Enter any address in Hardin County, Illinois to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow along the Ohio River and flash flooding from thunderstorms are the primary flood concerns in Hardin County. Between 2000 and 2023, NOAA data recorded 46 flood events and 12 flash flood events. Recent examples include minor river flooding along the Ohio River in February 2020 due to heavy rainfall, and flash flooding in May 2024 associated with a major severe weather outbreak.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that while Zone A areas have had the most claims, Zone X_UNSHADED areas have experienced significantly higher average payouts, indicating substantial flood damage can occur outside of high-risk zones. Homeowners in low-lying areas, particularly those adjacent to rivers or in identified Zone A areas, should pay close attention to flood risk. Residents in Zone X_UNSHADED areas should also be aware of potential flood impacts.
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.
Hardin County, Illinois has recorded 58 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 12 flash floods and 46 river or area floods. The county has received 8 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1997–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 19, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 26, 2009 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Record/near Record Snow | Snowstorm | Dec 21, 2004 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Tornado | Apr 21, 2002 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 1, 1997 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 8, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 8, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 12, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 27, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 10, 2019 | 20.00K |
| Flood | Jan 4, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 24, 2018 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 8, 2024
A major outbreak of severe weather occurred on the 8th for the Quad State region. On the synoptic scale, a longwave trough was centered across the Rockies with deep-layer southwesterly flow from the Southern Plains to the Ohio Valley. A 110 kt upper jet extended from northern KS to IA while a 60 kt mid-level jet was positioned across northern MZ into IA. Surface low pressure near the MZ/KS bord...
Flood — Jan 8, 2022
A series of heavy rainfall events in late December and early January sent the Wabash River and large portions of the Ohio River above flood stage. The river flooding was minor. Low-lying farmland and fields along both rivers were flooded, as well as some river access roads and public recreational land.
Flash Flood — Jul 31, 2020
Numerous slow-moving thunderstorms developed near a stationary front that extended from southeast Missouri across the southern tip of Illinois to western Kentucky. A well-defined upper-level low circulation over eastern Kansas moved east, providing some additional support for the storms. The precipitable water values across the region were on the order of 1.8 to 2.0 inches, which supported heav...
Flood — Feb 12, 2020
A very wet February contributed to another period of river flooding. This was the 8th wettest February on record in Paducah, KY, where the monthly rainfall total was 6.98 inches. Minor to moderate flooding was observed along the entire southern Illinois stretch of the Ohio River. In the areas of minor flooding, the primary impact was low-lying agricultural fields and some county roads in the bo...
Flood — Jan 27, 2019
More heavy rain impacted the region shortly after the middle part of the month, once again causing many rivers to rise above flood stage by the end of January. The flooding was minor, consisting mostly of flooded bottomland fields, woodlands, and public park and recreation areas. Some lesser-traveled roads in the bottomlands were flooded. The flooding continued into February on most rivers.
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 Hardin 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 Hardin 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.