Enter any address in Forrest County, Mississippi to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent flood event in Forrest County, Mississippi, with 136 recorded instances in the last 30 years. Recent examples include localized flash flooding on February 3, 2022, following heavy rainfall, and flash flooding on December 14, 2022, associated with severe thunderstorms. Tropical storms and hurricanes have also impacted the area, with 11 tropical storm events and 3 hurricane events recorded in the same period.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims, with 1115 claims averaging $7185 and an average water depth of 2.2 feet. Properties in Zone X_SHADED and Zone X have also seen significant payouts, averaging $14611 and $14556 respectively, despite lower claim volumes. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in Zone X_SHADED and Zone X, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
71 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Forrest County, Mississippi has recorded 151 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 136 flash floods and 1 river or area floods. The county has received 32 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1969–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Hurricane Ida | Hurricane | Aug 28, 2021 |
| Hurricane Zeta | Hurricane | Oct 27, 2020 |
| Hurricane Delta | Hurricane | Oct 7, 2020 |
| Hurricane Sally | Hurricane | Sep 14, 2020 |
| Hurricane Marco And Tropical Storm Laura | Hurricane | Aug 23, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornado | Severe Storm | Dec 27, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Tornado | Jan 20, 2017 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 12, 2024 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2022 | 90.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2022 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2022 | 200.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2022 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2022 | 30.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 18, 2022 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 17, 2022 | 15.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 14, 2022 | 300.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 10, 2022 | 10.00K |
Tropical Storm — Sep 12, 2024
Tropical Storm Francine made landfall in southern Louisiana on the evening of September 11th, 2024. The weakening storm produced strong wind damage as it moved across central Mississippi the morning of September 12th, 2024.
Flash Flood — Aug 24, 2022
A low pressure system spinning over northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas brought several rounds of showers and thunderstorms producing heavy rain to Mississippi August 24th through 25th. This resulted in widespread flooding of roads, homes, and businesses around the state.
Flash Flood — Mar 18, 2022
Showers and thunderstorms developed in the warm, moist airmass south of a warm front. Some storms were severe and produced wind damage to portions of southeast Mississippi. Flash flooding occurred as storms began to move over the same region.
Flash Flood — Apr 17, 2022
Several rounds of severe thunderstorms produced large hail, damaging wind gusts, and tornadoes through the day on April 17th.
Flash Flood — Dec 14, 2022
Severe thunderstorms moved across Mississippi during the evening and overnight hours of the 13th into the 14th, with flash flooding across areas of the Delta and several tornadoes. Severe storm coverage diminished during the night, but storms became severe again during the afternoon of the 14th as a cold front interacted with a warm and unstable air mass in the region. Tornadoes on the 14th wer...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Forrest County, Mississippi:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Forrest County, Mississippi that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.