Yalobusha County, Mississippi

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 28161 · population 12,460 · 467 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 362 records for Yalobusha County, Mississippi from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 309 days; the most frequent are heat records (107 records). 181 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the April 21, 1984 tornado: 7 deaths and 65 injuries. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1971, 18 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
362on 309 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
967 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$76Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
10strongest F3
FEMA declarations
20latest 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 Yalobusha County most?

The most frequent records are heat records: 107 since 2007. 79% of its heat records since 2007 fell in July and August. 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.

Yalobusha County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Heat 107 106 2007-2026 0 0 – 6 of 82
Severe thunderstorm wind 96 77 1962-2026 0 1 $519K 73 of 82
Hail 56 45 1962-2026 0 0 $995K 63 of 82
Drought 33 33 2007-2026 0 0 – 2 of 82
Winter storms 29 28 1996-2026 0 0 $1.1M 17 of 82
Floods 13 12 2003-2025 0 0 $293K 73 of 82
Tornadoes 10 9 1975-2008 7 65 $73M 82 of 82
Extreme cold 8 7 1996-2026 1 0 $300K 12 of 82
Heavy rain 3 2 2021-2021 0 0 – 11 of 82
High wind and dust storms 3 3 2008-2023 0 0 $15K 61 of 82
Lightning 2 2 2003-2016 1 1 $16K 45 of 82
Landslides and avalanches 1 1 2021-2021 0 0 $27K 1 of 82
Wildfires 1 1 2025-2025 0 0 – 3 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 Yalobusha County had?

NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Yalobusha County from 1975 to 2008, the strongest rated F3, with 7 deaths and 65 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Yalobusha County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 15 people, 7 of them in Yalobusha County.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Yalobusha County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1984-04-21 16:00, as SPC files itNew AlbanyF371 mi15
2000-01-03 13:30, as SPC files itMyrtleF343.2 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Mississippi.

Every tornado record filed for Yalobusha County (10)
Every tornado recorded in Yalobusha County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2008-09-02 Benwood, Yalobusha County EF0 0.04 mi x 25 yd 0 0 $274
2008-05-10 Oakland, Yalobusha County EF0 3.26 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $14K
2000-02-18 Scobey, Yalobusha County F0 1 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
2000-01-03 Water Vly, Yalobusha County F2 2.2 mi x 300 yd 0 0 $171K
1991-05-05 Yalobusha County F1 2 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $25K step
1988-12-27 Yalobusha County F2 5 mi x 73 yd 0 0 $250K step
1984-04-21 Yalobusha County F2 14 mi x 10 yd 0 0 $250K step
1984-04-21 Yalobusha County F3 25 mi x 10 yd 7 65 $25M step
1979-05-04 Yalobusha County F1 1 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $25K step
1975-03-12 Yalobusha County F2 1 mi x 60 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 Yalobusha County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 31, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

The 12 most recent records kept for Yalobusha County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-30 HeatYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 0 0 –
2026-06-29 HeatYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 0 0 –
2026-06-01 DroughtYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 0 0 –
2026-05-01 DroughtYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 0 0 –
2026-04-28 HailBruce Jct, Yalobusha County 0.75 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-01 DroughtYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 0 0 –
2026-03-31 Thunderstorm WindWater Vly, Yalobusha County 48 kt wind 0 0 $20K
2026-03-09 HailOakland, Yalobusha County 1.50 in hail 0 0 –
2026-03-01 DroughtYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 0 0 –
2026-02-01 Cold/Wind ChillYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 0 0 –
2026-01-31 Cold/Wind ChillYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 0 0 $300K
2026-01-27 Cold/Wind ChillYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 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 Yalobusha County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1984-04-21 TornadoYalobusha County F3 25 mi x 10 yd 7 65 $25M step
2016-08-26 LightningBruce Jct, Yalobusha County A woman was killed by lightning at Grenada Lake near the Bryant boat landing. Another person was injured by the strike. 1 1 –
1996-02-01 Cold/Wind ChillYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha A DeSoto county man died in Hernando from the cold weather. 1 0 –
2009-06-12 Thunderstorm WindOakland, Yalobusha County Straight line winds blew numerous trees and power lines down in Oakland. One tree fell on a roof of a house and caused some damage. One wall of a former grocery store collapsed due to the high winds. A few sheds were damaged as well. One firefighter was injured during the clean-up. 50 kt wind 0 1 –

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 Yalobusha County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-01-23 Ice StormYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 0 0 $1.0M
1997-10-25 HailCoffeeville, Yalobusha County 1.00 in hail 0 0 $965K
2026-01-31 Cold/Wind ChillYalobusha County · forecast zone Yalobusha 0 0 $300K
2000-01-03 TornadoWater Vly, Yalobusha County F2 2.2 mi x 300 yd 0 0 $171K
2026-03-31 Thunderstorm WindWater Vly, Yalobusha County 48 kt wind 0 0 $20K
2008-05-10 TornadoOakland, Yalobusha County EF0 3.26 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $14K
2025-05-25 Thunderstorm WindVelma, Yalobusha County 52 kt wind 0 0 $6K
2008-09-02 TornadoBenwood, Yalobusha County EF0 0.04 mi x 25 yd 0 0 $274

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, Yalobusha County, 7 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 Yalobusha 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).

Yalobusha County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Heat––––012977
Severe thunderstorm wind03671638917
Hail0324915815
Drought––––051216
Winter storms––––36119
Floods––––0634

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).

What time of year?

79% of its heat records since 2007 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 26 · Feb 27 · Mar 37 · Apr 30 · May 41 · Jun 52 · Jul 57 · Aug 50 · Sep 7 · Oct 13 · Nov 7 · Dec 15 (records).

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

Federal disaster declarations for Yalobusha County

FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Yalobusha County: 15 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and hurricane (4).

Declarations including Yalobusha County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2026-02-06DR-4899Winter StormSevere Winter Storm
2026-01-24EM-3640Winter StormSevere Winter Storm
2021-10-22DR-4626HurricaneHurricane Ida
2021-08-28EM-3569HurricaneHurricane Ida
2020-04-16DR-4536Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2020-04-05DR-4528BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3474BiologicalCovid-19
2019-04-23DR-4429Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2008-08-30EM-3291HurricaneHurricane Gustav
2005-08-29DR-1604HurricaneHurricane Katrina
2001-02-23DR-1360Severe StormSevere Storms and Tornadoes
1999-01-25DR-1265Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms, Ice and Freezing Rain
1994-02-18DR-1009Severe StormSevere Winter Storm, Freeezing Rain and Sleet
1992-03-20DR-939TornadoSevere Storms & Tornadoes
1991-05-17DR-906Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1991-03-05DR-895FloodSevere Storms & Flooding
1984-04-26DR-703TornadoTornadoes
1977-02-22EM-3032SnowstormDrought & Freezing
1973-03-27DR-368Severe StormHeavy Rains, Tornadoes & Flooding
1971-02-22DR-302TornadoStorms & 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 Yalobusha County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 13 flood or flash flood records for Yalobusha County from 2003 to 2025, on 12 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Yalobusha County ranks 1784th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $364,000 on 39 claims filed in Yalobusha County; the most in one year was 15 in 1983. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1982: 2 · 1983: 15 · 1984: 13 · 1991: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 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 Yalobusha County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Yalobusha County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.5 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 Yalobusha County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
LightningRelatively Moderate$543K65 a year (modeled)
EarthquakeRelatively Low$676Konce in about 277 years (modeled)
Heat WaveRelatively Low$405K19 modeled event-days a year
TornadoRelatively Low$921Konce in about 3 years (modeled)
Cold WaveRelatively Low$655K1.1 a year (modeled)
DroughtRelatively Low$76K13 modeled event-days a year
HailRelatively Low$123K3 a year (modeled)
Strong WindRelatively Low$175K1.7 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 Yalobusha County

  1. Lafayette County 541
  2. Panola County 511
  3. Grenada County 456
  4. Calhoun County 422
  5. Tallahatchie County 415
  6. Yalobusha County 362

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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