Enter any address in Madison County, Illinois to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Madison County, IL. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 27 flash flood events and 13 flood events. For example, a flash flood event on August 9, 2020, brought 3 to 6 inches of rain, with some areas receiving up to 7 inches, leading to numerous road closures and at least 13 water rescues. Earlier, on June 2, 2019, record river levels were observed in the Missouri and Mississippi River basins following a snowy winter and heavy spring rains, contributing to significant flooding.
Homeowners in Zone A, which has experienced the highest number of National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims (434) with an average payout of $9,086 and an average water depth of 1.9 feet, should pay close attention. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED also show a high number of claims (178) with a substantial average payout of $9,251 and an average water depth of 1.7 feet. Residents in these zones, as well as those in Zone X with deeper flooding (3.4 ft average), should be particularly aware of their flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
6 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Madison County, Illinois has recorded 40 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 27 flash floods and 13 river or area floods. The county has received 16 federal disaster declarations, 5 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 | Apr 28, 1996 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 15, 1995 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 9, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 12, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 2, 2019 | 24.80M |
| Flash Flood | Jul 20, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 15, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 28, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 26, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 9, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 23, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 17, 2013 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Aug 9, 2020
A high precipitation and flash flooding event occurred over east central Missouri and southwest Illinois beginning during the evening of August 8th, and ending during the early afternoon of August 9th. Rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches with as much as 7 inches were reported, primarily in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. There were numerous road closures, and at least 13 water rescues. There w...
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 — Jul 20, 2016
A line of slow moving storms tracked south across west central, southwest Illinois on July 20th. Up to 4 inches of rain was reported with these storms, with locally higher amounts. There were several reports of flash flooding.
Flash Flood — Aug 15, 2016
Another round of heavy rain moved through east central,southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. The soils were already saturated, so when an additional 5 to 6 inches fell, there were numerous reports of flash flooding.
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 Madison 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 Madison 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.