Panola County, Mississippi
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 28107 · population 33,149 · 685 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 511 records for Panola County, Mississippi from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 393 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (151 records). The deadliest single record is the June 13, 2011 thunderstorm wind: 2 deaths and 1 injury. 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
- 511on 393 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1033 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $128Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 24strongest EF3
- 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 Panola County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 151 since 1963. 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 | 151 | 122 | 1963-2025 | 3 | 9 | $2.4M | 67 of 82 |
| Heat | 120 | 118 | 2000-2026 | 3 | 0 | – | 17 of 82 |
| Hail | 96 | 72 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 0 | $125K | 56 of 82 |
| Drought | 38 | 38 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 82 |
| Floods | 31 | 31 | 2001-2023 | 1 | 1 | $2.0M | 51 of 82 |
| Winter storms | 31 | 31 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $1.3M | 30 of 82 |
| Tornadoes | 24 | 21 | 1962-2023 | 1 | 20 | $122M | 73 of 82 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 8 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | $100K | 20 of 82 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 5 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 3 | $315K | 58 of 82 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2002-2013 | 1 | 0 | $8K | 56 of 82 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 82 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $45K | 79 of 82 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 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 Panola County had?
NOAA records 24 tornadoes in Panola County from 1962 to 2023, the strongest rated EF3, with 1 death and 20 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 26 tornadoes whose track touched Panola County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 24: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 5 people, 1 of them in Panola County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-11-24 03:10, as SPC files it | Crenshaw | F2 | 43.5 mi | 3 |
| 2015-12-23 14:54, as SPC files it | Marks | EF3 | 61.57 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Mississippi.
Every tornado record filed for Panola County (24)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-03-24 | Central Academy, Panola County | EF0 0.68 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2023-03-24 | Eureka Spgs, Panola County | EF1 6.18 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $136K |
| 2023-03-24 | Tocowa, Panola County | EF1 8.39 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $73K |
| 2022-03-30 | Pope, Panola County | EF1 16.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $141K |
| 2020-01-11 | Como, Panola County | EF0 5.88 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $114K |
| 2020-01-11 | Locke Station, Panola County | EF1 3.87 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $342K |
| 2015-12-23 | Curtis Station, Panola County | EF3 23.87 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 2 | $1.2M |
| 2013-12-21 | Parksplace, Panola County | EF1 4.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $63K |
| 2013-04-27 | Pope, Panola County | EF2 0.79 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $152K |
| 2011-04-27 | Bluff Spgs, Panola County | EF0 1.58 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-02 | Eureka Spgs, Panola County | EF1 0.11 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $68K |
| 2008-02-05 | Bluff Spgs, Panola County | EF0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2006-03-09 | Sardis, Panola County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $732K |
| 2001-11-24 | Crenshaw, Panola County | F2 7.5 mi x 300 yd | 1 | 12 | $3.3M |
| 1999-01-21 | Curtis Station, Panola County | F0 8 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1988-12-27 | Panola County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1988-11-19 | Panola County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1987-06-30 | Panola County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1978-05-12 | Panola County | F2 16.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25M step |
| 1977-07-13 | Panola County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-04-24 | Panola County | F2 13.3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-05-09 | Panola County | F0 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-03-12 | Panola County | F2 2.5 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-02-23 | Panola County | F1 | 0 | 4 | $3K 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 Panola County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 31, 2026 cold/wind chill ($100,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | HeatPanola County · forecast zone Panola | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-29 | HeatPanola County · forecast zone Panola | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtPanola County · forecast zone Panola | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtPanola County · forecast zone Panola | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtPanola County · forecast zone Panola | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-06 | HailPleasant Grove, Panola County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtPanola County · forecast zone Panola | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-26 | HailBatesville, Panola County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-26 | HailCentral Academy, Panola County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-26 | HailSardis, Panola County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-26 | HailComo, Panola County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillPanola County · forecast zone Panola | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindBluff Spgs, Panola County Straight line winds knocked several trees down near Sardis Lake. One tree fell on a camper in the Oak Grove Camp area of Sardis Lake. Two people were killed and one person was injured as a result. | 61 kt wind | 2 | 1 | – |
| 2001-11-24 | TornadoCrenshaw, Panola County The tornado moved into the far western part of Panola county from Quitman county and tracked northeast eventually moving into Tate county. One girl was killed when the mobile home where she was staying was destroyed. A cluster of homes and a Baptist church were destroyed. In all 35 homes damaged or destroyed. | F2 7.5 mi x 300 yd | 1 | 12 | $3.3M |
| 2015-04-25 | Flash FloodBatesville, Panola County Heavy rain fell near Batesville which produced 1.5 inches in one hour and a total of 3.50 inches over an 8 hour span. This caused a creek to rise out of its banks and flood eight businesses and two homes in the southern part of town. In addition, a possibly impaired driver drove into flood waters on a road that was ... | 1 | 1 | $62K | |
| 2022-06-13 | HeatPanola County · forecast zone Panola Heat index values reached 105 degrees or greater each day. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-04-12 | Thunderstorm WindAsa, Panola County Straight line winds damaged or destroyed 15 to 20 homes across Panola County. Numerous trees were knocked down. One fatality occurred when trees fell on a mobile home. | 70 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2011-01-09 | Winter StormPanola County · forecast zone Panola Seven to nine inches of snow fell across Panola County. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-08-01 | Excessive HeatPanola County · forecast zone Panola Heat index readings ranged between 110 and 115 degrees during the afternoon and early evening hours. One heat related death occurred as a result. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2002-05-25 | LightningSardis, Panola County A 16 year-old girl was killed by a lightning strike while camping near Sardis Lake. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-11-24 | TornadoCrenshaw, Panola County | F2 7.5 mi x 300 yd | 1 | 12 | $3.3M |
| 2026-01-23 | Ice StormPanola County · forecast zone Panola | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2015-12-23 | TornadoCurtis Station, Panola County | EF3 23.87 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 2 | $1.2M |
| 2016-03-10 | FloodCypress Corner, Panola County | 0 | 0 | $738K | |
| 2006-03-09 | TornadoSardis, Panola County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $732K |
| 2009-05-06 | Thunderstorm WindCrenshaw, Panola County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $688K |
| 2020-01-11 | TornadoLocke Station, Panola County | EF1 3.87 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $342K |
| 2018-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindBatesville, Panola County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $294K |
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: May 12, 1978 (tornado, Panola 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 Panola 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 | 2 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 40 | 37 | 31 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 37 | 81 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 32 | 21 | 17 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 14 | 18 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 14 | 12 | 5 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 10 | 11 |
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 Panola County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 35 · Feb 28 · Mar 36 · Apr 62 · May 53 · Jun 91 · Jul 82 · Aug 65 · Sep 12 · Oct 11 · Nov 20 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Panola County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Panola County: 20 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (13) 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 |
| 2023-03-26 | DR-4697 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 2020-03-12 | DR-4478 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2019-04-23 | DR-4429 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2016-03-25 | DR-4268 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2016-01-04 | DR-4248 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| 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 |
| 1991-05-17 | DR-906 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1991-03-05 | DR-895 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1990-02-28 | DR-859 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1984-04-26 | DR-703 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1978-04-24 | EM-3063 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1977-02-22 | EM-3032 | Snowstorm | Drought & Freezing |
| 1973-03-27 | DR-368 | Severe Storm | Heavy 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 Panola County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 31 flood or flash flood records for Panola County from 2001 to 2023, on 31 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Panola County ranks 1384th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.2 million on 87 claims filed in Panola County; the most in one year was 25 in 1991. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 3 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 25 · 1995: 1 · 1999: 2 · 2001: 2 · 2002: 6 · 2003: 2 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 2 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 4 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2016: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2023: 5; 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 Panola County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Panola County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $17.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.4M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $500K | 64 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $3.7M | once in about 206 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | 22 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.8M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $247K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $5K | 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 Panola 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 Panola CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Panola County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis