Lafayette County, Mississippi
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 28071 · population 55,742 · 632 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 541 records for Lafayette County, Mississippi from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 415 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (189 records). The deadliest single record is the July 20, 2000 thunderstorm wind: 1 death, 2 injuries and $17,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1971, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on February 6, 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
- 541on 415 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 835 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $139Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Lafayette County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 189 since 1964. 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 | 189 | 145 | 1964-2026 | 2 | 2 | $1.6M | 53 of 82 |
| Hail | 113 | 91 | 1962-2026 | 0 | 0 | $62K | 32 of 82 |
| Heat | 90 | 88 | 2000-2026 | 2 | 0 | – | 20 of 82 |
| Winter storms | 33 | 33 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $8.0M | 23 of 82 |
| Floods | 30 | 29 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 50 of 82 |
| Drought | 27 | 27 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 82 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 22 | 1952-2025 | 1 | 33 | $123M | 67 of 82 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 11 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $193K | 24 of 82 |
| Lightning | 11 | 11 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $949K | 12 of 82 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 9 | 2000-2026 | 2 | 0 | $3.0M | 13 of 82 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $76K | 77 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 Lafayette County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in Lafayette County from 1952 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 1 death and 33 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 25 tornadoes whose track touched Lafayette County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 16 people, 1 of them in Lafayette County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-04-21 16:00, as SPC files it | New Albany | F3 | 71 mi | 15 |
| 2010-05-02 02:27, as SPC files it | Abbeville | EF2 | 1.43 mi | 1 |
| 2011-04-27 12:36, as SPC files it | Taylor | EF3 | 13.57 mi | 0 |
| 2008-02-05 17:57, as SPC files it | Oxford | EF3 | 7.15 mi | 0 |
| 2000-01-03 13:30, as SPC files it | Myrtle | F3 | 43.2 mi | 0 |
| 1997-03-01 02:45, as SPC files it | Toccopola | F3 | 5 mi | 0 |
| 1975-02-22 22:00, as SPC files it | Blue Mountain | F3 | 26.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Mississippi.
Every tornado record filed for Lafayette County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-05 | Tula, Lafayette County | EF2 8.52 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $175K |
| 2023-03-24 | Burgess, Lafayette County | EF1 3.26 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $68K |
| 2020-08-28 | Oxford Airport, Lafayette County | EF0 1.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2018-04-14 | Oxford, Lafayette County | EF0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $118K |
| 2018-04-14 | College Hill Station, Lafayette County | EF1 0.8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
| 2011-04-27 | Springdale, Lafayette County | EF3 13.57 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 8 | $2.0M |
| 2010-05-02 | Abbeville, Lafayette County | EF2 1.43 mi x 75 yd | 1 | 0 | $338K |
| 2008-09-02 | Paris, Lafayette County | EF0 0.13 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-08 | Abbeville, Lafayette County | EF0 2.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2008-02-05 | College Hill Station, Lafayette County | EF3 7.15 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 14 | $48M |
| 2008-02-05 | Sardis Lake, Lafayette County | EF1 6.89 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2000-01-03 | Paris, Lafayette County | F2 21 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $171K |
| 1997-03-01 | Tula, Lafayette County | F3 5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1988-11-26 | Lafayette County | F1 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1984-04-21 | Lafayette County | F3 18 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 3 | $25M step |
| 1984-04-21 | Lafayette County | F1 1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-04-24 | Lafayette County | F2 26.8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1976-03-26 | Lafayette County | F2 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-03-20 | Lafayette County | F1 0.1 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-03-28 | Lafayette County | F1 0.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-02-22 | Lafayette County | F3 4.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $3K step |
| 1970-06-20 | Lafayette County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1970-05-10 | Lafayette County | F2 11.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-02-23 | Lafayette County | F2 | 0 | 1 | $3K step |
| 1952-08-03 | Lafayette County | F2 0.3 mi x 200 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 Lafayette County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 15, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | HeatLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-29 | HeatLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-29 | HailAbbeville, Lafayette County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | HailParis, Lafayette County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindYocona, Lafayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindHarmontown, Lafayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-09 | Thunderstorm WindOxford, Lafayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Cold/Wind ChillLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette | 1 | 0 | $3.0M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-07-20 | Thunderstorm WindOxford, Lafayette County One construction worker was killed and two co-workers were injured when a wall they were working on collapsed because of thunderstorm winds. Several trees and power lines were knocked down. | 1 | 2 | $17K | |
| 2026-01-31 | Cold/Wind ChillLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette Minimum wind chill of 1F recorded. | 1 | 0 | $3.0M | |
| 2026-01-23 | Ice StormLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette Sleet and snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches over the western part of Lafayette County, followed by 1/2 to 1 inch of ice over the entire county. | 1 | 0 | $8.0M | |
| 2011-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindUniversity, Lafayette County Straight line winds produced damage north and west of Oxford. A roof was partially taken off of a house and a machine shop. Numerous homes sustained minor roof damage. Numerous trees and power lines were also knocked down. One person was killed when his 18-wheeler struck a fallen tree on Highway 30. | 74 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-02 | TornadoAbbeville, Lafayette County A tornado touched down just southwest of Abbeville and tracked northeast hitting the south side of Abbeville. The tornado lifted along County Road 215. One fatality occurred when a single family home was destroyed. A double wide mobile home was also destroyed. Three other homes sustained major damage. Numerous trees ... | EF2 1.43 mi x 75 yd | 1 | 0 | $338K |
| 2007-08-05 | Excessive HeatLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette Hot and Humid weather settled over North Mississippi during most of August. High temperatures reached near or above the 100 degree mark during the month with heat index values reaching above the 105 degrees. As a result, 1 person in Oxford died from the effects of the heat. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-12-31 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette A man was found dead outside his home in Lafayette County. The cause of death was hypothermia. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-06-13 | HeatLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-02-05 | TornadoCollege Hill Station, Lafayette County | EF3 7.15 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 14 | $48M |
| 2026-01-23 | Ice StormLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette | 1 | 0 | $8.0M | |
| 2026-01-31 | Cold/Wind ChillLafayette County · forecast zone Lafayette | 1 | 0 | $3.0M | |
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoSpringdale, Lafayette County | EF3 13.57 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 8 | $2.0M |
| 2010-05-16 | Flash FloodOxford, Lafayette County | 0 | 0 | $677K | |
| 2012-09-02 | Flash FloodOxford, Lafayette County | 0 | 0 | $643K | |
| 2021-06-09 | Flash FloodTaylor, Lafayette County | 0 | 0 | $436K | |
| 2010-05-02 | TornadoAbbeville, Lafayette County | EF2 1.43 mi x 75 yd | 1 | 0 | $338K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 21, 1984 (tornado, Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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 | 7 | 20 | 12 | 24 | 37 | 24 | 65 |
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 28 | 22 | 24 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 25 | 63 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 6 | 15 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 12 | 8 | 8 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 7 | 7 | 13 |
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 Lafayette County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 28 · Mar 47 · Apr 82 · May 71 · Jun 79 · Jul 69 · Aug 57 · Sep 20 · Oct 18 · Nov 19 · Dec 17 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lafayette County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Lafayette County: 16 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) and hurricane (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-06 | DR-4899 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3640 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2020-04-16 | DR-4536 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2020-04-05 | DR-4528 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3474 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-04-23 | DR-4429 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2011-04-29 | DR-1972 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding |
| 2010-05-14 | DR-1916 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2008-08-30 | EM-3291 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2005-08-29 | DR-1604 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2002-11-14 | DR-1443 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2001-12-07 | DR-1398 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2001-02-23 | DR-1360 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1994-02-18 | DR-1009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Freeezing Rain and Sleet |
| 1984-04-26 | DR-703 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1977-02-22 | EM-3032 | Snowstorm | Drought & Freezing |
| 1973-03-27 | DR-368 | Severe Storm | Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1971-02-22 | DR-302 | Tornado | Storms & Tornadoes |
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 Lafayette County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 30 flood or flash flood records for Lafayette County from 1997 to 2025, on 29 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lafayette County ranks 1887th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $737,000 on 31 claims filed in Lafayette County; the most in one year was 8 in 2010. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 2 · 1984: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2004: 3 · 2010: 8 · 2011: 5 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 2; 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 Lafayette County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lafayette County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $25.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $6.5M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $43K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $4.5M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.7M | 18 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $648K | 64 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $664K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $4.5M | once in about 230 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $245K | once in about 18 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lafayette 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 Lafayette CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lafayette County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis