Enter any address in Panola County, Mississippi to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood hazard in Panola County, MS. Over the past 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 27 flash flood events, resulting in one fatality. Recent examples include widespread flash flooding on June 8 and 9, 2021, caused by an upper low and moist air mass producing heavy rainfall. Another significant flash flood event occurred on March 24, 2023, associated with severe weather across the Mid-South.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced a high volume of claims, with an average payout of $13,639 and an average water depth of 5.6 feet. While Zone X and Zone X_UNSHADED have fewer claims, Zone X shows a higher average payout of $25,032, despite a lower average water depth of 1.5 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in Zone X, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
14 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Panola County, Mississippi has recorded 32 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 27 flash floods and 4 river or area floods. The county has received 26 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 (1973–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Mar 24, 2023 |
| Hurricane Ida | Hurricane | Aug 28, 2021 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 12, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jan 10, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 22, 2019 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Mar 9, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 23, 2015 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Mar 24, 2023 | 40.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 10, 2021 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 8, 2021 | 250.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 12, 2020 | 50.00K |
| Flood | Feb 21, 2018 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Nov 5, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 15, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 10, 2016 | 600.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 25, 2015 | 50.00K (1 deaths) |
Flash Flood — Mar 24, 2023
The first significant event to produce widespread severe weather across the Mid-South for 2023 occurred on March 24, during the afternoon and evening hours. This severe weather episode occurred mainly over portions of the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys. Surface analysis for this day depicted a quasi-stationary boundary from the Mid-Atlantic States and Ohio Valley through northern port...
Flash Flood — Jun 10, 2021
A stubborn upper low remained stalled across the area on June 10, 2021. This feature continued to interact with a very moist air mass across the region to produce very heavy rainfall amounts across mainly North Mississippi. Significant flash flooding occurred across parts of North Mississippi, especially in Tallahatchie County.
Flash Flood — Jun 9, 2021
An upper low continued to meander across the region on June 9, 2021. Weak upper-level disturbances rotated around the upper low and interacted with a very moist air mass across the Mid-South to produce several rounds of heavy rain across East-Central Arkansas and North Mississippi. There were several instances of flash flooding.
Flash Flood — Jun 8, 2021
An upper low parked over the Mid-South resulted in widespread showers and thunderstorms across North Mississippi during the early morning hours of June 8, 2021. Some locations received up to 4 inches of rain before sunrise which set the stage for flash flooding later that morning into the afternoon as a mesoscale convective vortex pushed into the Mid-South. This feature resulted in several area...
Flash Flood — Apr 12, 2020
Low pressure tracked from the Southern Plains into the Lower Mississippi Valley on April 12, 2020. A warm front pushed north through the Mid-South earlier in the day with heavy rain and some flash flooding along with a few severe storms. The associated cold front then tracked across the Mid-South during the overnight hours. A line of severe storms with widespread damaging winds developed in ad...
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 Panola 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 Panola 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.