Monroe County, Mississippi: hazard risk
FEMA rates Monroe County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 68.5 of 100, higher than 68% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave, lightning. Its storm record holds 682 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90.0 | $5.0M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 82.0 | $569K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 86.4 | $4.0M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.0 | $1.2M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 71.9 | $418K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 60.9 | $100K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 86.7 | $2.3M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 70.8 | $458K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 52.4 | $5.0M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 48.9 | $178K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 39.9 | $294K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 55.3 | $1K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 35.8 | $14K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 15.4 | $9K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 282 | 0 | $1.8M | 40th of 82 | 905th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 113 | 2 | – | 21st of 82 | 225th of 3,076 |
| Hail | 106 | 0 | $215K | 61st of 82 | 1741st of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 47 | 21 | $130M | 42nd of 82 | 496th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 39 | 0 | – | 24th of 82 | 1150th of 3,063 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 2 | $97K | 43rd of 82 | 2473rd of 3,077 |
| Floods | 31 | 0 | $2.2M | 63rd of 82 | 1900th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 0 | $223K | 45th of 82 | 2316th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 1 | – | 24th of 82 | 1855th of 3,076 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 0 | $84K | 67th of 82 | 771st of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | $377K | 38th of 82 | 1202nd of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Monroe County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.