167 flood insurance claims·$892,329 paid·7 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Cass County, Illinois. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from slow-moving thunderstorms and heavy rainfall dominates the flood history of Cass County, Illinois, accounting for 25 of the 36 total flood events recorded over the last 30 years by the NOAA Storm Events Database.
Severe weather patterns drive these recurring incidents, such as the May 14, 2023 stationary frontal boundary that dropped 2 to 3 inches of rain, and the October 24, 2021 low-pressure system that brought 2 to 4 inches of rainfall and localized flooding. Additional severe weather on July 8, 2022 produced 2 to 4 inches of rain and subsequent flash flooding from a weak low-pressure system and warm front.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that residents with properties in Zone A should pay the closest attention to flood risk, as this zone accounts for 69 claims with an average payout of $8,982 and an average recorded water depth of 17 inches. Properties with unknown zone designations also represent a significant portion of claims, totaling 69 historical filings with an average payout of $4,950 and an average water depth of 2 inches. Meanwhile, properties mapped in Zone X recorded 8 claims with an average payout of $10,486 and an average water depth of 11 inches.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
23% of Cass County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
90 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 8 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 1982, with 36 claims and $84,717 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
10 NOAA storm reports from Cass County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Illinois flood stories →
21 federal disaster declarations since 1973, 7 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Dec 10, 2021 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Feb 24, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Apr 16, 2013 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Sep 13, 2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Apr 21, 2002 |
| Winter Storm 1/1/99 | Jan 1, 1999 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
36 since 1996: 25 flash floods and 11 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 14, 2023 | $4,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 14, 2023 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 8, 2022 | — |
| Flood | Oct 24, 2021 | — |
| Flood | Apr 29, 2017 | — |
| Flash Flood | Apr 29, 2017 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 27, 2013 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · May 14, 2023. A stationary frontal boundary extending from northern Missouri to western Kentucky triggered clusters of strong to severe thunderstorms across parts of central Illinois during the late afternoon and evening of May 14th. Most of the storms were concentrated along a Rushville...to Springfield...to Salem line. Scattered wind damage and hail as large as golf balls occurred across this area. In addition, heavy rainf…
Flash Flood · Jul 8, 2022. A weak low pressure system was located in central Missouri, with a slow moving warm front draped across southern Illinois. Widespread thunderstorms developed along the warm front during the pre-dawn hours, with the complex tracking southeast during the morning. The heaviest rains occurred near and south of I-72, where 2 to 4 inches of rain fell, resulting in a few instances of flash flooding.
Flood · Oct 24, 2021. Low pressure tracking from near Kansas City around midday on October 24th into central Illinois during the evening of the 24th triggered two distinct bands of pre-frontal convection. Some of the storms produced damaging wind gusts of 60 to 70mph and hail as large as golf balls. In addition, heavy rainfall of 2 to 4 inches occurred...which led to localized flash flooding.
Flood · Apr 29, 2017. Heavy rainfall impacted central and southeast Illinois from April 29th into April 30th...creating flash flooding, which led to widespread areal flooding. Periods of thunderstorms with very high rainfall rates dropped 2.00 to 6.50 inches of rain across much of central and southeast Illinois from April 29th into early on May 1st. This rainfall, occurring on top of already saturated soils, created flash flooding in a…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Cass County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.