NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Collins, MS
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
46 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Collins, Mississippi since 1851, 5 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 230 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 32 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 5
- Tropical storms
- 41
- Tornadoes
- 230
- EF3 or stronger
- 32
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
42 deaths in all
What the records show for Collins
The strongest storm to pass near Collins was Camille in 1969, a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds when its centre passed 15 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Katrina in 2005, whose centre came within 8 miles. The record near Collins begins with an unnamed storm in 1855; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 66 miles away. The 1890s and the 1910s were the busiest decades, with 5 systems each. Of the 46 systems, 10 have come since 2000. Collins has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 74% of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site. The highest rating among the 230 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 7 times; the most recent, on March 15, 2025, came within 6 miles. The deadliest, an EF4 on April 12, 2020, killed 7 people. Of the 230, 16 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 145 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 50. The most recent tornado was on April 6, 2025. Collins has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 89% of the 232 Mississippi cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 53 times since 1962, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Of the 232 Mississippi cities, 54% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Collins.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Collins
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | IdaAug 30 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 46 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2019 | OlgaOct 26 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | GordonSep 5 | overhead | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2017 | NateOct 8 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | LeeSep 5 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 29 | 8 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2005 | CindyJul 6 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2002 | IsidoreSep 26 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2001 | AllisonJun 11 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | ErinAug 4 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1985 | ElenaSep 2 | 64 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 13 | 55 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | BobJul 11 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | EdithSep 17 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1969 | CamilleAug 18 | 15 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 4 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | EthelSep 16 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1957 | EstherSep 19 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormJun 14 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormSep 5 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormSep 4 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormSep 26 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 16 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 1 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 18 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 6 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 30 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormSep 14 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 13 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 12 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 27 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1895 | Unnamed 1895 stormAug 17 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormAug 8 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormSep 8 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 12 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1890 | Unnamed 1890 stormAug 28 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 15 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 7 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormSep 2 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormJul 12 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormOct 1 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormOct 3 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormSep 15 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1855 | Unnamed 1855 stormSep 16 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Collins: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Collins
By decade
- 2020s44(4 EF3+)
- 2010s47(4 EF3+)
- 2000s54(3 EF3+)
- 1990s19(6 EF3+)
- 1980s14(3 EF3+)
- 1970s25(9 EF3+)
- 1960s14
- 1950s13(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 2020 | EF4 | 3 mi | 67.43 mi | 7 / 98 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF4 | 6 mi | 67.16 mi | 6 / 6 |
| Feb 28, 1987 | F4 | 21 mi | 35 mi | 6 / 350 |
| Apr 12, 2020 | EF4 | 24 mi | 22.12 mi | 4 / 3 |
| Apr 18, 1978 | F4 | 16 mi | 19.1 mi | 4 / 31 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F4 | 14 mi | 40 mi | 0 / 20 |
| Mar 26, 1976 | F4 | 20 mi | 18.5 mi | 0 / 11 |
| Dec 23, 2014 | EF3 | 23 mi | 12.51 mi | 3 / 50 |
| Nov 27, 1994 | F3 | 19 mi | 40 mi | 2 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 1951 | F3 | 19 mi | 33.5 mi | 2 / 16 |
| Apr 14, 1999 | F3 | 7 mi | 25.5 mi | 1 / 33 |
| Apr 4, 1957 | F3 | 19 mi | 40.2 mi | 1 / 75 |
The strongest 12 of 230, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Collins
The Storm Prediction Center has 53 hail reports within 10 miles of Collins since 1962, made on 51 separate days. Of these, 26 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on March 18, 2013. The most recent report is from May 9, 2024.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Collins
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Collins, MS, in Collins at 290 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 94°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 62°F and 34°F. January and December are the wettest at 5.9 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.8 inches; the year adds up to 58.0 inches over 73 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 45% of the year's precipitation (26.0 of 58.0 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 46 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (21); a normal September there has highs of 90°F and 3.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 70 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 41 nights a year. That 58.0 inches is more than at 28 of the 87 Mississippi stations used on this site (32%). Prentiss, 18 miles west, has its own station (Monticello, MS): 60.5 inches a year, 2.5 more than here, and a July average high of 96°F against 94°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 34 | 5.9 | 7 |
| Feb | 66 | 38 | 5.1 | 6 |
| Mar | 73 | 44 | 5.3 | 6 |
| Apr | 80 | 52 | 5.1 | 6 |
| May | 86 | 61 | 4.7 | 6 |
| Jun | 92 | 68 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Jul | 94 | 70 | 5.1 | 8 |
| Aug | 94 | 70 | 4.9 | 7 |
| Sep | 90 | 65 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Oct | 81 | 53 | 3.8 | 4 |
| Nov | 71 | 43 | 4.4 | 5 |
| Dec | 64 | 37 | 5.9 | 7 |
| Year | 79 | 53 | 58.0 | 73 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Collins, MS (290 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Collins
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 219 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Collins: 180 thunderstorm wind reports, 34 flash floods, 3 lightning strikes, 1 flood and 1 heavy rain event. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $5.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on May 5, 2023. March has had the most flash floods, 11 of 34. Of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 186 have had fewer than Collins.
May 5, 2023: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Collins — $2.0 million damage.
January 7, 2005: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of Collins — $500,000 damage.
NWS: “Two chicken houses were destroyed along with several trees blown down in the Mount Horeb Community.”
August 29, 2005: flash flood 3 miles from the centre of Collins — $300,000 damage.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Flood insurance policyholders in Collins's ZIP code 39428 have filed 19 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1983, and were paid $164,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 26% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 133 Mississippi cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 27 have fewer than Collins.
Covington County, which includes Collins, has been named in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1969, 23 of them major disasters (by incident: 15 hurricanes, 8 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Arthur, on August 3, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Covington County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and strong wind; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, lightning and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $10.2 million a year, the 47th highest of 82 Mississippi counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.4 million (33%), is from hurricanes.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. 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).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets 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).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Collins
- Mount Olive, MS9 mi
- Seminary, MS10 mi
- Taylorsville, MS14 mi
- Bassfield, MS15 mi
- Mize, MS16 mi
- Prentiss, MS18 mi
- Magee, MS18 mi
- Moselle, MS19 mi
- Sumrall, MS19 mi
- Ellisville, MS21 mi
- Newhebron, MS25 mi
- Laurel, MS26 mi
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