Enter any address in Jersey County, Illinois to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Jersey County, IL. Recent examples include flash flooding on August 12, 2019, caused by storms producing very heavy rainfall rates, and a prolonged period of rainfall from December 26th to 28th, 2015, which dropped 6 to 12 inches of rain in some areas.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows a significant number of claims in Zone A, with an average payout of $12,585 and an average water depth of 5.3 feet. Claims in Zone X_SHADED also show high average payouts of $37,619, despite a lower average water depth of 2.9 feet. Residents in Zone A, and those in areas with shaded X zones, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
5 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Jersey County, Illinois has recorded 35 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 16 flash floods and 19 river or area floods. The county has received 20 federal disaster declarations, 9 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1969–2021)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Tornado | Dec 10, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Feb 24, 2019 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 1, 2008 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Nov 30, 2006 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Tornado | Apr 21, 2002 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 15, 1995 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 9, 1994 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 12, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 2, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 26, 2015 | 0.00K (1 deaths) |
| Flash Flood | Oct 2, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 19, 2013 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Apr 14, 2013 | 5.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2013 | 2.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2013 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Jun 14, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2010 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Aug 12, 2019
Elevated convection developed in response to low level moisture convergence just north of a slowly retreating warm front. With very high precipitable water values in excess of 2 inches, this created very heavy rainfall rates as the storms trained over the same locations for over 5 hours. This caused flash flooding in a number of locations.
Flood — Jun 2, 2019
After a very snowy winter across the upper Midwest and numerous rounds of heavy rain across the Missouri and Mississippi River basins through the spring and early summer months, the rivers rose to record levels. The flooding was not quite as high as 1993, but a number of sites had record river levels in the top 5.
Flash Flood — Dec 26, 2015
A prolonged period of rainfall occurred from the early morning hours of December 26th to the evening of December 28th. The heaviest rainfall occurred in a 50 to 75 mile wide swath from southwest Missouri through the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area and into central Illinois. Three day rainfall totals within this swath ranged from 6 to 12 inches, with lighter amounts extending both northwes...
Flash Flood — Oct 2, 2014
Additional severe storms developed during the late morning through evening hours of Oct. 2nd. There were several reports of flash flooding, damaging winds and hail.
Flood — Apr 19, 2013
Heavy spring rain caused several rivers in Illinois to hit major flood levels. The Illinois River, Kaskaskia River, La Moine River, and the Mississippi all hit major flood levels at various locations. The Mississippi River and the Illinois River all remained above flood stage into May. The Illinois River at La Grange set a new record reaching 34.50 feet on April 27th.
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 Jersey 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 Jersey 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.