NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Forest, 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 Forest, Mississippi since 1851, 3 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 222 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 22 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 3
- Tropical storms
- 25
- Tornadoes
- 222
- EF3 or stronger
- 22
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
121 deaths in all
What the records show for Forest
The strongest storm to pass near Forest was Zeta in 2020, a Category 1 hurricane with 81 mph winds when its centre passed 73 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Camille in 1969, whose centre came within 28 miles. The record near Forest begins with an unnamed storm in 1855; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 62 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1910s, with 4 systems. Of the 28 systems, 5 have come since 2000. Forest has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 61% of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site. The strongest of the 222 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F5 on March 3, 1966; its path came within 13 miles, and it killed 58 people. Of the 222, 12 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 156 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 65. The most recent tornado was on May 26, 2025. Forest has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 88% of the 232 Mississippi cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 50 times since 1962, with stones up to 2.25 inches. Of the 232 Mississippi cities, 58% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Forest.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Forest
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | IdaAug 30 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 73 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2019 | OlgaOct 26 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 29 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2002 | IsidoreSep 26 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | ErinAug 4 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 13 | 46 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1971 | EdithSep 17 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1969 | CamilleAug 18 | 28 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormSep 5 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 17 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 20 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 1 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 18 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 6 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 30 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormSep 14 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 13 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 28 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormAug 16 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormSep 8 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 1 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 7 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormSep 2 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormJul 12 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormOct 3 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormSep 16 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1855 | Unnamed 1855 stormSep 17 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Forest: 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 Forest
By decade
- 2020s42
- 2010s66(7 EF3+)
- 2000s48(1 EF3+)
- 1990s11(3 EF3+)
- 1980s14(3 EF3+)
- 1970s12(2 EF3+)
- 1960s12(3 EF3+)
- 1950s17(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3, 1966 | F5 | 13 mi | 202.5 mi | 58 / 518 |
| Jan 23, 1969 | F4 | 11 mi | 117.8 mi | 32 / 241 |
| Nov 21, 1992 | F4 | 24 mi | 128 mi | 12 / 122 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF4 | 23 mi | 122.04 mi | 7 / 17 |
| Dec 2, 1967 | F4 | 6 mi | 7.6 mi | 2 / 10 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F4 | 17 mi | 40 mi | 0 / 20 |
| Mar 29, 1976 | F4 | 14 mi | 126.5 mi | 0 / 8 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F3 | 23 mi | 42 mi | 3 / 40 |
| Nov 27, 1994 | F3 | 19 mi | 40 mi | 2 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2014 | EF3 | 16 mi | 29.72 mi | 1 / 10 |
| Jan 3, 1982 | F3 | 19 mi | 11 mi | 1 / 17 |
| Feb 18, 1976 | F3 | 15 mi | 27.3 mi | 1 / 27 |
The strongest 12 of 222, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Forest
The Storm Prediction Center has 50 hail reports within 10 miles of Forest since 1962, made on 44 separate days. Of these, 25 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.25 inches, fell on March 26, 2023. The most recent report is from September 16, 2025. March has the most reports, 11.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Forest
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Raleigh 6N, MS, 17 miles south of Forest at 446 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 68°F; January is the coolest, at 55°F and 33°F. February is the wettest at 6.0 inches of precipitation on average and May and September the driest at 4.2 inches; the year adds up to 61.6 inches over 77 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 46% of the year's precipitation (28.1 of 61.6 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 85°F and 4.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 65 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 59 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.9 inches a year. That 61.6 inches is more than at 64 of the 87 Mississippi stations used on this site (74%). Lake, 8 miles southeast, has its own station (Newton Exp Stn, MS): 58.3 inches a year, 3.3 less than here, and a July average high of 93°F against 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55 | 33 | 5.6 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Feb | 60 | 36 | 6.0 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Mar | 67 | 43 | 5.9 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 74 | 49 | 5.9 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 82 | 58 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 88 | 66 | 5.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 90 | 68 | 4.6 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 90 | 67 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 85 | 62 | 4.2 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 77 | 50 | 4.3 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 66 | 40 | 4.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 58 | 35 | 5.9 | 8 | 0.3 |
| Year | 74 | 51 | 61.6 | 77 | 0.9 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Raleigh 6N, MS (446 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 Forest
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 162 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Forest: 137 thunderstorm wind reports, 23 flash floods, 1 flood and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 1 person and injured 8, and the NWS estimated $11.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on April 4, 2008. August has had the most flash floods, 7 of 23. Of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 152 have had fewer than Forest.
April 9, 2024: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Forest — 1 killed, 7 injured, $1.5 million damage.
NWS: “A line of severe thunderstorms produced a swath of significant damaging winds starting northeast of Forest in Scotty County. In this swath, thousands of trees and numerous power lines and power poles were blown down.”
March 9, 2006: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Forest — 1 injured, $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Several trees were blown down around the Hillsboro Community and just north of Forest. One tree fell on a house and destroyed the structure and caused and injury.”
January 24, 2002: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Forest — $2.0 million damage.
NWS: “A line of severe thunderstorms with destructive, straight-line winds moved through the county. The communities of Forest and Morton were particularly hit hard with winds estimated to be 80 to 90 mph.”
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 Forest's ZIP code 39074 have filed 13 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1996, and were paid $459,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 23% 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, 13 have fewer than Forest.
Scott County, which includes Forest, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 severe storms, 7 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 winter storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on February 6, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Scott County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $11.6 million a year, the 41st highest of 82 Mississippi counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.2 million (28%), is from inland flooding.
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 Forest
- Lake, MS8 mi
- Morton, MS13 mi
- Conehatta, MS13 mi
- Walnut Grove, MS16 mi
- Lena, MS18 mi
- Newton, MS19 mi
- Pelahatchie, MS20 mi
- Decatur, MS21 mi
- Louin, MS23 mi
- Raleigh, MS24 mi
- Union, MS24 mi
- Hickory, MS27 mi
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