Sunflower County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Sunflower County: 28.
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 9, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$5.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   As a line of severe storms pushed through the Mississippi Delta, a small segment of the line caused extensive damage in Indianola and then across areas to the northeast. This "bow echo" segment was extremely intense with winds estimated around 80 kts (92 mph). The core of the damaging winds moved from Indianola, north eastward to the Sunflower Community and then into west-central Leflore County.The worst damage occurred in and around Indianola where several hundred trees were uprooted or snapped and dozens of power lines were taken down. Numerous buildings and homes sustained significant to major roof damage and many other homes sustained at least some kind of shingle damage.…

2. Dec 23, 1998Ice Storm, Sunflower$1.5 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…

3. Apr 7, 2006Hail$1.2 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Significant hail damage, from wind driven hail up to the size of tennis balls, occurred across southeast Bolivar County and then northern Sunflower County as a left moving supercell thunderstorm tracked across the region. This storm originated in Chicot County Arkansas and moved northeast into Washington County, near Greenville, and then intensified as it moved into southeast Bolivar county. This storm produced large amounts of quarter to golf ball sized hail across Bolivar County with the areas from Shaw to Boyle to Cleveland being the hardest hit. Additionally, this storm produced damaging winds which downed several power lines and numerous trees around Cleveland. A few homes…

4. Jan 11, 2020Tornado$700,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   An EF-2 tornado touched down in northern Sunflower County on the grounds of Mississippi State Penitentiary. It caused minor damage on the penitentiary grounds before tracking northeast toward Rome. The tornado damaged or destroyed several homes and businesses in Rome including the Rome Post Office. It also snapped several wooden power poles along US 49W. The tornado lifted as it approached the Sunflower/Tallahatchie/Coahoma county line. The estimated peak wind was 115 mph.

5. Apr 7, 2006Hail$700,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A swath of large hail, some wind damage and one brief tornado occurred from the third supercell thunderstorm to effect this region. This third storm moved along the exact path of supercell one but caused more damage and was more intense. This storm produced a swath of quarter to hen egg sized hail which damaged homes, broke windows and damaged vehicles. The core of this storm moved from the southwest corner of Sunflower County to the Inverness area, crossed the extreme northern tip of Humphreys County, and then moved into Leflore County between Moorhead and Morgan City.

6. Feb 24, 2007Tornado$650,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   This tornado touched down 6 miles southwest of Indianola and raced northeast toward and across the southern part of town. Numerous trees were snapped along with a few power poles and metal signs blown down. Several sheds were also destroyed along the path. The Kingdom Hall Church, along Highway 49, had half of its roof blown off along with the entire car port destroyed. An area fence was severe damaged as debris was blown along the path. An irrigation pivot system was flipped over and severely damaged just east of town.

7. Sep 18, 2009Flash Flood$600,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rainfall, between 4 and 5 inches, fell around the Ruleville area. Significant flooding occurred throughout the city and outlying areas. Many roads were under water and impassable with 50 to 60 homes flooded. Large sections of farmland were under water and some damage was done to crops.

8. Sep 24, 2005Tornado$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   This strong tornado touched down 4 miles south-southeast of Belzoni on Gunn Bayou Road, in Humphreys county. As the tornado approached Highway 12 and the City of Belzoni, it grew larger and more intense. Before it reached Belzoni, numerous trees and power lines were taken down. The tornado was most intense within an area just east of Belzoni to about 4 miles north of Belzoni. Here the heaviest and most extensive damage occurred. Several homes were significantly damaged, a modular commercial building was totally destroyed, the Belzoni school bus barn was heavily damage, and a number of cars, school buses and farm vehicles had windows blown out. After the tornado moved through the…

9. Apr 7, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   One warehouse was heavily damaged and many trees and power lines were blown down near Inverness.

10. Oct 13, 2009Flash Flood$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Many roads were flooded across Sunflower County with several of those washed out in sections. The southern lane of Highway 8 was washed out along the Big Sunflower River along with parts of Highway 442 and 448. This heavy rain also damaged crops due to flooded fields and prolonged saturated soils.

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

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

Station Greenwood Leflore Airport (USW00013978), 140 ft elevation, 29.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 25, 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.

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 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.