Enter any address in Hancock County, Illinois to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is a significant flood concern in Hancock County, IL. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 57 flood events and 37 flash flood events in the county. For example, thunderstorms on May 31, 2022, produced flash flooding in the area, and slow-moving storms on July 11, 2021, led to 2 to 4 inches of rain and flash flooding in Hancock County.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data from Hancock County shows that properties in Zone A, which are areas with a 1% annual chance of flooding, have experienced the most claims. These claims averaged $21,379 with an average water depth of 14.3 feet. While Zone X_UNSHADED areas have had fewer claims, they have shown high average payouts of $20,938 with an average water depth of 21.8 feet. Residents in Zone A and Zone X_UNSHADED, as well as those in any flood-prone areas, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
22 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Hancock County, Illinois has recorded 94 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 37 flash floods and 57 river or area floods. The county has received 19 federal disaster declarations, 8 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2023)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2023 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Feb 24, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Apr 16, 2013 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Snowstorm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 1, 2008 |
| Snow | Snowstorm | Nov 30, 2006 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 6, 2003 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 31, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 11, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 30, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 25, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 22, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 19, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 18, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 6, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 6, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 5, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 31, 2022
Thunderstorms developed across all of eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and far northeast Missouri on the afternoon and evening of May 31, 2022. Initially, storms were not severe as they worked through an environment that was lacking strong mid-level instability. This changed as storms reached west central Illinois, where some atmospheric recovery was able to take place during the late afternoon...
Flash Flood — Jul 11, 2021
A stalled storm system centered near Galesburg Illinois brought several rounds of showers and embedded thunderstorms to northwest Illinois through the day. These showers and thunderstorms were slow moving westward across the area and were efficient rainfall producers. Trained spotters reported 2 to 4 inches of rain in Hancock and McDonough Counties that lead to flash flooding from the late mor...
Flood — Apr 30, 2019
The Mississippi River remained high through the month of April due to a combination of snow melt and several rounds of heavy rain. Rain in the second half of the month caused the Mississippi River to rise back above major flood stage on April 30th.
Flash Flood — May 25, 2019
A slow, south moving cold front and an outflow boundary from morning thunderstorms over northern Missouri and Illinois, combined with a hot and humid environment to produce widespread showers and thunderstorms across portions of eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri during the evening and early overnight hours. Several thunderstorms became severe, and produced large hail and d...
Flood — May 19, 2019
Extensive flooding occurred late May and into June across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and northeast Missouri. The last half of May was very wet with 5-8 inches of rain falling over the region. This combined with saturated soils, brought many rivers above Moderate to Major flood levels. Many climate sites only saw 3 days of no precipitation from May 16th to May 31st. |The Wapsipinicon, Iow...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Hancock County, Illinois:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Hancock County, Illinois that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.