Grenada
Population 12,088 (2025)
10 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Grenada since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was an unnamed storm in 1888 (Tropical storm).
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195068
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger17
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19841
- Major flood years since 1978, Grenada County4
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Grenada County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Grenada County.
Strongest tornado
F4
February 21, 1971, 202.1 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1888, 39.6 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 1.1 years since 1950, 7 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
February 21, 1971
F4, 202.1 mile path
100 yards wide; 58 killed along the whole path.
Most recent
Sunday, May 18, 2025
EF1, 14.4 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| May 18, 2025 | EF1 | 14.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 2025 | EF1 | 14.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 2025 | EF1 | 7.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF2 | 24.2 | 3 | 0 |
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF2 | 35.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 24, 2023 | EF3 | 29.4 | 5 | 3 |
| Mar 22, 2022 | EF0 | 6.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 2021 | EF0 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2017 | EF1 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2017 | EF1 | 7.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2017 | EF1 | 6.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2017 | EF1 | 5.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2017 | EF1 | 6.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2017 | EF2 | 15.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 17, 2012 | EF1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF1 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF1 | 27.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 9, 2008 | EF1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2, 2008 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 10, 2008 | EF1 | 8.7 | 2 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 2006 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 29, 2005 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 7, 2004 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 13, 2002 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 26, 2001 | F1 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 24, 2001 | F3 | 22.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 18, 2000 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 18, 2000 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 27, 1997 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 20, 1996 | F1 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 18, 1995 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 18, 1995 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 1991 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 21, 1990 | F1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 21, 1990 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 21, 1990 | F3 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 9, 1990 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 27, 1988 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 27, 1988 | F1 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 27, 1988 | F2 | 18.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 19, 1988 | F2 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 16, 1987 | F1 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 16, 1987 | F1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1986 | F1 | 1.2 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 21, 1984 | F2 | 36.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 1983 | F2 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1983 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 24, 1980 | F2 | 4.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1975 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1975 | F2 | 1.0 | 7 | 0 |
| Oct 29, 1974 | F2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 12, 1974 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1974 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 24, 1973 | F3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 20, 1973 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 20, 1973 | F3 | 11.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 10, 1973 | F2 | 19.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 21, 1971 | F4 | 202.1 | 795 | 58 |
| Feb 4, 1971 | F1 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Feb 4, 1971 | F2 | 6.1 | 0 | 7 |
| Oct 13, 1970 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1970 | F2 | 16.9 | 4 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 1969 | F2 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 27, 1968 | F2 | 7.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 27, 1968 | F2 | 5.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 7, 1957 | F3 | 31.2 | 1 | 2 |
| Apr 3, 1956 | F2 | 124.9 | 6 | 0 |
| Feb 20, 1953 | F1 | 16.5 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
10 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
August 20, 1888
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
39.6 miles at closest approach, winds near 67 mph.
Most recent
October 26, 2019
Olga, Post-tropical
14.9 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Olga | 2019 | 14.9 | Post-tropical |
| Katrina | 2005 | 61.4 | Tropical storm |
| Frederic | 1979 | 94.6 | Tropical storm |
| Camille | 1969 | 15.1 | Tropical storm |
| Audrey | 1957 | 22.4 | Tropical storm |
| Baker | 1950 | 81.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1934 | 3.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1932 | 5.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1923 | 39.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1923 | 80.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 4.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 76.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1909 | 93.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1906 | 9.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1905 | 96.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 39.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 36.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1879 | 66.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1860 | 6.0 | Tropical storm |
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
1 large fire burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
March 10, 1993
Unnamed Fire, 651 acres
21.1 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
March 10, 1993
Unnamed Fire
651 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Unnamed | 1993 | 21.1 | 651 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 62 days
Heavy smoke on 5 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
14.2 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
8 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 42 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
320 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $3.7 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Grenada County, the county that contains Grenada.
Most claims in one year
1983: 94 claims
$1.8 million paid.
2nd most
1991: 87 claims
$725,000 paid.
3rd most
1982: 43 claims
$645,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 38901 | 312 | $3.7 million |
| 7 | $40,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood67
- Flood1
- Heavy Rain1
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, 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).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 107 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 10 months.
The drought index is for Grenada County, the county that contains Grenada.
107
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
21
Months in extreme drought
7%
Share of all months, severe or worse
17
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 1943
−4.96, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
10 months
May 1918 to February 1919.
Latest month
September 2026
−4.64, extreme drought
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes
1 earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.6 in 1931.
2
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
1
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
December 16, 1931
Magnitude 4.6
South of Charleston, Mississippi; 16.6 miles away.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
November 4, 1977
Magnitude 3.4
12 km E of Bruce, Mississippi; 37.4 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Dec 16, 1931 | 4.6 | 16.6 |
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
457 events in the National Weather Service record for Grenada County, 399 of them since 1996.
50
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
5
Hail, 2 inches or larger
167
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
23
Winter weather events since 1996
5
Heat events since 1996
3
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
June 13, 1970
3.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
November 29, 2016
90 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 4 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Dec 23, 1998Ice Storm, Grenada$2.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
A crippling ice storm struck the three state region of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi at one of the worst times, just before Christmas. Much of the fall and early winter season of late 1998 had been very mild for southerners. But on Tuesday December 22nd, a strong surge of shallow Arctic air drove southward and spelled a quick end to the unseasonable warmth and helped set the stage for one of winter's nasty tricks. A moist southwest flow above the cold air brought several upper level disturbances. This combination of cold air and moisture held together for several days and brought periods of freezing rain and sleet to the three state region, beginning tuesday night and not…
- Aug 29, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Grenada$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Hurricane Katrina will likely go down as the worst and costliest natural disaster in United States history. The amount of destruction, the cost of damaged property/agriculture and the large loss of life across the affected region has been overwhelming. Catastrophic damage was widespread across a large portion of the Gulf Coast region. The devastation was not only confined to the coastal region, widespread and significant damage occurred well inland up to the Hattiesburg area and northward past Interstate 20. This hurricane has changed life as we know it across the Gulf Coast region which will take many years to return to normal.Hurricane Katrina was a very large and powerful storm…
- Apr 6, 2003Flash Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rains, between 4 and 6 inches, caused 20 to 30 streets to be flooded. Five homes were also flooded.
- Jun 22, 2018Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
A line of severe thunderstorms produced damaging wind gusts across Grenada. A total of six houses were damaged from fallen trees. Three of the houses had significant damage. A tree which fell on a house on Pecan Street injured one person.
- May 5, 2003Flash Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Several rounds of thunderstorms caused numerous streets and roads to flood. Three homes became flooded due to rising water.
- Jun 19, 2007Flash Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
A significant flash flood event occurred during the mid and late morning of June 19th. Seven to ten inches of rain fell in a 2 to 3 hour time frame. Numerous roads in the county and city were flooded by several feet of water. One county road was washed out. Nearly a dozen vehicles were submerged or trapped by the flood water with several water rescues needed. Nearly 20 homes were flooded, several apartments, 8 businesses and one fire station.
- Jan 1, 2010Cold/Wind Chill, Grenada$400,000
National Weather Service narrative
There were numerous reports of water line breaks across public buildings and residential homes around the county.
- May 10, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$400,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous trees were blown down along with a number of power lines. Significant power outages resulted from the damaging winds. Additionally, a building under construction was damaged in Grenada.
- Nov 26, 2001Tornado$350,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado was first sighted near Leflore. The tornado tracked northeast through Holcomb and ended about four miles northeast of Dubard after staying on the ground for about 12 miles. The tornado destroyed a mobile home, caused major damage to two houses, one mobile home, and one business, and caused minor damage to one other business.
- Feb 9, 2011Heavy Snow, Grenada$340,000
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy snow, between 3-4 inches fell across the county. Many accident were reported due to the slick roads.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Greenwood Leflore Airport, 25.4 miles from the city centre, with records from 1948.
- All-time high
- 106°F2 times, most recently Aug 15, 2007
- All-time low
- −4°FFeb 3, 1951
- Warmest night
- 81°F3 times, most recently Jul 8, 2024
- Coldest day
- 12°FJan 10, 1962
- Wettest day
- 8.07 inSep 20, 1958
- Snowiest day
- 6.0 inMar 22, 1968
- Hottest year
- 2023mean 67.8°F
- Coldest year
- 1976mean 60.0°F
- Wettest year
- 198979.97 in
- Driest year
- 196532.31 in
- Snowiest season
- 8.7 in1950-51
Median first snow
January 17
Earliest: November 24, 1950
Median last snow
January 29
Latest: April 2, 1987
29 of 50 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Greenwood Leflore Airport (USW00013978), 140 ft elevation, 25.4 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 98.7% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
27 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, February 6, 2026.
Declarations for Grenada County.
| Feb 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899-MS |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640-MS |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4874-MS |
| Oct 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626-MS |
| Aug 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569-MS |
| May 4, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4598-MS |
| Apr 23, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4538-MS |
| Apr 16, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4536-MS |
| Apr 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4528-MS |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3474-MS |
| Apr 23, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4429-MS |
| Aug 29, 2012 | Hurricane | DR-4081-MS |
| Aug 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3348-MS |
| Apr 29, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1972-MS |
| Aug 30, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3291-MS |
| Aug 29, 2005 | Hurricane | DR-1604-MS |
| Dec 7, 2001 | Severe Storm | DR-1398-MS |
| Feb 23, 2001 | Severe Storm | DR-1360-MS |
| Jan 25, 1999 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1265-MS |
| Feb 18, 1994 | Severe Storm | DR-1009-MS |
| May 17, 1991 | Severe Storm | DR-906-MS |
| Mar 5, 1991 | Flood | DR-895-MS |
| Dec 21, 1983 | Flood | EM-3087-MS |
| Apr 24, 1978 | Tornado | EM-3063-MS |
| Feb 22, 1977 | Snowstorm | EM-3032-MS |
| Mar 27, 1973 | Severe Storm | DR-368-MS |
| Feb 22, 1971 | Tornado | DR-302-MS |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, 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).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00013978.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.