NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Petal, 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
56 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Petal, Mississippi since 1851, 10 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Francine in 2024. Since 1950, 157 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 16 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 10
- Tropical storms
- 46
- Tornadoes
- 157
- EF3 or stronger
- 16
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
22 deaths in all
What the records show for Petal
The strongest storm to pass near Petal was Camille in 1969, a Category 3 hurricane with 112 mph winds when its centre passed 30 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1855, whose centre came within 13 miles. The record near Petal begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Francine in 2024, a tropical storm 55 miles away. Of the 56 systems, 11 have come since 2000. Petal has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 85% of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site. The highest rating among the 157 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 3 times; the most recent, on April 19, 2020, came within 10 miles. The deadliest, an F4 on February 28, 1987, killed 6 people. Of the 157, 14 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 92 have come since 2000. March has had the most tornadoes, 28. The most recent tornado was on April 6, 2025. Petal has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 66% of the 232 Mississippi cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 127 times since 1965, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Petal has more hail reports within 10 miles than 91% of the 232 Mississippi cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Petal
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | FrancineSep 12 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 19 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 18 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2019 | OlgaOct 26 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | GordonSep 5 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2017 | NateOct 8 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | LeeSep 5 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 29 | 16 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2005 | CindyJul 6 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2002 | IsidoreSep 26 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2001 | AllisonJun 11 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | GeorgesSep 29 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1995 | ErinAug 4 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1985 | ElenaSep 2 | 56 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 13 | 38 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | BobJul 11 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | EdithSep 17 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1969 | CamilleAug 18 | 30 mi | Category 3 (112 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 4 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | EthelSep 16 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormSep 4 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 8 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormSep 26 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormJun 16 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 16 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 1 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormSep 21 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 18 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormJun 26 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 6 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 30 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormSep 14 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 13 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 12 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 22 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 27 | 14 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormAug 15 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 13 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1895 | Unnamed 1895 stormAug 16 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormAug 8 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 2 | 64 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormSep 8 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 12 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 19 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 15 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 27 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 3 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 1 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 7 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormSep 2 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormJul 12 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormOct 1 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormSep 15 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 12 | 60 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1855 | Unnamed 1855 stormSep 16 | 13 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 26 | 63 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Petal: 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 Petal
By decade
- 2020s17(1 EF3+)
- 2010s36(4 EF3+)
- 2000s39(2 EF3+)
- 1990s18
- 1980s15(3 EF3+)
- 1970s16(3 EF3+)
- 1960s9
- 1950s7(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 1987 | F4 | 10 mi | 35 mi | 6 / 350 |
| Apr 19, 2020 | EF4 | 10 mi | 53.76 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Feb 10, 2013 | EF4 | 1 mi | 21.65 mi | 0 / 71 |
| Jan 21, 2017 | EF3 | 2 mi | 31.06 mi | 4 / 57 |
| Feb 26, 1958 | F3 | 19 mi | 29.1 mi | 4 / 20 |
| Apr 21, 1951 | F3 | 22 mi | 33.5 mi | 2 / 16 |
| May 27, 1973 | F3 | 13 mi | 15 mi | 1 / 35 |
| Dec 16, 2019 | EF3 | 22 mi | 61.19 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Dec 16, 2019 | EF3 | 17 mi | 5.83 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 15, 2006 | F3 | 20 mi | 15.88 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Nov 15, 2006 | F3 | 7 mi | 13.02 mi | 0 / 6 |
| May 7, 1982 | F3 | 3 mi | 13 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 157, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Petal
The Storm Prediction Center has 127 hail reports within 10 miles of Petal since 1965, made on 95 separate days. Of these, 63 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.75 inches (baseball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently March 18, 1996. The most recent report is from April 22, 2025. April has the most reports, 43.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Petal
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Hattiesburg Chain Municipal Airport, MS, 6 miles south of Petal at 151 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. June is the wettest at 5.9 inches of precipitation on average and October and November the driest at 3.7 inches; the year adds up to 59.1 inches over 77 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 47% of the year's precipitation (28.0 of 59.1 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 56 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (26); a normal September there has highs of 88°F and 4.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 96 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 34 nights a year. That 59.1 inches is more than at 43 of the 87 Mississippi stations used on this site (49%). Hattiesburg, 7 miles southwest, has its own station (Hattiesburg 5SW, MS): 64.5 inches a year, 5.4 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 | 5.8 | 6 |
| Feb | 65 | 42 | 4.9 | 7 |
| Mar | 72 | 48 | 5.6 | 7 |
| Apr | 78 | 54 | 5.4 | 6 |
| May | 85 | 62 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Jun | 90 | 70 | 5.9 | 8 |
| Jul | 92 | 72 | 5.7 | 9 |
| Aug | 92 | 72 | 4.8 | 8 |
| Sep | 88 | 67 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Oct | 80 | 55 | 3.7 | 4 |
| Nov | 69 | 44 | 3.7 | 5 |
| Dec | 62 | 41 | 5.0 | 7 |
| Year | 78 | 55 | 59.1 | 77 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Hattiesburg Chain Municipal Airport, MS (151 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 Petal
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 394 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Petal: 249 thunderstorm wind reports, 119 flash floods, 20 lightning strikes, 4 floods and 2 heavy rain events. They killed 2 people and injured 49, and the NWS estimated $13.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on May 13, 2024. March has had the most flash floods, 20 of 119. Of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 226 have had fewer than Petal.
June 5, 1998: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Petal — 2 killed, 45 injured, $1.0 million damage.
October 26, 1996: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Petal — 1 injured, $50,000 damage.
July 12, 2017: lightning strike 5 miles from the centre of Petal — 1 injured, $30,000 damage.
NWS: “A female was struck by lightning along Eastabuchie Road. The female was on her porch across the street from a water tower that was struck by lightning.”
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 Petal's ZIP code 39465 have filed 432 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $3.3 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Flooding in 1983: 120 claims (28% of all) and $278,000, then Hurricane Katrina in 2005 with 19. 35% 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, 110 have fewer than Petal.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding1983 | 120 | $278,000 |
| Hurricane Katrina2005 | 19 | $248,000 |
Forrest County, which includes Petal, has been named in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1969, 20 of them major disasters (by incident: 18 hurricanes, 6 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on February 6, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Forrest County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, hail and heat waves; Relatively Low for inland flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $33.3 million a year, the 13th highest of 82 Mississippi counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $11.1 million (33%), 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 Petal
- Hattiesburg, MS7 mi
- Moselle, MS11 mi
- Ovett, MS13 mi
- Ellisville, MS16 mi
- Purvis, MS17 mi
- Seminary, MS19 mi
- Sumrall, MS21 mi
- Richton, MS22 mi
- Brooklyn, MS22 mi
- Beaumont, MS22 mi
- Laurel, MS25 mi
- Lumberton, MS27 mi
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