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Natural hazard risk in Lee County, Mississippi

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively Moderate (score 81.2 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$37.9 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1973
20[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$3.9 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
40[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall natural hazard risk in Lee County, Mississippi as Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are earthquake, cold wave and heat wave[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA's National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) gives Lee County a Risk Index score of 81.2 out of 100[5]. FEMA estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards at $37.9 million a year[1]. The largest parts of that estimate come from inland flooding, earthquake and cold wave, in that order[7]. Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid, and it does not predict next year's damage[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability Relatively High[9] and Community Resilience Relatively High[10] for the county.

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
EarthquakeRelatively Moderate$8.1 million[11]
Cold WaveRelatively High$7.6 million[12]
Heat WaveRelatively Moderate$2.4 million[13]
LightningRelatively High$898,000[14]
TornadoRelatively Moderate$4.9 million[15]
Inland FloodingRelatively Low$12.1 million[16]
Ice StormRelatively Moderate$199,000[17]
HurricaneRelatively Low$451,000[18]
LandslideRelatively Low$4,145[19]
Strong WindRelatively Moderate$723,000[20]
HailRelatively Low$388,000[21]
DroughtRelatively Low$190,000[22]
WildfireVery Low$18,000[23]
Winter WeatherRelatively Low$30,000[24]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity[25].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively High62.1[9]
Community resilienceRelatively High63.8[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk in Lee County Relatively Low compared with other US counties[16]. OpenFEMA lists 241 residential flood insurance contracts in force as of 2026-08-03[26]. Of the homes inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, 16.1% are insured[26]. OpenFEMA's NFIP claims data show 174 claims for losses in the county from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $3.9 million in total[3]. To learn about the flood zone of an address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[27].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[16] Relatively Low, $12.1 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[26] 241 of 30,464 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[26] 1,123, of which 181 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 174 filed, $3.9 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[27]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 20 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lee County since 1973[2]. The most recent in the facts is DR-4899-MS, a Severe Winter Storm declared 2026-02-06[28]. NOAA's tornado database records 40 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2023-04-01[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lee County, since 1973
Incident type Declarations
Severe Storm[2] 11
Hurricane[2] 5
Winter Storm[2] 2
Severe Ice Storm[2] 1
Snowstorm[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
DR-4899-MS[28] Severe Winter Storm 2026-02-06
EM-3640-MS[28] Severe Winter Storm 2026-01-24
DR-4874-MS[28] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding 2025-05-21
DR-4626-MS[28] Hurricane Ida 2021-10-22
EM-3569-MS[28] Hurricane Ida 2021-08-28

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Earthquakes

Before

  • Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On with your family and coworkers.
  • Sign up for earthquake alerts that can warn you before shaking starts.
  • Make a plan with an out-of-state contact and a place to meet if you get separated.
  • Anchor heavy items such as bookcases, refrigerators and water heaters, and keep heavy things on low shelves.
  • Consider earthquake insurance. Standard homeowners policies do not cover earthquake damage.

During

  • Drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck, and hold on until the shaking stops.
  • Indoors, stay where you are and avoid doorways. Outdoors, move to an open area away from buildings and power lines.
  • If you are driving, pull over, stop and set the parking brake.

Source: Ready.gov, earthquakes

Winter storms and cold

Before

  • Insulate your home and learn how to keep pipes from freezing.
  • Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup.
  • Keep several days of supplies in case the power goes out, including medication and pet needs.
  • Put an emergency kit in your car with jumper cables, sand, blankets, water and snacks, and keep the tank full.

During

  • Under a winter storm warning, find shelter right away.
  • Stay off the roads if you can. If you are stuck in your car, stay inside it.
  • Run generators and grills only outdoors, away from windows, and never heat your home with an oven or stove.

Source: Ready.gov, winter storms and cold

Extreme heat

Before

  • Learn the signs of heat illness and how to respond.
  • Do not rely on a fan as your main way to stay cool. Fans do not lower body temperature.
  • Find cool public places, such as libraries or malls, or ask your local health department.
  • Keep heat out with window shades, weather stripping and insulation.
  • If you cannot afford cooling costs, contact LIHEAP for help.

During

  • Never leave a person or an animal in a parked car in warm weather.
  • If your home has no air conditioning, go to a cooling center.
  • Wear light, loose clothing, drink plenty of fluids and avoid hard outdoor work in the middle of the day.

Source: Ready.gov, extreme heat

Questions people ask

Is Lee County, Mississippi at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Low compared with other US counties, but it estimates the largest Expected Annual Loss of any hazard here from inland flooding at $12.1 million a year[16][7].
Does Lee County, Mississippi get tornadoes?
NOAA's tornado database records 40 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. FEMA rates tornado risk Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[15].
Is Lee County, Mississippi at risk of earthquakes?
FEMA rates earthquake risk Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties, with a score of 93.3 out of 100[11].
Is Lee County, Mississippi at risk of wildfire?
FEMA rates wildfire risk Very Low compared with other US counties[23].
How many disasters have been declared in Lee County, Mississippi?
OpenFEMA lists 20 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include the county since 1973[2].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Lee County is $37.9 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively Low, score 78.6). Of this, buildings account for $21.1 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $16.5 million... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 20 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lee County since 1973 (16 major disaster, 4 emergency or fire management). By incident type: severe storm 11, hurricane 5, winter storm 2, severe ice storm 1, snowstorm 1. Biological (such as COVID-19)... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 174 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Lee County, 126 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $3.9 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid). Years... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 40 recorded tornadoes touched Lee County. The strongest were rated F4 (most recent of them on 1963-04-29). 6 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2023-04-01. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Lee County is Relatively Moderate, with a Risk Index score of 81.2 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Lee County are earthquake (93.3, Relatively Moderate), cold wave (92.9, Relatively High), heat wave (88.8, Relatively Moderate). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Lee County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are inland flooding ($12.1 million a year), earthquake ($8.1 million a year), cold wave ($7.6 million a year), out of $37.9 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  8. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Lee County is Relatively High (score 62.1). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Lee County is Relatively High (score 63.8). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 93.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $8.1 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.004 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 92.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $7.6 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 1.16 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 88.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $2.4 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 16.21 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18... FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 87.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $898,000 a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 63.75 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 86.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $4.9 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.36 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 72.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $12.1 million a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 1.96 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 26 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 71.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $199,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.97 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 68.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $451,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.05 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 172 years for the... FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 68.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $4,145 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 65.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $723,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 2.12 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 65.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $388,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 3.33 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 56.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $190,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 13.37 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Lee County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 36.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $18,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0006 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Lee County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 33.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $30,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 4.26 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Lee County: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered geographically... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  26. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 241 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Lee County, out of 30,464 residential structures, a penetration rate of 0.8%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 1,123 residential structures and 181 contracts, a rate... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  27. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  28. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.