Lamar County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lamar County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Lamar County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, wildfire, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 41% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Lamar County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (16), severe storm (4), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Marco And Tropical Storm Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1969.
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 Low | 81.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 62.1 | 37 | 0 | $2.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 54.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 73.8 | 17 | 1 | $3.7M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 89 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 54 | 18 | 0 | $644K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 63.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 61.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 46.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | 6 | 1 | $230K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 60.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Lamar County ranks in the 60th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 60th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 67th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 64th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 64th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 36th | Low |
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 | 89th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 85th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 79.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 78 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 49 in 2016–20 vs 29 in 2021–25 (-41% — frequency decreasing).
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 Lamar County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lamar County, Mississippi are hurricane, wildfire, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Lamar County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lamar County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (16 declarations).
Has Lamar County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lamar County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Lamar County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pearl River County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Perry County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Lamar County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Lamar County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lamar 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. Lamar County's composite score of 65 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 65% of US counties.