Natural hazards · Forest

Forest, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Forest comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1990. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Forest?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Forest to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding34%Tornadoes21%Hail12%Strong wind7%Hurricanes6%Cold waves6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Forest faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 66 years in the area

Hail

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Forest flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Forest, from FEMA’s records.

10paid claims since 1990

$384Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19902026

Biggest named events

2026-06-Arthur-TS: 1 claim, $40K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Forest isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Scott County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

23storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Forest

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Forest itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Forest.

Brought FEMA money into ForestDeclared for Scott County only

2024

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1,050 households applied for aid $4.5M aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

$88K to the City of Forest for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

1,719 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $187K to the City of Forest for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Floods

39 households applied for aid $43K aid approved

Scott County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Forest covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Forest’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Forest. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Forest total about $2.2M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.