Tunica County, Mississippi Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1881, 15 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Tunica County, Mississippi — about one every 9.7 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Lili (2002), which passed 19 miles away on 4 October 2002.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentLili (2002) — 19 mi away, 4 October 2002
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1888) — 57 kt (66 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1926) — 2.7 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles8 of 15
- Peak monthAugust — 6 storms (40% of all)
- Most active year1881 — 1 storms
- Most active decade1890s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1881–2002
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lili (2002) | 4 Oct 2002 | 18.7 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Erin (1995) | 4 Aug 1995 | 10.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 12 Jul 1979 | 49.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Camille (1969) | 19 Aug 1969 | 21.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Betsy (1965) | 11 Sep 1965 | 24.9 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Audrey (1957) | 28 Jun 1957 | 46.5 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Easy (1950) | 9 Sep 1950 | 40.4 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 31 Jul 1926 | 2.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1908) | 3 Aug 1908 | 46.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1906) | 28 Sep 1906 | 27.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 21 Sep 1898 | 46.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1891) | 7 Jul 1891 | 17.3 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1890) | 28 Aug 1890 | 49.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 20 Aug 1888 | 12.1 mi | TS / TD | 56 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1881) | 29 Aug 1881 | 3.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 6 systems passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francine (2024) | Post-tropical | 13 Sep 2024 | 8.0 mi | 25 kt |
| Olga (2019) | Post-tropical | 26 Oct 2019 | 47.8 mi | 42 kt |
| Barry (2001) | Remnant low | 7 Aug 2001 | 38.3 mi | 10 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1933) | Post-tropical | 27 Jul 1933 | 48.6 mi | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | Post-tropical | 2 Sep 1932 | 15.4 mi | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | Post-tropical | 17 Aug 1901 | 28.7 mi | 30 kt |
How Tunica County, Mississippi compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Tunica County, Mississippi ranks #986 — more exposed than 55.3% of them. Within Mississippi it ranks #82 of 82, against a state average of 32.3 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1888) passed 12 miles away on 20 August 1888 as a tropical storm, reaching 57 kt (66 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Camille (1969) passed 21 miles away on 19 August 1969 as a tropical storm, reaching 42 kt (48 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1906) passed 27 miles away on 28 September 1906 as a tropical storm, reaching 40 kt (46 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Audrey (1957) passed 46 miles away on 28 June 1957 as a tropical storm, reaching 37 kt (43 mph) while within 50 miles.
14 of the 15 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 9.7 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 15 storms spread over the 145 years from 1881 to 2025. 0 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 24 years, between 1926 and 1950. It has been 23 years since the last one; 1 of the 14 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Tunica County, Mississippi?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Tunica County, Mississippi while at hurricane strength. 15 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1881, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Unnamed Storm (1888).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Tunica County, Mississippi?
Lili (2002), on 4 October 2002, passing 19 miles away — 24 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Tunica County, Mississippi at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Tunica County, Mississippi?
Unnamed Storm (1888), which reached 57 kt (66 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 12 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Tunica County, Mississippi?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 9.7 years — 15 storms over the 145 years from 1881 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Tunica County, Mississippi borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Tate County, Mississippi has 21 on record.