Harrison County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Harrison County has experienced 37 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Harrison County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 143% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (92nd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Harrison County has been designated in 37 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (24), severe storm (6), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Arthur |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Marco And Tropical Storm Laura |
Showing the 10 most recent of 37 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 94.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.5 | 43 | 0 | $703K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 91.6 | 2 | 0 | $10K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 70.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.8 | 23 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96 | 25 | 0 | $892K |
| Hurricane | Very High | 98.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 87.5 | 29 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 85.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 75 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 97.1 | 5 | 0 | $218K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 33.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Harrison County ranks in the 92nd percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 92nd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 92nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 91st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 76th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 75th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 93rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 45.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 127 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 37 in 2016–20 vs 90 in 2021–25 (+143% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Harrison County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Harrison County, Mississippi are hurricane, lightning, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Harrison County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Harrison County has received 37 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (24 declarations).
Has Harrison County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Harrison County include Tropical Storm Arthur (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Harrison County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jackson County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Stone County, MS has the lowest (Relatively Low). Harrison County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Harrison County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Harrison County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Harrison County's composite score of 96 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 96% of US counties.