Enter any address in Kendall County, Illinois to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood hazard in Kendall County. In August 2025, a series of thunderstorms brought torrential rainfall and widespread flooding to the region, causing water damage to several schools in Oswego District 308. Another event in August 2025 resulted in flash flooding across northern Illinois, with initial damage estimates of $8.8 million for the broader region.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $22,509 and an average water depth of 3.1 feet. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED have also seen significant claims, averaging $14,903 with a higher average water depth of 5.2 feet. Homeowners in Zone A and Zone X_UNSHADED, as well as those in areas with unknown flood risk, should pay close attention to flood potential.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
11 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Kendall County, Illinois has recorded 38 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 20 flash floods and 18 river or area floods. The county has received 13 federal disaster declarations, 3 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Apr 16, 2013 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 13, 2008 |
| Snow | Snowstorm | Nov 30, 2006 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Illinois Winter Snow Storms | Snowstorm | Dec 11, 2000 |
| Winter Storm 1/1/99 | Snowstorm | Jan 1, 1999 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 17, 1996 |
| Tornadoes | Tornado | Aug 28, 1990 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 18, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 17, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 17, 2025 | 300.00K |
| Flood | Jul 15, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 22, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 11, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 17, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 30, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 28, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Aug 18, 2025
During the afternoon and evening of the 18th, a few rounds of thunderstorms brought torrential rainfall to much of northern Illinois resulting in flash flooding. One particularly strong storm also produced damaging winds in DeKalb County. Initial reports estimate $8.8 million in flood damages around northern and northeast Illinois, and around $2.5 million in the city of Chicago alone.
Flash Flood — Aug 17, 2025
A series of thunderstorms brought torrential rainfall and widespread flooding to much of the Chicago metro area, namely the south and west suburbs and up into the city of Chicago. Several Oswego District 308 schools received water and storm damage. Flood damages were estimated at around $288 million across the metro area, most of which came from the city of Chicago which alone accounted for rou...
Flood — Jul 15, 2024
A derecho moved across northern Illinois during the evening of July 15th producing widespread wind damage and 30 tornadoes in northeast Illinois. One of these tornadoes crossed into northwest Indiana. At the height of the storms, 430,000 customers lost power with some power not restored for four days, on July 19th.
Flood — Feb 22, 2022
Warm air spread across the area along with heavy rain and thunderstorms during the early morning of February 22nd. Some of the thunderstorms produced small hail. A cold front then moved into northern Illinois bringing freezing rain to far northern Illinois. The heavy rain caused localized flooding.||Ice accumulation amounts from the freezing rain included 0.15 inches in Woodstock; 0.10 inche...
Flood — Sep 11, 2022
Scattered thunderstorms produced heavy rain during the morning of September 11th. A narrow swath of torrential rain fell across portions of the north side of Chicago causing widespread flash flooding and at least 2,000 basements to flood. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches were common across much of northern Illinois with a heavier swath of 4 to 6 inches over northwest Illinois and over northe...
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 Kendall 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 Kendall 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.