NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Columbia, 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
59 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Columbia, Mississippi since 1851, 10 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Francine in 2024. Since 1950, 162 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 17 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 10
- Tropical storms
- 49
- Tornadoes
- 162
- EF3 or stronger
- 17
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
29 deaths in all
What the records show for Columbia
The strongest storm to pass near Columbia was an unnamed storm in 1860, a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds when its centre passed 74 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Camille in 1969, whose centre came within 4 miles. The record near Columbia begins with an unnamed storm in 1855; the most recent system was Francine in 2024, a tropical storm 23 miles away. The 2000s and the 2020s were the busiest decades, with 5 systems each. Of the 59 systems, 14 have come since 2000. Columbia has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 85% of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site. The highest rating among the 162 tornadoes within 25 miles is EF4, reached 5 times; the most recent, on March 15, 2025, came within 12 miles. The deadliest, an EF4 on April 12, 2020, killed 7 people. Of the 162, 16 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 110 have come since 2000. March has had the most tornadoes, 27. The most recent tornado was on March 31, 2025. Columbia has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 71% of the 232 Mississippi cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 93 times since 1968, with stones up to 4 inches (softball size). Columbia has more hail reports within 10 miles than 81% of the 232 Mississippi cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Columbia
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | FrancineSep 12 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2021 | IdaAug 30 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 19 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 40 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2020 | CristobalJun 8 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | OlgaOct 26 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | GordonSep 5 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2017 | NateOct 8 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | LeeSep 5 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 29 | 14 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2005 | CindyJul 6 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2003 | BillJul 1 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2002 | IsidoreSep 26 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2001 | AllisonJun 11 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | GeorgesSep 29 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1995 | ErinAug 4 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1985 | ElenaSep 2 | 33 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 13 | 72 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | BobJul 11 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | EdithSep 17 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1969 | CamilleAug 18 | 4 mi | Category 3 (113 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 4 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | EthelSep 16 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1957 | EstherSep 18 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormJun 14 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1955 | BrendaAug 2 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormSep 5 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormSep 4 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 8 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormSep 26 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJul 28 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 16 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 1 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormSep 21 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 18 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 16 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 6 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 30 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 13 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 12 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 27 | 48 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1905 | Unnamed 1905 stormOct 10 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1905 | Unnamed 1905 stormSep 30 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormAug 8 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormSep 8 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 12 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1890 | Unnamed 1890 stormAug 27 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 20 | 71 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 15 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 7 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormSep 2 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormJul 12 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormOct 1 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormOct 3 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormSep 15 | 50 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 12 | 74 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 12 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1855 | Unnamed 1855 stormSep 16 | 44 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Columbia: 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 Columbia
By decade
- 2020s31(6 EF3+)
- 2010s42(4 EF3+)
- 2000s37(1 EF3+)
- 1990s16(1 EF3+)
- 1980s11(2 EF3+)
- 1970s10(3 EF3+)
- 1960s10
- 1950s5
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 2020 | EF4 | 15 mi | 67.43 mi | 7 / 98 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF4 | 12 mi | 67.16 mi | 6 / 6 |
| Apr 12, 2020 | EF4 | 11 mi | 22.12 mi | 4 / 3 |
| Apr 19, 2020 | EF4 | 10 mi | 53.76 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Feb 10, 2013 | EF4 | 19 mi | 21.65 mi | 0 / 71 |
| Jan 21, 2017 | EF3 | 19 mi | 31.06 mi | 4 / 57 |
| Dec 23, 2014 | EF3 | in town | 12.51 mi | 3 / 50 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF3 | 10 mi | 26.05 mi | 1 / 2 |
| Apr 12, 2020 | EF3 | 18 mi | 83.22 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Dec 16, 2019 | EF3 | 16 mi | 5.83 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 15, 2006 | F3 | 12 mi | 13.02 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Nov 21, 1992 | F3 | 14 mi | 27 mi | 0 / 105 |
The strongest 12 of 162, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Columbia
The Storm Prediction Center has 93 hail reports within 10 miles of Columbia since 1968, made on 79 separate days. Of these, 58 were 1 inch across or larger, and 5 reached 2 inches. The largest, 4 inches (softball size), fell on April 20, 1982. The most recent report is from February 11, 2024. April has the most reports, 23.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Columbia
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Columbia, MS, 3 miles west of Columbia at 150 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 72°F; January is the coolest, at 60°F and 38°F. January is the wettest at 6.5 inches of precipitation on average and September the driest at 3.6 inches; the year adds up to 62.0 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 47% of the year's precipitation (29.2 of 62.0 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 59 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (25); a normal September there has highs of 88°F and 3.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 90 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 37 nights a year. That 62.0 inches is more than at 70 of the 87 Mississippi stations used on this site (80%). Sandy Hook, 14 miles south, has its own station (Tylertown 5ESE, MS): 62.6 inches a year, 0.6 more than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60 | 38 | 6.5 | 8 |
| Feb | 64 | 42 | 5.2 | 7 |
| Mar | 71 | 48 | 5.7 | 7 |
| Apr | 78 | 55 | 5.2 | 6 |
| May | 85 | 63 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Jun | 90 | 70 | 5.8 | 8 |
| Jul | 92 | 72 | 6.1 | 9 |
| Aug | 92 | 72 | 6.0 | 8 |
| Sep | 88 | 67 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Oct | 80 | 56 | 3.8 | 5 |
| Nov | 69 | 45 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Dec | 62 | 40 | 5.8 | 7 |
| Year | 77 | 56 | 62.0 | 79 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Columbia, MS (150 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 Columbia
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 180 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Columbia: 121 thunderstorm wind reports, 53 flash floods, 4 lightning strikes, 1 flood and 1 heavy rain event. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $9.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 110 mph, on May 13, 2024. March has had the most flash floods, 11 of 53. Of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 212 have had fewer than Columbia.
May 26, 2008: flash flood 4 miles from the centre of Columbia — $5.0 million damage.
NWS: “A slow moving cluster of thunderstorms dumped 4 to 6 inches in rain across central Marion county causing the worst flooding in 10 years in and around Columbia. All the rain fell in 1 to 2 hours which flooded nearly all the streets in Downtown Columbia and several surrounding roads.”
December 27, 2018: flash flood 5 miles from the centre of Columbia — $500,000 damage.
NWS: “Water rescues from vehicles and homes occurred at Highway 43 South and Clear Creek Church Road about 12 miles south-southeast of Columbia. At least a dozen major city streets were impassable and at least ten businesses took on water in Columbia.”
August 12, 2005: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Columbia — $350,000 damage.
NWS: “A strong microburst moved through the North-Central portion of Marion county and downed numerous trees, power lines and caused damage to a few homes. In the town of Columbia, many large oak trees were uprooted, one home was destroyed along with one vehicle.”
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 Columbia's ZIP code 39429 have filed 538 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $6.1 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Flooding in 1983: 93 claims (17% of all) and $597,000, then Hurricane Katrina in 2005 with 24 and Late winter severe storms in 2016 with 24. 29% 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, 111 have fewer than Columbia.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding1983 | 93 | $597,000 |
| Hurricane Katrina2005 | 24 | $38,000 |
| Late winter severe storms2016 | 24 | $726,000 |
| Hurricane Isaac2012 | 12 | $350,000 |
Marion County, which includes Columbia, has been named in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1969, 25 of them major disasters (by incident: 15 hurricanes, 12 severe storms, 3 floods, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on February 6, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Marion County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail and strong wind; Relatively Low for inland flooding, lightning and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $15.7 million a year, the 29th highest of 82 Mississippi counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $5.6 million (35%), 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 Columbia
- Foxworth, MS7 mi
- Sandy Hook, MS14 mi
- Sumrall, MS15 mi
- Bassfield, MS17 mi
- Tylertown, MS22 mi
- Angie, LA23 mi
- Lumberton, MS23 mi
- Purvis, MS23 mi
- Jayess, MS24 mi
- Prentiss, MS25 mi
- Silver Creek, MS26 mi
- Hattiesburg, MS28 mi
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