Monroe County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Monroe County: 21.
2. 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.

Every storm within 100 miles

1. 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.

Smoke overhead

1. 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.

Claims by ZIP code

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.

River crests

River gauges

1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

1. 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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. 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 county boundary (or inside the county).
2. 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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Mar 24, 2023Tornado$80.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   This tornado crossed into Monroe County from Chickasaw County near the Highway 45 and Old Houston Road intersection, rapidly intensifying as it approached Egypt and Tumblin Roads. Several structures sustained significant damage, including the total destruction of a couple of single-wide, manufactured homes. Numerous trees and utility poles were heavily damaged in the area and roof damage was noted on several homes. |Several injuries were reported in this area. The tornado continued to move northeast, crossing White Rock Road and causing widespread, significant tree damage, and roof damage to several homes in the path. The tornado strengthened further as it approached McAllister…

2. Apr 13, 2019Tornado$3.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado developed just south of Hamilton, MS and rapidly increased in intensity. Substantial damage to residences and outbuildings occurred along Seely Drive south of Hamilton Road. Numerous trees were uprooted or trunks snapped along the track. A tree fell on a mobile home on Center Hill Road north of Hamilton killing the resident. The tornado continued north-northeast, uprooting trees and causing minor structural damage. The tornado dissipated near West Road. Three injuries were also reported. Peak winds were estimated at 130 mph.

3. Apr 27, 2011Tornado$2.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   After lifting for 4 miles, a violent EF-5 tornado touched back down southwest of Smithville and moved northeast. The town of Smithville was almost completely destroyed by the tornado. Homes and businesses were completely wiped off of their foundations. The town hall, post office, police station, and four churches were destroyed. All appliances and plumbing fixtures in the direct path of the tornado were shredded or missing. Granite tombstones were knocked down in the opposite direction of the tornado passage. A ford explorer that was parked a half mile away from the town's water tower was picked up by the tornado and thrown into the top of the water tower. The vehicle was then…

4. May 7, 2003Tornado$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado moved into Monroe County from Chickasaw County and continued to move east-southeast.A cow and a calf were killed. Thirty-five homes were destroyed and 117 others were damaged. Several barns, sheds and outbuildings were also damaged.

5. Dec 25, 2015Flash Flood$1.3 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Very heavy rain occurred across Northern Monroe County. Rainfall amounts of up to 10 inches were measured. Flash flooding resulted in 50 homes becoming uninhabitable. Forty county roads were closed. Ten city streets were closed in Amory and three were closed in Smithville. Twenty people were rescued by vehicle or boat in Amory, Smithville, Wren and unincorporated areas especially along the Tombigbee River.

6. Apr 27, 2011Tornado$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A strong tornado moved into Monroe County from Chickasaw County and continued northeast. The New Wren community was especially hit hard. At least 20 homes were destroyed or sustained major damage. Hundreds of trees were snapped or debarked. Numerous power lines were knocked down. One motorist was killed as the tornado moved through the area.

7. Apr 27, 2011Tornado$750,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   An EF-1 tornado moved northeast out of Chickasaw County into Monroe County. At least 31 homes and businesses sustained minor damage. Three injuries occurred in the Wren and New Wren area. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped along the path. Power lines were also knocked down as well.

8. Apr 13, 2019Tornado$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Tornado occurred mostly in forested areas. Several homes received primarily roof damage. Several transmission line towers were destroyed approximately 2 miles north of Highway 278. Peak winds were estimated near 115 mph.

9. Apr 24, 2010Tornado$350,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A tornado touched down just south of Hamilton Road along Highway 45 in New Hamilton. The tornado tracked northeast for seven miles and lifted near Bartahatchie Road, approximately one mile east of the intersection of Bartahatchie Road and Grubb Springs Road. Numerous trees were uprooted along the track. Traffic lights were severely damaged at the intersection of Highway 45 and Hamilton Road. One house near the beginning of the track suffered structural damage losing a garage and utility room. Several homes also sustained roof damage. A few vehicles also received damage from falling trees or other debris. One person was injured when a tree fell onto a vehicle. A small steel…

10. Nov 29, 2010Tornado$250,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A tornado touched down in the Becker Community east of the Monroe County Airport. The tornado destroyed one home with four homes sustaining major damage. An additional nine homes sustained minor damage. Eight mobile homes were destroyed with another five receiving major damage. Fourteen mobile homes sustained minor damage. Numerous trees and power lines were snapped or knocked down.

1. 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.

All-time high

114°FJul 13, 1930

All-time low

−15°FFeb 13, 1899

Warmest night

83°FJun 16, 1980

Coldest day

7°FDec 24, 1989

Wettest day

7.14 inMar 16, 1973

Snowiest day

14.0 inFeb 13, 1960

Hottest year

1927mean 67.1°F

Coldest year

1997mean 60.2°F

Wettest year

193276.83 in

Driest year

200731.78 in

Snowiest season

17.6 in1967-68

Station Aberdeen (USC00220021), 188 ft elevation, 6.8 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1892 to October 27, 2026; 85.6% 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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 USC00220021.
• 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.