Leake County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Leake County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Leake County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, hurricane, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 71 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (96th 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. Leake County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1974, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (10), hurricane (6), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1974.
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 | Very Low | 51.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 45.3 | 24 | 0 | $663K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 63.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 67.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77.9 | 26 | 0 | $2.1M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 81.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 70.7 | 22 | 0 | $418K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 89.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 46.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 60.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 67.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 57.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 65.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 62.3 | 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
Leake County ranks in the 96th 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 | 96th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 87th | High |
| Household characteristics | 97th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 88th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 86th | 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 | 65th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 61st | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 93.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 71 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 38 in 2016–20 vs 33 in 2021–25 (-13% — 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 Leake County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Leake County, Mississippi are strong wind, hurricane, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Leake County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Leake County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Leake County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Leake County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Leake County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Madison County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Attala County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Leake County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Leake County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Leake 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. Leake County's composite score of 56 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 56% of US counties.