Yazoo County, Mississippi Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1860, 27 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Yazoo County, Mississippi — about one every 6.1 years. Of those, 2 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Francine (2024), which passed 31 miles away on 12 September 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentFrancine (2024) — 31 mi away, 12 September 2024
- Strongest stormCamille (1969) — 70 kt (81 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1879) — 4.8 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles9 of 27
- Peak monthAugust and September — 9 storms (33% of all)
- Most active year1879 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1930s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1860–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francine (2024) | 12 Sep 2024 | 30.6 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Ida (2021) | 30 Aug 2021 | 13.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Delta (2020) | 10 Oct 2020 | 33.4 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Gordon (2018) | 5 Sep 2018 | 12.4 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Erin (1995) | 4 Aug 1995 | 49.8 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 27 Aug 1992 | 29.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 12 Aug 1987 | 47.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Danny (1985) | 16 Aug 1985 | 47.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 12 Jul 1979 | 30.3 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Camille (1969) | 18 Aug 1969 | 23.0 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 1 Jun 1959 | 36.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Esther (1957) | 19 Sep 1957 | 31.5 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1956) | 14 Jun 1956 | 43.4 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 5 Sep 1949 | 30.6 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 1 Sep 1937 | 33.9 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 17 Jun 1934 | 11.3 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 20 Sep 1932 | 16.3 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 2 Sep 1932 | 46.7 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 16 Oct 1923 | 43.0 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 6 Jul 1916 | 16.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1908) | 3 Aug 1908 | 33.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 30 Sep 1905 | 43.6 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1890) | 28 Aug 1890 | 8.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 20 Aug 1888 | 27.9 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 7 Oct 1879 | 4.8 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 2 Sep 1879 | 38.0 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 3 Oct 1860 | 5.5 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (2020) | Post-tropical | 24 Sep 2020 | 18.5 mi | 24 kt |
| Olga (2019) | Post-tropical | 26 Oct 2019 | 36.6 mi | 44 kt |
| Humberto (2007) | Remnant low | 14 Sep 2007 | 8.0 mi | 20 kt |
How Yazoo County, Mississippi compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Yazoo County, Mississippi ranks #590 — more exposed than 73.3% of them. Within Mississippi it ranks #49 of 82, against a state average of 32.3 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Camille (1969) passed 23 miles away on 18 August 1969 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1888) passed 28 miles away on 20 August 1888 as a hurricane, reaching 63 kt (72 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1879) passed 38 miles away on 2 September 1879 as a tropical storm, reaching 51 kt (59 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1860) passed 6 miles away on 3 October 1860 as a tropical storm, reaching 51 kt (59 mph) while within 50 miles.
26 of the 27 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 6.1 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 27 storms spread over the 166 years from 1860 to 2025. 2 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 23 years, between 1995 and 2018. It has been 1 year since the last one; 22 of the 24 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Yazoo County, Mississippi?
2 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Yazoo County, Mississippi at hurricane strength since 1860. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 27.
When was the last hurricane in Yazoo County, Mississippi?
Camille (1969), on 18 August 1969, passing 23 miles away — 57 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Francine (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect Yazoo County, Mississippi?
Camille (1969), which reached 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 23 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Yazoo County, Mississippi?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 6.1 years — 27 storms over the 166 years from 1860 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Yazoo County, Mississippi borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Attala County, Mississippi has 27 on record.