Enter any address in Henderson County, Illinois to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow along the Mississippi River is the dominant flood character in Henderson County. Between 2023 and 2024, the county experienced flood events in April and July, with the Mississippi River experiencing significant rises due to factors including heavy rainfall and snowmelt from upstream regions. In August 2023, a flash flood event occurred due to a slow-moving storm system that dropped between 2 and 4 inches of rain in less than six hours.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that Zone A, typically areas with a 1% annual chance of flooding, has the highest number of claims. However, Zone X_SHADED, representing areas with a 0.2% annual chance of flooding, has shown the highest average claim payout and water depth. Residents in areas designated as Zone A, Zone X_SHADED, and those located near the Mississippi River should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
19 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Henderson County, Illinois has recorded 60 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 19 flash floods and 41 river or area floods. The county has received 16 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 (1965–2020)
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 | 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 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 18, 2001 |
| Illinois Winter Snow Storms | Snowstorm | Dec 11, 2000 |
| Winter Storm 1/1/99 | Snowstorm | Jan 1, 1999 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jul 2, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 27, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 26, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 5, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 11, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 29, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 29, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 26, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 19, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 17, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flood — Jul 2, 2024
Rain that fell during the month of June across Minnesota and Wisconsin caused rises on the Mississippi River, along the Iowa and Illinois border. Additionally, heavy rain that fell locally in July helped to prolong the crest and delay the river falling below flood stage, especially south of the Wapsipinicon, Rock, and Iowa Rivers.
Flood — Apr 27, 2023
Significant flooding occurred on the mainstem Mississippi largely due to the record snowfall this winter in Minnesota and Wisconsin, frozen ground, rapid snowmelt during the middle of April, and saturated soils. Major flooding was observed at all sites along the Mississippi north of Keokuk Iowa and most sites saw one of their top 10 crests on record.|This flooding had numerous impacts, with ma...
Flood — Apr 26, 2023
Significant flooding occurred on the mainstem Mississippi largely due to the record snowfall this winter in Minnesota and Wisconsin, frozen ground, rapid snowmelt during the middle of April, and saturated soils. Major flooding was observed at all sites along the Mississippi north of Keokuk Iowa and most sites saw one of their top 10 crests on record.|This flooding had numerous impacts, with ma...
Flash Flood — Aug 5, 2023
A significant rain event occurred late Friday into Saturday across west central Illinois, which resulted in flash flooding. A slow moving mesoscale convective vortex (MCV) tracked over the area and brought very heavy rain in a short amount of time. Rainfall amounts between 2 and 4 inches fell in less than 6 hours.
Flood — Apr 11, 2020
The winter snow pack across Minnesota and Wisconsin was 125 to 200 percent of normal. This slowly melted during the spring and caused the Mississippi River in Burlington, Iowa to rise above its major flood stage during the second week of April.
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 Henderson 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 Henderson 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.