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 Edwards 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 summer thunderstorms and general flooding events dominate the local flood risk profile, accounting for 16 flash flood events and 14 flood events over the past 30 years in Edwards County.
Severe weather patterns drive these occurrences, as demonstrated when a large complex of stagnant thunderstorms produced high rainfall rates across the region in August 2023. Similarly, heavy rainfall from a line of thunderstorms caused isolated flash flooding during a strong southwest low-level flow in March 2020. Additional heavy rain events, such as a storm system in February 2019 that capped a very wet couple of days with 2 to 4 inches of rain, and a moisture-fed thunderstorm complex in May 2019, further highlight the county's susceptibility to excess water accumulation from heavy precipitation.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties situated in identified flood hazard areas and low-lying locations prone to rapid water accumulation from severe thunderstorm activity.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
11 NOAA storm reports from Edwards County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Illinois flood stories →
7 federal disaster declarations since 1989.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Record/near Record Snow | Dec 21, 2004 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Apr 21, 2002 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | May 15, 1990 |
| Severe Storms & Tornadoes | Jan 7, 1989 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
30 since 1996: 16 flash floods and 14 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 3, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 19, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Nov 30, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 29, 2019 | $20,000 |
| Flood | Feb 7, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 12, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 8, 2018 | — |
| Flood | Jul 25, 2016 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Aug 3, 2023. A large complex of thunderstorms stagnated over parts of southern Illinois, along and north of Interstate 64. Thunderstorms trained across those areas within an environment highly capable of producing high rainfall rates. Precipitable water values ranged between 2 and 2.5 inches, along with modest instability (500 to 1500 J/kg of elevated cape). The axis of thunderstorms occurred northeast of a surface boundary ov…
Flash Flood · Mar 19, 2020. Short lines of thunderstorms with embedded circulations moved across southern Illinois during the afternoon of the 19th. Widespread heavy rain caused isolated flash flooding. The storms occurred just south of a warm front under a very strong southwest low level flow, around 60 knots at 850 mb. An upper level disturbance over the Ozark Mountains contributed to the storms.
Flood · Nov 30, 2019. Rounds of showers and thunderstorms brought heavy rain and minor flooding to the region. Some of the stronger thunderstorms produced hail, with hail up to the size of quarters reported in southwestern Jackson County, IL. The showers and storms on the last day of November occurred as a warm front lifted north, bringing warm moist air and providing a focus for the showers and storms. Storm total rainfall amounts wer…
Flash Flood · May 29, 2019. A large thunderstorm complex tracked east-northeast across southern Illinois during the morning. These storms produced heavy rainfall, sufficient for some flash flooding in parts of southeast Illinois. A deep southwest wind flow through the depth of the atmosphere brought abundant moisture for storms. Precipitable water values were over 1.5 inches. Moderately strong 850 mb winds around 30 knots contributed plenty…
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 Edwards 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.