PlainHazard

Monroe County, Mississippi

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 28095 · population 34,055 · 765 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 682 records for Monroe County, Mississippi from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 458 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (282 records). The deadliest day on its record was April 27, 2011: tornado records filed for Monroe County that day count 17 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1973, 24 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
682on 458 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
26207 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$135Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
47strongest EF5
FEMA declarations
26latest 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 Monroe County most?

The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 282 since 1960. 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.

Monroe County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Severe thunderstorm wind 282 211 1960-2026 0 3 $1.8M 40 of 82
Heat 113 97 2007-2026 2 0 – 21 of 82
Hail 106 74 1972-2026 0 0 $215K 61 of 82
Tornadoes 47 41 1952-2025 21 202 $130M 42 of 82
Drought 39 30 2007-2024 0 0 – 24 of 82
Winter storms 38 26 1996-2026 2 2 $97K 43 of 82
Floods 31 26 1997-2025 0 0 $2.2M 63 of 82
High wind and dust storms 9 8 2000-2025 0 0 $223K 45 of 82
Extreme cold 8 7 2003-2026 1 0 – 24 of 82
Hurricanes and tropical storms 5 3 2004-2005 0 0 $84K 67 of 82
Lightning 4 4 2000-2022 0 0 $377K 38 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 Monroe County had?

NOAA records 47 tornadoes in Monroe County from 1952 to 2025, the strongest rated EF5, with 21 deaths and 202 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 48 tornadoes whose track touched Monroe County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 47: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 32 people, 21 of them in Monroe County.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Monroe County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
2011-04-27 14:42, as SPC files itSmithvilleCrossed AL, MSEF537.3 mi23
2011-04-27 13:48, as SPC files itAmoryEF351.45 mi4
2023-03-24 21:38, as SPC files itAmoryEF336.56 mi2
1976-03-20 20:20, as SPC files itHatleyF349.4 mi1
1956-02-16 18:10, as SPC files itAberdeenF38 mi1
2019-04-13 22:06, as SPC files itNew HamiltonEF211.3 mi1
1973-11-26 13:30, as SPC files itMantee to AmoryF354.4 mi0
1965-03-17 07:15, as SPC files itColumbusF38.5 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Mississippi.

Every tornado record filed for Monroe County (47)
Every tornado recorded in Monroe County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2025-03-23 Hatley, Monroe County EF0 1.88 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $2K
2025-03-15 Wren, Monroe County EF0 2.01 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $10K
2025-01-05 Aberdeen Stinson Arp, Monroe County EF1 0.69 mi x 120 yd 0 0 $10K
2023-03-24 Gibson, Monroe County EF3 27.72 mi x 1,600 yd 2 55 $77M
2023-02-16 Smithville, Monroe County EF1 1.63 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $24K
2023-01-12 Rienzi, Monroe County EF1 2.44 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $73K
2022-03-30 East Aberdeen, Monroe County EF0 7.67 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $50K
2022-03-22 Strong, Monroe County EF1 6.1 mi x 500 yd 0 0 $15K
2021-03-31 Hatley, Monroe County EF1 4.27 mi x 200 yd 0 0 $218K
2021-03-17 Bigbee, Monroe County EF0 0.88 mi x 60 yd 0 0 $11K
2019-04-13 Greenwood Spgs, Monroe County EF2 13.2 mi x 800 yd 0 0 $577K
2019-04-13 Hamilton, Monroe County EF2 11.3 mi x 800 yd 1 19 $3.5M
2016-11-29 Muldon, Monroe County EF1 5.98 mi x 200 yd 0 0 $246K
2016-04-29 Acker, Monroe County EF0 0.93 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $12K
2016-04-29 New Wren, Monroe County EF0 5.19 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $12K
2015-05-25 Amory, Monroe County EF1 2.51 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $187K
2015-05-25 New Wren, Monroe County EF0 4.12 mi x 70 yd 0 0 $62K
2013-01-30 Greenwood Spgs, Monroe County EF1 6.99 mi x 300 yd 0 0 $63K
2012-02-01 Splunge, Monroe County EF0 0.12 mi x 25 yd 0 0 $32K
2011-04-27 Smithville, Monroe County EF5 6.05 mi x 1,320 yd 16 37 $3.3M
2011-04-27 New Wren, Monroe County EF3 13.7 mi x 1,320 yd 1 0 $1.3M
2011-04-27 Gibson, Monroe County EF3 9.12 mi x 1,760 yd 0 3 $984K
2010-11-29 Acker, Monroe County EF2 0.28 mi x 125 yd 0 11 $338K
2010-04-24 Hamilton, Monroe County EF1 6.51 mi x 150 yd 0 1 $474K
2009-04-02 New Wren, Monroe County EF1 2.77 mi x 75 yd 0 0 –
2005-04-29 Aberdeen, Monroe County F1 2 mi x 75 yd 0 0 $38K
2005-01-13 Becker, Monroe County F1 0.4 mi x 40 yd 0 0 $76K
2004-12-07 New Wren, Monroe County F1 0.8 mi x 25 yd 0 0 $39K
2003-05-07 Gibson, Monroe County F2 11.5 mi x 440 yd 0 6 $3.2M
1995-04-20 Prairie, Monroe County F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd 0 0 $4K
1989-03-05 Monroe County F1 1 mi x 60 yd 0 0 $25K step
1989-02-20 Monroe County F2 2.5 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $250K step
1989-01-07 Monroe County F1 2 mi x 60 yd 0 0 $25K step
1989-01-07 Monroe County F2 4 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $250K step
1988-12-23 Monroe County F1 9 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $250K step
1988-11-04 Monroe County F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $25K step
1986-05-18 Monroe County F1 1 mi x 7 yd 0 0 $25K step
1982-09-12 Monroe County F1 0.3 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $25K step
1980-06-19 Monroe County F2 22.5 mi x 200 yd 0 0 $250K step
1976-03-20 Monroe County F3 18.7 mi x 1,400 yd 0 3 $250K step
1975-03-12 Monroe County F2 4.3 mi x 100 yd 0 1 $250K step
1970-05-10 Monroe County F1 20.1 mi x 33 yd 0 4 $250K step
1965-03-17 Monroe County F3 8.5 mi x 230 yd 0 1 $25K step
1963-03-11 Monroe County F2 2 mi x 23 yd 0 5 $250K step
1956-02-16 Monroe County F3 8 mi x 200 yd 1 55 $2.5M step
1953-05-14 Monroe County F2 11.5 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
1952-02-13 Monroe County F1 0 1 $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 Monroe County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 28, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

The 12 most recent records kept for Monroe County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-30 HeatMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe 0 0 –
2026-06-29 HeatMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe 0 0 –
2026-04-28 Thunderstorm WindAberdeen Stinson Arp, Monroe County 50 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-04-28 Thunderstorm WindAmory, Monroe County 50 kt wind 0 0 $2K
2026-04-28 HailHamilton, Monroe County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-03-15 Thunderstorm WindGreenwood Spgs, Monroe County 50 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-03-09 Thunderstorm WindHatley, Monroe County 50 kt wind 0 0 $2K
2026-03-09 HailAmory, Monroe County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-03-09 HailNew Wren, Monroe County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-03-09 HailNew Wren, Monroe County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-02-01 Cold/Wind ChillMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe 0 0 –
2026-01-31 Cold/Wind ChillMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe 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

Records with deaths or injuries in Monroe County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2011-04-27 TornadoSmithville, Monroe County After lifting for 4 miles, a violent EF-5 tornado touched back down southwest of Smithville and moved northeast. The town of Smithville was almost completely destroyed by the tornado. Homes and businesses were completely wiped off of their foundations. The town hall, post office, police station, and four churches were ... EF5 6.05 mi x 1,320 yd 16 37 $3.3M
2023-03-24 TornadoGibson, Monroe County This tornado crossed into Monroe County from Chickasaw County near the Highway 45 and Old Houston Road intersection, rapidly intensifying as it approached Egypt and Tumblin Roads. Several structures sustained significant damage, including the total destruction of a couple of single-wide, manufactured homes. Numerous ... EF3 27.72 mi x 1,600 yd 2 55 $77M
2010-12-15 Winter WeatherMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe Freezing rain produced minor accumulations on elevated surfaces and on bridges and overpasses. One accident caused two fatalities and two injuries. 2 2 –
1956-02-16 TornadoMonroe County F3 8 mi x 200 yd 1 55 $2.5M step
2019-04-13 TornadoHamilton, Monroe County The tornado developed just south of Hamilton, MS and rapidly increased in intensity. Substantial damage to residences and outbuildings occurred along Seely Drive south of Hamilton Road. Numerous trees were uprooted or trunks snapped along the track. A tree fell on a mobile home on Center Hill Road north of Hamilton ... EF2 11.3 mi x 800 yd 1 19 $3.5M
2011-04-27 TornadoNew Wren, Monroe County A strong tornado moved into Monroe County from Chickasaw County and continued northeast. The New Wren community was especially hit hard. At least 20 homes were destroyed or sustained major damage. Hundreds of trees were snapped or debarked. Numerous power lines were knocked down. One motorist was killed as the tornado ... EF3 13.7 mi x 1,320 yd 1 0 $1.3M
2010-08-01 HeatMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe Heat index readings ranged between 105 and 109 degrees during the afternoon and early evening hours. One heat related death occurred as a result. 1 0 –
2010-07-29 HeatMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe Heat index readings ranged between 105-109 degrees during the afternoon and evening hours. One heat related death occurred as a result. 1 0 –

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.

The costliest records in Monroe County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2023-03-24 TornadoGibson, Monroe County EF3 27.72 mi x 1,600 yd 2 55 $77M
2019-04-13 TornadoHamilton, Monroe County EF2 11.3 mi x 800 yd 1 19 $3.5M
2011-04-27 TornadoSmithville, Monroe County EF5 6.05 mi x 1,320 yd 16 37 $3.3M
2003-05-07 TornadoGibson, Monroe County F2 11.5 mi x 440 yd 0 6 $3.2M
2015-12-25 Flash FloodSplunge, Monroe County 0 0 $1.6M
2011-04-27 TornadoNew Wren, Monroe County EF3 13.7 mi x 1,320 yd 1 0 $1.3M
2011-04-27 TornadoGibson, Monroe County EF3 9.12 mi x 1,760 yd 0 3 $984K
2019-04-13 TornadoGreenwood Spgs, Monroe County EF2 13.2 mi x 800 yd 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: February 16, 1956 (tornado, Monroe County, 1 killed).

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 Monroe 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).

Monroe County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Severe thunderstorm wind09132052575774
Heat––––023873
Hail002616283321
Tornadoes3239151410
Drought––––0141411
Winter storms––––610157

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 Monroe County. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 49 · Feb 43 · Mar 94 · Apr 79 · May 68 · Jun 96 · Jul 90 · Aug 70 · Sep 21 · Oct 21 · Nov 21 · Dec 30 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for Monroe County

FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Monroe County: 21 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (13) and hurricane (6).

Declarations including Monroe County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2026-02-06DR-4899Winter StormSevere Winter Storm
2026-01-24EM-3640Winter StormSevere Winter Storm
2023-03-26DR-4697Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes
2021-10-22DR-4626HurricaneHurricane Ida
2021-08-28EM-3569HurricaneHurricane Ida
2020-04-05DR-4528BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3474BiologicalCovid-19
2019-06-20DR-4450Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2019-04-23DR-4429Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2016-01-04DR-4248Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2011-04-29DR-1972Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding
2010-04-29DR-1906Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2008-08-30EM-3291HurricaneHurricane Gustav
2005-08-29DR-1604HurricaneHurricane Katrina
2005-07-10DR-1594HurricaneHurricane Dennis
2004-09-15DR-1550HurricaneHurricane Ivan
2003-05-23DR-1470Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes and High Winds
2002-11-14DR-1443Severe StormSevere Storms and Tornadoes
2001-02-23DR-1360Severe StormSevere Storms and Tornadoes
1999-01-25DR-1265Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms, Ice and Freezing Rain
1991-05-17DR-906Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1991-03-05DR-895FloodSevere Storms & Flooding
1991-01-03DR-888Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1979-04-16DR-577Severe StormStorms, Tornadoes, Floods
1977-02-22EM-3032SnowstormDrought & Freezing
1973-03-27DR-368Severe StormHeavy Rains, 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 Monroe County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 31 flood or flash flood records for Monroe County from 1997 to 2025, on 26 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Monroe County ranks 1093rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.4 million on 148 claims filed in Monroe County; the most in one year was 39 in 1991. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1978: 7 · 1980: 3 · 1982: 5 · 1983: 13 · 1984: 1 · 1990: 9 · 1991: 39 · 1994: 3 · 1995: 4 · 1997: 9 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 2 · 2002: 3 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 8 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 5 · 2011: 3 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 11 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2026: 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 Monroe County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Monroe County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $19.6 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.

National Risk Index ratings for Monroe County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
Cold WaveRelatively High$5.0M1.1 a year (modeled)
LightningRelatively High$569K66 a year (modeled)
TornadoRelatively Moderate$4.0Mabout once a year (modeled)
Heat WaveRelatively Moderate$1.2M17 modeled event-days a year
DroughtRelatively Moderate$418K16 modeled event-days a year
Ice StormRelatively Moderate$100Kabout once a year (modeled)
EarthquakeRelatively Low$2.3Monce in about 293 years (modeled)
HurricaneRelatively Low$458Konce in about 17 years (modeled)

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

Counties that share a border with Monroe County

  1. Lee County 881
  2. Lowndes County 711
  3. Monroe County 682
  4. Marion County, AL 619
  5. Lamar County, AL 598
  6. Itawamba County 476
  7. Chickasaw County 424
  8. Clay County 323

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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