Washington County, Mississippi: hazard risk
FEMA rates Washington County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 83.0 of 100, higher than 82% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by tornado, drought. Its storm record holds 625 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93.0 | $5.6M |
| Drought | Relatively High | 90.7 | $1.1M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 90.8 | $3.6M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89.9 | $1.0M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 89.4 | $1.8M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | $902K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.2 | $13M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 81.0 | $267K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.7 | $2.3M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 75.3 | $364K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 72.3 | $442K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 36.0 | $292 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 26.1 | $7K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 24.6 | $14K |
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 | 297 | 1 | $7.3M | 35th of 82 | 721st of 3,080 |
| Hail | 158 | 0 | $4.2M | 23rd of 82 | 855th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 65 | 0 | $55M | 20th of 82 | 976th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 32 | 1 | $45M | 59th of 82 | 1033rd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 30 | 2 | $3.8M | 36th of 82 | 2389th of 3,077 |
| Drought | 13 | 0 | $11M | 67th of 82 | 1713th of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 0 | $248K | 43rd of 82 | 2283rd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 7 | 3 | – | 47th of 82 | 1495th of 3,076 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 0 | $13M | 42nd of 82 | 542nd of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $190K | 47th of 82 | 1383rd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 0 | $406K | 70th of 82 | 2576th of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Washington County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.