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Tornado in Hancock County, Mississippi
67 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Hancock County, Mississippi, has 67 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 33 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 20 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 29 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.9% of the 3,532 tornado events recorded in Mississippi; its 14.1 per 100 square miles compares with 7.5 statewide.
By rating: 28 at (E)F0, 26 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Mississippi
| Measure | Hancock County | Mississippi | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 67 | 3,532 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 14.1 | 7.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 14.5 | 12.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 537 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
2Mar
3Apr
20May
11Jun
5Jul
5Aug
7Sep
5Oct
2Nov
4Dec
2
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 67 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Dec 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Nov 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Oct 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $750 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Nov 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Oct 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Nov 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 1987 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1980 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 8 | County |
| 15 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Mar 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 29 Dec 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Feb 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1969 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 1952 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Hancock County had?
67 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Hancock County?
18 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Hancock County?
The tornado of 19 May 1980, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Hancock County compare with Mississippi for tornado?
14.1 events per 100 square miles against 7.5 statewide; the county holds 67 of the state's 3,532 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.