Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Winston County, MS

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
28159
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2030-04-09. Plan: MEMA District 4 Regional (FEMA plan 110505), approved 2025-04-10.

Since the plan was approved on 2025-04-10: 2 new hazard declarations (1 incident) and 14 NOAA Storm Events records; details under "What changed since your last plan".

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Tornado ($2,328,191 a year), Inland Flooding ($1,637,461) and Cold Wave ($889,013).

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Approved, expires 2030-04-09
Plan:
MEMA District 4 Regional (FEMA plan 110505)
Approved:
2025-04-10
Days to expiry:
1,287

What changed since your last plan (approved 2025-04-10)

New federal declarations:
2 new hazard declarations (1 incident): EM-3640-MS (Severe Winter Storm), DR-4899-MS (Severe Winter Storm)
Storm Events records since approval:
14 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 0, SRL 0 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 2
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiry
Winston County (unincorporated area)UnincorporatedApproved, expires 2030-04-09MEMA District 4 Regional (FEMA plan 110505)2025-04-102030-04-091,287
Louisville cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-09MEMA District 4 Regional (FEMA plan 110505)2025-04-102030-04-091,287
Noxapater townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-09MEMA District 4 Regional (FEMA plan 110505)2025-04-102030-04-091,287

Plan 110505 covers 43 other participants, named in the Excel file.

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1TornadoRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,034,500$14,668$1,279,023$2,328,19129
2Inland FloodingVery LowVery Low$1,622,775$8,899$5,787$1,637,46134
3Cold WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$10,158$88,764$790,091$889,0132
4Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$513,340$14,382$214,418$742,141160Includes 1 High Wind and 4 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
5HurricaneRelatively LowRelatively Low$288,303$156,151$11,502$455,9565Includes 1 Tropical Depression record (outside NRI's Hurricane definition).
6EarthquakeRelatively LowRelatively Low$340,997n/a$106,033$447,029Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
7Heat WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$25$840$419,706$420,5705
8HailRelatively LowRelatively Low$227,185$20,094$49,142$296,42294
9LightningRelatively LowRelatively Low$17,133n/a$137,943$155,0751
10DroughtRelatively LowRelatively Lown/a$153,371n/a$153,37116
11Ice StormRelatively LowRelatively Low$73,617n/a$8,819$82,4365
12Winter WeatherRelatively LowRelatively Low$2,978$36$29,773$32,78620Includes 1 Sleet record (outside NRI's Winter Weather definition).
13WildfireVery LowVery Low$9,273$91$2,793$12,1580No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
14LandslideVery LowVery Low$651n/a$78$7290No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local wildfire and landslide records (Storm Events records these hazards only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 9503 (Relatively Moderate, 83.2); tract 9504 (Relatively Moderate, 77.9); tract 9505 (Relatively Low, 72.4)
Hurricanetract 9505 (Relatively Moderate, 82.6); tract 9502 (Relatively Moderate, 81.6); tract 9503 (Relatively Moderate, 81.3)
Landslidetract 9501 (Relatively Low, 89.1); tract 9502 (Relatively Low, 87.8); tract 9505 (Relatively Low, 81.9)
Tornadotract 9503 (Very High, 99.4); tract 9505 (Very High, 97.7); tract 9502 (Very High, 97.7)
Wildfiretract 9502 (Relatively Low, 80.7); tract 9505 (Relatively Low, 78.4); tract 9503 (Relatively Low, 74.5)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 9503 is Census Tract 9503). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill2 records, 2010 to 2026 (2 zone-level)2 days to 14 days (median 8 days); 2 with a recorded value14 consecutive days, 2010-01-01 to 2010-01-14, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage0
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)16 records, 2006 to 2026 (16 zone-level)16 days to 84 days (median 46 days); 8 with a recorded value84 days (about 2.8 months), 2007-04-12 to 2007-07-04, a run of 5 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelDrought, 2007-06-01, $0 property; $2,000,000 crops (zone total, 2007 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)131 records, 1970 to 20260.75 in to 3 in (median 1 in); 130 with a recorded value3 in hail, 2014-04-28Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Louisville city (50 records), Noxapater town (28 records).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)5 records, 2005 to 2010 (5 zone-level)4 days to 12 days (median 5 days); 5 with a recorded value12 consecutive days, 2007-08-05 to 2007-08-16, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson5 records, 2004 to 2021 (5 zone-level)Strongest recorded: Hurricane record (NOAA event type 'Hurricane (Typhoon)'), 2005-08-29, $50,000,000 property; $40,000,000 crops (2005 dollars), 1 direct injury (reported for the zone); NWS zone MSZ038Countywide (zone-level records).Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)5 records, 1996 to 2011 (5 zone-level)Ice Storm, 2006-02-20, $500,000 property; crops not reported (2006 dollars); NWS zone MSZ038Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)34 records, 1997 to 2023Flash Flood, 2023-07-13, $2,500,000 property; $0 crops (2023 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Louisville city (18 records), Noxapater town (3 records).Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)1 record, 2007Lightning, 2007-08-30, $300,000 property; $0 crops (2007 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Louisville city (1 record).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)5 records, 2008 to 2024 (5 zone-level)39 kt (45 mph) to 50 kt (58 mph) (median 45 kt (52 mph)); 5 with a recorded value50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust, High Wind, 2009-04-12; NWS zone MSZ038Strong Wind, 2024-09-12, $15,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2024 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)186 records, 1964 to 202639 kt (45 mph) to 80 kt (92 mph) (median 52 kt (60 mph)); 134 with a recorded value80 kt (92 mph) estimated gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2006-03-09Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Louisville city (67 records), Noxapater town (31 records).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)36 records, 1951 to 2025F/EF0 to F/EF5 (median F/EF1); 35 with a recorded valueEF5 tornado, 2011-04-27, 4.24 mi within this county, 900 yd wide, $100,000 property; $0 crops (2011 dollars)Tornado, 2014-04-28, $115,000,000 property; $6,500,000 crops (2014 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Noxapater town (6 records), Louisville city (4 records).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)0
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)20 records, 1997 to 2025 (20 zone-level)Heavy Snow, 2011-02-09, $400,000 property; $0 crops (2011 dollars); NWS zone MSZ038Countywide (zone-level records).

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of debris flow and lightning.

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records from zones that no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 18 declarations covering 14 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2026-02-062026-01-23DR-4899-MSMajor disasterSevere Winter StormWinter Weathernone placed in this county by FEMA's record; $103,887.07 for this declaration is not placed in any county (see the state page)new since last plan; within last 5 years
2026-01-242026-01-23EM-3640-MSEmergencySevere Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 yearssame incident as DR-4899
2021-10-222021-08-28DR-4626-MSMajor disasterHurricane IdaHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedwithin last 5 years
2021-08-282021-08-28EM-3569-MSEmergencyHurricane IdaHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4626
2021-05-042021-02-11DR-4598-MSMajor disasterSevere Winter StormsIce Storm$111,458.94
2020-04-052020-01-20DR-4528-MSMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$22,912.20
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3474-MSEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4528
2014-04-302014-04-28DR-4175-MSMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingInland Flooding; Tornado$69,236,796.36
2012-08-292012-08-26DR-4081-MSMajor disasterHurricane IsaacHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
2011-04-292011-04-15DR-1972-MSMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingInland Flooding; Strong Wind; Tornado$27,907.50
2008-08-302008-08-28EM-3291-MSEmergencyHurricane GustavHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
2005-08-292005-08-29DR-1604-MSMajor disasterHurricane KatrinaHurricane$362,308.15
2005-07-102005-07-10DR-1594-MSMajor disasterHurricane DennisHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
2004-09-152004-09-13DR-1550-MSMajor disasterHurricane IvanHurricane$23,018.84
2001-02-232001-02-16DR-1360-MSMajor disasterSevere Storms and TornadoesTornado$8,461.61
1999-01-251998-12-23DR-1265-MSMajor disasterSevere Winter Storms, Ice and Freezing RainIce Storm$184,106.67
1979-04-161979-04-16DR-577-MSMajor disasterStorms, Tornadoes, FloodsInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
1977-02-221977-02-22EM-3032-MSEmergencyDrought & FreezingWinter Weather (primary); also designated: Droughtno Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1962-10-101962-10-10DR-135-MSMajor disasterChlorine Barge AccidentNon-natural, not counted
1961-02-271961-02-27DR-108-MSMajor disasterFloodsInland Flooding
1953-12-061953-12-06DR-14-MSMajor disasterTornadoTornado

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

Public Assistance not placed in any Mississippi county: 3 rows, $3,519,904.13; listed on the Mississippi state page.

Source: 3

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Cold Wave2101001996 to 2026-06-30
Drought16204101996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail1316216001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave5000001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane5000601996 to 2026-06-30Includes 1 Tropical Depression record.
Ice Storm5000201996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding34003301996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Lightning1000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind1915428101955 to 2026-06-30Includes 1 High Wind and 4 Strong Wind records.
Tornado36015401950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Winter Weather20015211996 to 2026-06-30Includes 1 Sleet record.

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2023-07-13Flash Flood$2,500,000 property; $0 crops (2023 dollars)0, 0HIGH PT to MC MILLANwithin last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
2014-04-28Hail3 in$1,500,000 property; $0 crops (2014 dollars)0, 0RURAL HILL to LOUISVLL WINSTON ARPB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2014-04-28TornadoEF4, 25.01 mi within this county, 1,320 yd wide$115,000,000 property; $6,500,000 crops (2014 dollars)10, 81ZAMA to BETHEDENdeaths or injuries recorded
2011-04-27TornadoEF5, 4.24 mi within this county, 900 yd wide$100,000 property; $0 crops (2011 dollars)0, 0FEARNS SPGSB1-c worst recorded: Tornado
2010-01-01Cold/Wind Chill$200,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2010 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MSZ038 (WINSTON), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
2009-04-12High Wind50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust$15,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2009 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MSZ038 (WINSTON), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2007-08-30Lightning$300,000 property; $0 crops (2007 dollars)0, 0LOUISVILLEB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
2007-08-05Heat$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2007 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MSZ038 (WINSTON), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Excessive Heat, Heat
2006-03-09Thunderstorm Wind80 kt (92 mph) estimated gust$10,000,000 property; crops not reported (2006 dollars)0, 0LOUISVILLEB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2005-08-29Hurricane (NOAA event type 'Hurricane (Typhoon)')$50,000,000 property; $40,000,000 crops (zone total, 2005 dollars)0, 1NWS zone MSZ038 (WINSTON), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical Depression
2004-11-24TornadoF3, 12 mi within this county, 600 yd wide$2,500,000 property; crops not reported (2004 dollars)1, 2NOXAPATERdeaths or injuries recorded
1977-02-23TornadoF4, 15 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 350 yd wide$250,000 property; crops not recorded (1977 dollars)2, 5location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (446 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

Tribal and special-area declarations in this state are listed on the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Cold Wave1.11event-days per yearabout 1.11 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)212005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought13.7event-days per yearabout 13.7 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 6 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (20%)4412000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.00265annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.265%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail3.54events per yearabout 3.54 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)134.4 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave11.6event-days per yearabout 11.6 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 4 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (13.3%)1862005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0.0722events per yearabout 1 in 14 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)261851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm0.932event-days per yearabout 0.932 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 5 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (16.7%)631946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding1.14event-days per yearabout 1.14 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 15 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (50%)321996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.367events per year (modeled)about 1 in 3 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning69.3days per year with a strikeabout 69.3 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind2.63events per yearabout 2.63 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)1001986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.666events per yearabout 0.67 per yearLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.000728annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.0728%Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Winter Weather3.11event-days per yearabout 3.11 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 12 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (40%)592005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202552301.73
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20256300.2
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 2025120304
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 20258300.267
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 202526300.867
TornadoEF0-11996 to 202525300.833
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20252300.0667
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20252300.0667
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Cold Wave5 of 579.688.889.4Relatively High 5
Drought3 of 583.894.696.6Relatively Moderate 2, Relatively Low 1, No Rating 2
Earthquake5 of 556.172.483.2Relatively Moderate 2, Relatively Low 3
Hail5 of 581.488.993.5Relatively High 3, Relatively Moderate 2
Heat Wave5 of 572.584.586.7Relatively High 3, Relatively Moderate 2
Hurricane5 of 574.081.382.6Relatively Moderate 3, Relatively Low 2
Ice Storm5 of 573.585.192.3Relatively High 1, Relatively Moderate 4
Inland Flooding5 of 517.041.953.8Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 4
Landslide5 of 549.081.989.1Relatively Low 3, Very Low 2
Lightning5 of 578.190.493.7Relatively High 5
Strong Wind5 of 591.897.499.1Very High 4, Relatively High 1
Tornado5 of 590.397.799.4Very High 4, Relatively High 1
Wildfire5 of 573.774.580.7Relatively Low 5
Winter Weather5 of 570.181.585.0Relatively High 4, Relatively Moderate 1

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its planNotes
Winston County (unincorporated area)UnincorporatedApproved, expires 2030-04-09FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$18,579,864.750 total; 0 since its planIncludes $22,912.20 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4528-MS).
Louisville cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-09FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$38,958,666.45140 total; 4 since its plan
Noxapater townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-09FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$18,119.0868 total; 3 since its plan

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2025-04-10county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Cold Wave$3,187,948,065$103,185,47217,714$10,158$88,764$790,0910.000319%$0
Droughtn/a$2,820,790n/an/a$153,371n/a5.44% (agriculture)$0NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$5,721,355,979n/a17,714$340,997n/a$106,0330.00596%
Hail$3,187,950,484$103,185,47217,714$227,185$20,094$49,1420.00713%$0
Heat Wave$3,187,948,065$103,185,47217,714$25$840$419,706under 0.0001%
Hurricane$3,187,948,065$103,185,47217,714$288,303$156,151$11,5020.00904%
Ice Storm$3,187,948,065n/a17,714$73,617n/a$8,8190.00231%
Inland Flooding$3,186,127,461$9,300,765377$1,622,775$8,899$5,787n/a (see note)NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$32,497,699n/a178$651n/a$780.002%
Lightning$3,187,950,484n/a17,714$17,133n/a$137,9430.000537%
Strong Wind$3,187,950,484$103,185,47217,714$513,340$14,382$214,4180.0161%$0
Tornado$3,187,950,484$103,185,47217,714$1,034,500$14,668$1,279,0230.0325%
Wildfire$314,792,402$16,565,6232,985$9,273$91$2,7930.00295%
Winter Weather$3,187,948,065$103,185,47217,714$2,978$36$29,773under 0.0001%no Public Assistance recorded (2 declarations)

Totals since 2025-04-10 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 11 county-coded records, 11 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0; 3 zone-level records, 3 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: none recorded on the 2 counted declarations.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population17,714
Building value (total, not at risk)$3,187,950,484
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$103,185,472
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Very Low
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$4,598,231
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$3,055,107
Social vulnerability ratingVery High
Community resilience ratingRelatively Low
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition2Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition0

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county and state-level rows

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total0020201
of which: Louisville city0010100
of which: Winston County (unincorporated area)0010101
Statewide, no county in FEMA's file1141403

The statewide row counts properties FEMA's file gives with no county in this state; they are listed for reference and are not in this county's counts.

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Winston County (unincorporated area)2803080010101
Louisville city2801850010100
Noxapater town2804000000000

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential0010100
2 to 4 unit residential0000000
other residential0000000
non-residential0010101
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 0 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 2 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment (the summary on page 1 says how it is organized); the plan and FEMA's review decide whether each item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

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).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Winston County, MS: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 28159). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/ms/28159/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: contact@hazardplain.org