Wayne County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wayne County has experienced 32 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.
Wayne County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, tornado, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 57% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (91st 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. Wayne County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (16), severe storm (8), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Arthur |
| 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 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 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 | Very Low | 56.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 43 | 11 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 53.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 55.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 71.2 | 21 | 0 | $135K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 89.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 51.2 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 34.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 26.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 30.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 65.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 61.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 52.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 56.1 | 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
Wayne County ranks in the 91st 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 | 91st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 94th | High |
| Household characteristics | 97th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 81st | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 46th | 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 | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 69th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 91.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 36 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (+57% — 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 Wayne County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wayne County, Mississippi are hurricane, tornado, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Wayne County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wayne County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (16 declarations).
Has Wayne County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wayne County include Tropical Storm Arthur (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Wayne County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jones County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Clarke County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Wayne County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Wayne County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wayne 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. Wayne County's composite score of 56 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 56% of US counties.