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Tornado in Wayne County, Mississippi
44 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.
NCEI records 44 tornado events in Wayne County, Mississippi, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 25 years.
March is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 28 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 3,532 tornado events recorded in Mississippi; its 5.4 per 100 square miles compares with 7.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 7 at (E)F0, 25 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Mississippi
| Measure | Wayne County | Mississippi | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 44 | 3,532 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.4 | 7.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 22.3 | 12.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 537 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | March | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
8Mar
14Apr
8May
3Jun
1Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
2Nov
3Dec
3
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 44 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 12 Feb 2025 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 28 Dec 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Dec 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Feb 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 1987 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 1972 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1959 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Feb 1958 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | 2 | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Wayne County had?
44 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 Wayne County?
16 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Wayne County?
The tornado of 28 Feb 1987, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Wayne County compare with Mississippi for tornado?
5.4 events per 100 square miles against 7.5 statewide; the county holds 44 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.