NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit West Point, 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
21 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of West Point, Mississippi since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Olga in 2019. Since 1950, 131 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 15 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 21
- Tornadoes
- 131
- EF3 or stronger
- 15
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
19 deaths in all
What the records show for West Point
None of the 21 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed West Point; the strongest was Frederic in 1979, a tropical storm with 59 mph winds when its centre passed 27 miles away. The record near West Point begins with an unnamed storm in 1855; the most recent system was Olga in 2019, a tropical storm 60 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1910s, with 4 systems. Of the 21 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site, 56% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than West Point. The strongest of the 131 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on March 11, 1963; its path came within 22 miles, and it killed 2 people. The deadliest, an EF3 on April 27, 2011, killed 4 people. Of the 131, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 76 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 34. The most recent tornado was on March 31, 2025. West Point has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 54% of the 232 Mississippi cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 47 times since 1965, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 232 Mississippi cities, 62% have more hail reports within 10 miles than West Point.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near West Point
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | OlgaOct 26 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 30 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 13 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 28 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | BakerAug 31 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 17 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 20 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 2 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 18 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 18 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 7 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 30 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormSep 15 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 28 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormAug 16 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormSep 9 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 29 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormSep 2 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormOct 3 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormSep 16 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1855 | Unnamed 1855 stormSep 17 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in West Point: 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 West Point
By decade
- 2020s19(1 EF3+)
- 2010s38(3 EF3+)
- 2000s19(2 EF3+)
- 1990s6
- 1980s14(1 EF3+)
- 1970s11(2 EF3+)
- 1960s10(3 EF3+)
- 1950s14(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11, 1963 | F4 | 22 mi | 45.2 mi | 2 / 7 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 22 mi | 51.45 mi | 4 / 25 |
| Mar 24, 2023 | EF3 | 17 mi | 36.56 mi | 2 / 55 |
| Feb 23, 2019 | EF3 | 15 mi | 9.74 mi | 1 / 11 |
| Mar 20, 1976 | F3 | 14 mi | 49.4 mi | 1 / 9 |
| Jun 28, 1957 | F3 | 24 mi | 5.4 mi | 1 / 10 |
| Feb 16, 1956 | F3 | 13 mi | 8 mi | 1 / 55 |
| Feb 20, 1951 | F3 | 17 mi | 0.1 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 18 mi | 58.74 mi | 0 / 25 |
| Jan 10, 2008 | EF3 | 16 mi | 13.25 mi | 0 / 11 |
| Nov 10, 2002 | F3 | 16 mi | 29.2 mi | 0 / 55 |
| Jan 19, 1988 | F3 | 10 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 131, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in West Point
The Storm Prediction Center has 47 hail reports within 10 miles of West Point since 1965, made on 39 separate days. Of these, 28 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on March 2, 2012. The most recent report is from May 2, 2025. April has the most reports, 15.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in West Point
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is State Univ, MS, 13 miles southwest of West Point at 185 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 72°F; January is the coolest, at 54°F and 33°F. February is the wettest at 6.2 inches of precipitation on average and September the driest at 3.7 inches; the year adds up to 58.0 inches over 80 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 44% of the year's precipitation (25.3 of 58.0 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 21 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (10); a normal September there has highs of 87°F and 3.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 78 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 58 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.5 inches a year, most of it in January. That 58.0 inches is more than at 29 of the 87 Mississippi stations used on this site (33%). Hamilton, 15 miles northeast, has its own station (Aberdeen, MS): 54.4 inches a year, 3.6 less than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54 | 33 | 5.5 | 8 | 0.3 |
| Feb | 59 | 36 | 6.2 | 8 | 0.2 |
| Mar | 67 | 43 | 5.4 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 75 | 51 | 6.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 83 | 61 | 4.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 89 | 69 | 4.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 92 | 72 | 4.5 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 92 | 71 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 87 | 64 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 77 | 52 | 3.9 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 65 | 42 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 57 | 36 | 5.3 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Year | 75 | 53 | 58.0 | 80 | 0.5 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at State Univ, MS (185 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 West Point
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 109 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of West Point: 90 thunderstorm wind reports, 17 flash floods and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 0 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $5.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on May 20, 2005. April has had the most flash floods, 5 of 17. Of the 232 Mississippi cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 104 have had fewer than West Point.
March 18, 2013: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of West Point — 1 injured, $500,000 damage.
NWS: “There was a swath of damaging thunderstorm winds across the county. A 20 foot section of the roof was blown off the Justice Court Building.”
January 10, 2008: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of West Point — 1 injured, $150,000 damage.
NWS: “Straight line winds, from the forward flank downdraft, produced damage across the south side of West Point. This downdraft came from the supercell thunderstorm which eventually produced the Caledonia Tornado.”
May 20, 2005: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of West Point — $2.0 million damage.
NWS: “An intense and long duration downburst event occurred across a large part of Rankin county during the evening of May 20th. Damage began north of Brandon, near the Langford Community, and continued south-southwest along a path through Flowood, Pearl, Richland, Whitfield, Florence, Cleary and Whites.”
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 West Point's ZIP code 39773 have filed 118 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $1.3 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Flooding in 1983: 16 claims (14% of all) and $80,000. The year with the most claims was 2019, with 23. 16% 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, 88 have fewer than West Point.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding1983 | 16 | $80,000 |
Clay County, which includes West Point, has been named in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 23 of them major disasters (by incident: 14 severe storms, 6 hurricanes, 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 Clay County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes and lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail, strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for inland flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $8.8 million a year, the 55th highest of 82 Mississippi counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.6 million (29%), 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 West Point
- Mississippi State, MS14 mi
- Hamilton, MS15 mi
- Starkville, MS15 mi
- Aberdeen, MS16 mi
- Columbus, MS17 mi
- Steens, MS19 mi
- Caledonia, MS21 mi
- Maben, MS25 mi
- Okolona, MS26 mi
- Houston, MS27 mi
- Amory, MS28 mi
- Mathiston, MS29 mi
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