Mississippi Gulf Coast
Mississippi's Gulf Coast — including Gulfport, Biloxi, Pass Christian, and Bay St. Louis — bore the full force of Hurricane Katrina's catastrophic storm surge in 2005. Though smaller in coastline than neighboring Louisiana and Alabama, Mississippi's shoreline is extremely low-lying and highly vulnerable to surge. Residents must plan to evacuate well in advance of any major hurricane.
⚠ Storm Surge Warning
Mississippi's coastline is extremely low and flat. Storm surge from Katrina exceeded 28 feet in Waveland and Bay St. Louis — communities were literally erased. Any major hurricane approaching from the south or southwest poses an existential surge threat to coastal Mississippi counties.
Storm History
Hurricane Camille (1969) and Hurricane Katrina (2005) are the defining storms for Mississippi's Gulf Coast. Katrina's surge reached 28 feet in some areas — the highest ever recorded in the U.S. — wiping entire communities from the map. The Mississippi Gulf Coast was rebuilt but remains highly exposed. Hurricane Zeta (2020) and Tropical Storm Claudette (2021) brought additional damage in recent years.
Official Resources
Official zone lookup — check before the season, not when a storm is named.
Mississippi Hurricane Preparedness →Mississippi-Specific
Current Atlantic Activity
Images from NOAA NHC (nhc.noaa.gov). Not affiliated with NHC. Full Storm Center →
Take Action Now
Water, food, power, first aid, medications, documents, pets — everything to stock before the storm.
Go-bag contents, when to leave, how to secure your home, zone lookup links.
Generator safety (never indoors), food safety, heat safety, communications.
FAQ