Sunflower County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sunflower County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1971, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Sunflower County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, drought, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 69% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (93rd 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. Sunflower County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1971, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (9), hurricane (4), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1971.
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 | 19.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 55 | 22 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 78.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | 2 | 0 | $780K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 73.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 77.1 | 11 | 0 | $80K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 64.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 16 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 67.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 91.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 52 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 21.8 | 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
Sunflower County ranks in the 93rd 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 | 93rd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 99th | High |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 98th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 81st | 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 | 20th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 34.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 34 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 26 in 2016–20 vs 8 in 2021–25 (-69% — 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 Sunflower County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sunflower County, Mississippi are cold wave, drought, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Sunflower County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sunflower County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1971, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Sunflower County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Sunflower County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1971.
How does Sunflower County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Washington County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Humphreys County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Sunflower County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Sunflower County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sunflower 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. Sunflower County's composite score of 70 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 70% of US counties.