tornado touched down in southern Franklin County near Middleton Creek Road and moved northeast. Broad and sporadic wind damage in the area suggests the tornado was still consolidating in this area. As the tornado crossed Berryton Road, it had reached EF-3 intensity and destroyed the O'Zion Baptist Church ... | EF3 18.37 mi x 1,500 yd | 0 | 2 | $941K |
| 2019-12-16 | TornadoKnoxville, Franklin County This EF-2 tornado began in a forested area near the Adams/Franklin County line northwest of the Knoxville community and tracked across Liberty Road, snapping and uprooting several trees. It continued northeastward across Enterprise Road where it produced more prolific tree damage with numerous hardwood trees snapped. ... | EF2 4.23 mi x 720 yd | 0 | 1 | $144K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-08-29 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Franklin County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Franklin | 0 | 0 | $39M | |
| 2009-05-03 | Thunderstorm WindRoxie, Franklin County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| 2008-09-02 | Flash FloodMeadville, Franklin County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2008-02-22 | Flash FloodBude, Franklin County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2008-09-01 | Tropical StormFranklin County and Jefferson County · forecast zone Franklin | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2024-12-28 | TornadoBude, Franklin County | EF3 18.37 mi x 1,500 yd | 0 | 2 | $941K |
| 2008-12-09 | TornadoHamburg, Franklin County | EF1 4.17 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $685K |
| 2019-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindMeadville, Franklin County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $577K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 5, 1983 (tornado, Franklin 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 Franklin 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 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 18 | 44 | 47 | 33 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 30 | 19 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 13 | 11 | 9 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
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 Franklin County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 30 · Feb 46 · Mar 49 · Apr 32 · May 32 · Jun 27 · Jul 24 · Aug 13 · Sep 18 · Oct 19 · Nov 15 · Dec 23 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Franklin County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Franklin County: 17 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (11) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | DR-4922 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2026-02-06 | DR-4899 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3640 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2023-08-12 | DR-4727 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes. |
| 2021-10-22 | DR-4626 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021-08-28 | EM-3569 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021-05-04 | DR-4598 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2020-10-08 | EM-3548 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
| 2020-09-14 | EM-3544 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020-08-23 | EM-3539 | Hurricane | Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura |
| 2020-04-05 | DR-4528 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3474 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-08-29 | DR-4081 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaac |
| 2008-09-22 | DR-1794 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2008-08-30 | EM-3291 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2005-08-29 | DR-1604 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2004-09-15 | DR-1550 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2003-04-24 | DR-1459 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Floods |
| 2001-02-23 | DR-1360 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1983-04-16 | DR-678 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding & Tornadoes |
| 1977-02-22 | EM-3032 | Snowstorm | Drought & Freezing |
| 1974-04-18 | DR-430 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1973-03-27 | DR-368 | Severe Storm | Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1972-01-19 | DR-318 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1965-09-25 | DR-210 | Hurricane | Hurricane Betsy |
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 Franklin County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 34 flood or flash flood records for Franklin County from 1998 to 2025, on 27 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Franklin County ranks 2291st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ida | 2021-08-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isaac | 2012-08-29 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Gustav | 2008-09-01 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Katrina | 2005-08-29 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $99,000 on 12 claims filed in Franklin County; the most in one year was 4 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1979: 4 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 2014: 3 · 2024: 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 Franklin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Franklin County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.2 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 Low | $373K | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $2K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.0M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $313K | 15 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $158K | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $64K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $252K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $27K | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Franklin 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 MississippiEvery Mississippi tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MississippiThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Mississippi recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Franklin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Franklin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis