States › Mississippi › Perry County
Perry County, Mississippi
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
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. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 29 Sep 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
The NCEI record lists 231 events for Perry County, Mississippi, between 1950 and 2026; damaging wind account for the largest share.
That is 35.7 events per 100 square miles, below the Mississippi figure of 89.7, and 199.6 per 10,000 residents against 142.8 statewide.
1 event fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 2 deaths and 24 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $5.4M and crop damage at $2K.
FEMA has designated the county in 33 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Tropical Storm Arthur (major disaster, 3 Aug 2026).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 123 claims since 1978, of which 96 were paid, totalling $1.7M (about $18K per paid claim). FEMA counts 36 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Very Low" and its expected annual loss as "Very Low" ($5.8M a year across 18 hazards).
83 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 12 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Mississippi and the United States
| Measure | Perry County | Mississippi | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 231 | 42,114 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 35.7 | 89.7 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 199.6 | 142.8 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 1 | 1,524 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 2 | 928 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $5.4M | $31B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 10.6 | 21.9 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $18K | $58K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 36.1 | 11.5 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 120 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 97 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb 1958 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 2 | 20 | County |
| 1 Jun 1976 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 7 May 1975 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | Tornado | EF2 | $160K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Dec 2018 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $1.8M | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 1998 | Hurricane (Typhoon) | Tropical | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 92 mph | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1982 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 63 mph | $200K | — | — | — | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug 2026 | DR-4930 | Major disaster | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Arthur | Public assistance |
| 6 Feb 2026 | DR-4899 | Major disaster | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 24 Jan 2026 | EM-3640 | Emergency | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 12 Aug 2023 | DR-4727 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. | Public assistance |
| 22 Oct 2021 | DR-4626 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida | Public assistance |
| 28 Aug 2021 | EM-3569 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida | Public assistance |
| 31 Dec 2020 | DR-4576 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta | Public assistance |
| 28 Oct 2020 | EM-3550 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta | Public assistance |
| 14 Sep 2020 | EM-3544 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally | Public assistance |
| 23 Aug 2020 | EM-3539 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Marco And Tropical Storm Laura | Public assistance |
| 5 Apr 2020 | DR-4528 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3474 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 14 Feb 2019 | DR-4415 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornado | Public assistance |
| 25 Jan 2017 | DR-4295 | Major disaster | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 25 Mar 2016 | DR-4268 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Feb 2013 | DR-4101 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 29 Aug 2012 | DR-4081 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaac | Public assistance |
| 28 Aug 2012 | EM-3348 | Emergency | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaac | Public assistance |
| 30 Aug 2008 | EM-3291 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav | Public assistance |
| 29 Aug 2005 | DR-1604 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 10 Jul 2005 | DR-1594 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis | Public assistance |
| 15 Sep 2004 | DR-1550 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 23 Feb 2001 | DR-1360 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 1 Oct 1998 | DR-1251 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 28 Sep 1998 | EM-3132 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges | Public assistance |
| 28 Feb 1990 | DR-859 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 16 Apr 1983 | DR-678 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding & Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Sep 1979 | DR-599 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Frederic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 24 Apr 1978 | EM-3063 | Emergency | Tornado | Tornadoes | Individual assistance |
| 22 Feb 1977 | EM-3032 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Drought & Freezing | Public assistance |
| 18 Apr 1974 | DR-430 | Major disaster | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 22 Feb 1971 | DR-302 | Major disaster | Tornado | Storms & Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 18 Aug 1969 | DR-271 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Camille | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | $200,000 | $200,000 |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | $64,029 | $32,015 |
| 2018 | 10 | 10 | $415,426 | $41,543 |
| 2016 | 24 | 19 | $636,541 | $33,502 |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2013 | 5 | 3 | $97,367 | $32,456 |
| 2012 | 5 | 5 | $98,434 | $19,687 |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2009 | 4 | 3 | $49,182 | $16,394 |
| 2005 | 8 | 1 | $894 | $894 |
| 2004 | 2 | 1 | $862 | $862 |
| 2001 | 3 | 2 | $4,192 | $2,096 |
| 1993 | 1 | 1 | $1,562 | $1,562 |
| 1990 | 27 | 23 | $66,703 | $2,900 |
| 1987 | 2 | 1 | $6,785 | $6,785 |
| 1983 | 9 | 8 | $19,053 | $2,382 |
| 1982 | 1 | 1 | $6,751 | $6,751 |
| 1980 | 17 | 15 | $37,130 | $2,475 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $2,263,843 | |
| Hurricane | $1,708,842 | |
| Tornado | $840,217 | |
| Strong wind | $187,449 | |
| Heat wave | $186,279 | |
| Wildfire | $146,634 | |
| Cold wave | $140,232 | |
| Lightning | $114,902 | |
| Hail | $99,327 | |
| Earthquake | $80,208 | |
| Drought | $38,582 | |
| Ice storm | $17,130 | |
| Winter weather | $9,548 | |
| Landslide | $401 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francine | 2024 | 90 mi | 52 mph |
| Claudette | 2021 | 67 mi | 40 mph |
| Sally | 2020 | 94 mi | 109 mph |
| Zeta | 2020 | 86 mi | 98 mph |
| Olga | 2019 | 70 mi | 52 mph |
| Gordon | 2018 | 19 mi | 69 mph |
| Nate | 2017 | 47 mi | 75 mph |
| Lee | 2011 | 47 mi | 46 mph |
| Ida | 2009 | 84 mi | 58 mph |
| Cindy | 2005 | 26 mi | 52 mph |
| Dennis | 2005 | 79 mi | 52 mph |
| Katrina | 2005 | 36 mi | 121 mph |
| Ivan | 2004 | 78 mi | 121 mph |
| Bill | 2003 | 94 mi | 52 mph |
| Hanna | 2002 | 64 mi | 58 mph |
| Isidore | 2002 | 86 mi | 63 mph |
| Allison | 2001 | 37 mi | 46 mph |
| Georges | 1998 | 39 mi | 104 mph |
| Danny | 1997 | 84 mi | 81 mph |
| Erin | 1995 | 33 mi | 75 mph |
| Elena | 1985 | 55 mi | 115 mph |
| Juan | 1985 | 97 mi | 63 mph |
| Bob | 1979 | 73 mi | 46 mph |
| Frederic | 1979 | 39 mi | 109 mph |
| Edith | 1971 | 69 mi | 46 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Perry County, MS?
NCEI records 46 hail events in Perry County since 1950, in 24 different years; that is about 0.6 recorded events a year. 10 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Perry County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 23 tornadoes in Perry County since 1950, 6 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 2.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Perry County?
3 Aug 2026: Tropical Storm Arthur, a major disaster declaration for tropical storm. The county appears in 33 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Perry County, and how much was paid?
123 NFIP claims since 1978, 96 of them paid, for $1.7M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Perry County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Very Low" for overall risk, "Very Low" for expected annual loss, "Relatively High" for social vulnerability and "Relatively Low" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Perry County compare with the rest of Mississippi?
35.7 recorded events per 100 square miles against 89.7 statewide, and 10.6 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 21.9. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 29 Sep 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 30 Sep 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.