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Lee County hurricane guide

Lee County Emergency Management, in Tupelo, is the county's emergency management office. The county is inland and has no hurricane evacuation zones, but the remains of a tropical storm can bring tornadoes, high wind, and flooding. The county says to always leave a mobile home when a tornado threatens, so plan where you will go before severe weather.

Checked on October 2, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from Lee County Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

Emergency and information numbers

Service Number Notes
Emergency 911 Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
Emergency management office 662-432-2953 Office line. Not for emergencies. EMA director: 662-432-2950.
County information line 662-432-2000 Office line. Not for emergencies. Board of Supervisors, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.
Sheriff's Office 662-432-2600 Main office line. For emergencies, call 911.
Storm debris collection 662-432-2050 Lee County Road Manager. The county picks up brush and limbs near county roads if they are in the ditch, cut to size, and not under a power line. Call to schedule.

Official alerts and information

  • CodeRED: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
  • Lee County Emergency Management: The county's emergency management page, with tornado safety and emergency kit checklists. Website.

Evacuation centers

Open only when announced

Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.

Lee County does not publish a shelter list online. Do not go to a shelter until officials announce it is open. Sign up for CodeRED and call the county EMA to learn where shelter is available during a storm.

Radio, TV and weather

Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.

Radio stations

Station Frequency Language Notes
WZLQ 98.5 FM English Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
WMAE-FM 89.5 FM English Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) public radio station licensed to Booneville; the plan's second monitoring source for this area.
WFCA 107.9 FM English Emergency Alert System primary station (SR)

Emergency Alert System roles come from the Mississippi State EAS Plan, revised in October 2017, the newest public plan, with current station assignments from the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters.

NOAA Weather Radio

A weather radio turns itself on for warnings, even in the middle of the night. Set it to this frequency.

Station Frequency Transmitter
KIH53 162.400 MHz Booneville
KUT404 162.450 MHz Aberdeen

TV stations

Station Channel Network Language
WCBI-TV (WCBI) 4 CBS English
WCBI-TV (FOX 4) 4.2 Fox English
WTVA (WTVA 9) 9 NBC English
WTVA (ABC WTVA) 9.2 ABC English
WMAB-TV (Mississippi Public Broadcasting, MPB) 2 PBS English
WMAE-TV (Mississippi Public Broadcasting, MPB) 12 PBS English

Official forecasts

  • National Weather Service Memphis, TN: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 901-544-0399. Website.
  • National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.

Power, water and debris

  • Prentiss County Electric Power Association: Baldwyn office: 662-365-7161 (weekdays); after hours and holidays 662-691-9904. Phone: 662-728-4433. Website.
  • Tombigbee Electric Power Association (Mississippi): Fulton area: 662-862-3146. Phone: 662-842-7635. Website.
  • City of Okolona Electric Department: After hours: (662) 447-2131. Phone: 662-447-5482. Website.
  • City of Tupelo Water & Light: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 662-841-6460. Website.

After the storm: help for displaced residents

If your home is damaged or you cannot go back, these organizations help with shelter, food, money, and paperwork. Many programs open only after a disaster declaration, so check their pages for current status.

Where to start

  • 211 Mississippi: The 211 helpline for all 82 Mississippi counties, run by United Way of the Capital Area in Jackson. Free help finding food, housing, utility and rent help, disaster assistance, and other services, day or night. Dial 211 at any hour. You can also search for help online. Phone: 211. Website.

Housing and shelter

  • FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers: After a federal declaration, these centers help you apply for aid in person. Use the locator to find the nearest one. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.

Food

  • Mid-South Food Bank: Regional food bank based in Memphis, Tennessee. It serves 18 counties in north Mississippi. Find a pantry near you on its site. Memphis, Tennessee, office. Phone: 901-527-0841. Website.

Money, work and insurance

  • DisasterAssistance.gov: Apply for FEMA aid after a federal declaration. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
  • SBA disaster loans: Low interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses after a declared disaster. Phone: 800-659-2955. Website.
  • North Mississippi Rural Legal Services: Free civil legal help for low-income residents of the 39 northern counties of Mississippi, including help with legal problems after a disaster. Intake Call Center, Monday to Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For help after a disaster, press option 3 on the second menu. Phone: 1-800-898-8731. Website.

Emotional support

  • Mobile Crisis Response Team, LIFECORE Health Group (Region 3): The mobile crisis team for 7 counties, run by the community mental health center and funded by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. Answered at any hour. A team can come to you during a mental health, alcohol and drug, or developmental disability crisis. You can also call or text 988. Phone: 866-255-9986. Website.
  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.

Relief organizations

  • American Red Cross North Mississippi Chapter: The Red Cross chapter for 31 Mississippi counties, part of the Red Cross Alabama and Mississippi Region. Shelter, emergency help, and disaster relief. Tupelo main office. Greenville office: 662-378-3245. Columbus office: 662-328-5710. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 662-842-6101. Website.

Cities and towns

Each city has its own services and some have their own alerts. The county's evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts cover everyone, in every city and in unincorporated areas.

Sources

Checked on October 2, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.