NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit De Kalb, 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
28 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of De Kalb, Mississippi since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 120 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 12 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 27
- Tornadoes
- 120
- EF3 or stronger
- 12
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
67 deaths in all
What the records show for De Kalb
The strongest storm to pass near De Kalb was Zeta in 2020, a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds when its centre passed 53 miles away. The record near De Kalb begins with an unnamed storm in 1855; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020. The busiest decade was the 1910s, with 5 systems. Of the 28 systems, 5 have come since 2000. De Kalb has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 49% of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site. The highest rating among the 120 tornadoes within 25 miles is F5 or EF5, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 27, 2011, came within 16 miles. The deadliest, an F5 on March 3, 1966, killed 58 people. Of the 120, 10 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 72 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 36. The most recent tornado was on April 6, 2025. Of the 232 Mississippi cities, 53% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than De Kalb. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 39 times since 1975, with stones up to 2.25 inches. Of the 232 Mississippi cities, 78% have more hail reports within 10 miles than De Kalb.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near De Kalb
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 53 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2019 | OlgaOct 26 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2017 | NateOct 8 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 30 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2002 | IsidoreSep 26 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | ErinAug 4 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 13 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1971 | EdithSep 17 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1950 | BakerAug 31 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormSep 5 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 16 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 1 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 18 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 18 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 8 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 30 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormSep 14 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 13 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 28 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormAug 16 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormSep 8 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 12 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 29 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 1 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormSep 2 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormJul 12 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormSep 16 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1855 | Unnamed 1855 stormSep 17 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in De Kalb: 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 De Kalb
By decade
- 2020s10(1 EF3+)
- 2010s38(4 EF3+)
- 2000s24(1 EF3+)
- 1990s12
- 1980s12(2 EF3+)
- 1970s10(3 EF3+)
- 1960s4(1 EF3+)
- 1950s10
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3, 1966 | F5 | 9 mi | 202.5 mi | 58 / 518 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF5 | 16 mi | 28.28 mi | 3 / 6 |
| Mar 12, 1986 | F4 | 8 mi | 23 mi | 0 / 8 |
| Mar 29, 1976 | F4 | 22 mi | 126.5 mi | 0 / 8 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F3 | 8 mi | 42 mi | 3 / 40 |
| Apr 11, 2013 | EF3 | 4 mi | 66.35 mi | 1 / 9 |
| Nov 24, 2004 | F3 | 19 mi | 21 mi | 1 / 2 |
| Mar 22, 2022 | EF3 | 7 mi | 9.21 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 16 mi | 23.74 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 15, 2011 | EF3 | 1 mi | 48.52 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Apr 4, 1977 | F3 | 23 mi | 9.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 4, 1977 | F3 | 13 mi | 11.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 120, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in De Kalb
The Storm Prediction Center has 39 hail reports within 10 miles of De Kalb since 1975, made on 35 separate days. Of these, 17 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.25 inches, fell on April 15, 2011. The most recent report is from March 27, 2017. April has the most reports, 12.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in De Kalb
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Meridian Naas, MS, 16 miles southeast of De Kalb at 271 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 72°F; January is the coolest, at 58°F and 37°F. March and April are the wettest at 5.6 inches of precipitation on average and September the driest at 2.7 inches; the year adds up to 54.9 inches over 77 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 44% of the year's precipitation (24.2 of 54.9 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 28 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (14); a normal September there has highs of 89°F and 2.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 85 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 44 nights a year. That 54.9 inches is more than at 5 of the 87 Mississippi stations used on this site (6%). Collinsville, 16 miles southwest, has its own station (Meridian Key Field, MS): 57.2 inches a year, 2.3 more than here, and the same July average high, 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 37 | 5.2 | 7 |
| Feb | 63 | 40 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Mar | 71 | 46 | 5.6 | 7 |
| Apr | 78 | 53 | 5.6 | 6 |
| May | 85 | 62 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Jun | 91 | 69 | 4.6 | 7 |
| Jul | 93 | 72 | 5.3 | 8 |
| Aug | 93 | 71 | 4.0 | 7 |
| Sep | 89 | 66 | 2.7 | 4 |
| Oct | 79 | 54 | 3.9 | 4 |
| Nov | 68 | 43 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Dec | 61 | 40 | 4.8 | 7 |
| Year | 77 | 54 | 54.9 | 77 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Meridian Naas, MS (271 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 De Kalb
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 91 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of De Kalb: 78 thunderstorm wind reports, 11 flash floods, 1 heavy rain event and 1 lightning strike. They killed 0 people and injured 5, and the NWS estimated $1.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 96 mph, on January 5, 2007. Of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 49 have had fewer than De Kalb.
January 5, 2007: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of De Kalb — 3 injured.
January 13, 2005: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of De Kalb — 2 injured, $250,000 damage.
NWS: “Severe thunderstorm winds caused major damage to one home where two people sustained injuries. Six other homes sustained minor damage.”
August 29, 2005: flash flood 3 miles from the centre of De Kalb — $200,000 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
Kemper County, which includes De Kalb, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1974, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 hurricanes, 5 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 ice storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on February 6, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Kemper County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, strong wind, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hail and inland flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $4.1 million a year, the 76th highest of 82 Mississippi counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $1.0 million (26%), is from tornadoes.
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 De Kalb
- Bailey, MS15 mi
- Collinsville, MS16 mi
- Lauderdale, MS19 mi
- Toomsuba, MS25 mi
- Philadelphia, MS25 mi
- Meridian, MS25 mi
- Macon, MS27 mi
- Union, MS27 mi
- York, AL31 mi
- Louisville, MS32 mi
- Decatur, MS32 mi
- Hickory, MS35 mi
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