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Mississippi · County tornado history

Washington County, Mississippi tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 32 tornadoes in Washington County, Mississippi from 1950 through 2024, about one every 2.3 years. That ranks it 45 of 82 counties in Mississippi with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF2 on January 11, 2020.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
32
Since 2000
11
Strongest
F5, February 21, 1971
Most recent
EF2, January 11, 2020
Peak month
April (9)
Per 1,000 sq mi
42
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively High

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Washington County

April has brought the most, 9 of 32. About 47% touched down between 11 am and 5 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it). Winter tornadoes (December to February) make up 28% of the total, a sign of the cool-season storms common in the South.

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 9
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 8
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 11
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 0
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 3
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 1

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Washington County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
February 21, 1971 F5 109.2 mi 500 yd 47 510
November 24, 2001 F4 30.3 mi 880 yd 48
April 17, 1978 F4 3.6 mi 100 yd 3
March 9, 1992 F4 20 mi 880 yd 1
March 22, 1953 F2 234.7 mi 200 yd 2 22
December 4, 1973 F2 12.5 mi 30 yd 6
April 22, 1974 F2 22.4 mi 10 yd 3
February 20, 1953 F2 1 mi 100 yd 2
June 19, 1969 F2 0.1 mi 10 yd 1
January 11, 2020 EF2 17.7 mi 850 yd 1

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Washington County was an F5 on February 21, 1971. It killed 47 people and injured 510 along its 109.2-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
January 11, 2020 EF2 17.7 mi 850 yd 1
April 18, 2017 EF0 0 mi 40 yd
April 18, 2013 EF0 0.3 mi 50 yd
October 9, 2009 EF1 2 mi 100 yd 1 2
May 2, 2008 EF0 3 mi 50 yd
April 7, 2006 F0 1 mi 50 yd
November 28, 2005 F0 1 mi 30 yd
September 24, 2005 F0 0.5 mi 100 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Washington County as relatively high, with a score of 93 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.67 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $5,636,178 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Washington County had?

32 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 11 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Washington County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF2 on January 11, 2020. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Washington County?

An F5 on February 21, 1971, with a 109.2-mile path.

When is tornado season in Washington County?

April has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.