Mississippi's Record Precipitation

Mississippi's official 24-hour rainfall record resulted from the torrential rainfall caused by slow-moving thunderstorms. A record 15.68 inches was observed by a station near Columbus, MS (Lowndes County) on July 9, 1968.

The drainage system in Columbus was overrun by the water, causing some scouring and undermining of streets and washing out multiple culverts. Flash flooding swamped county roads and small bridges. The Tombigbee River rose about 19 feet due to the excessive rainfall.