22 flood insurance claims·$258,054 paid
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Montgomery County, Illinois. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates the flood risk profile in Montgomery County, Illinois, accounting for 20 out of 21 recorded flood events over the last 30 years.
Recent weather patterns illustrate this severe convective activity. For example, on September 4, 2022, a stalled upper-level system brought heavy rainfall exceeding four inches in isolated areas in a short period, resulting in flash flooding. Similar storm activity caused flash flooding on September 1, 2021, when scattered showers and storms developed along a southward-moving outflow boundary.
FEMA National Flood Insurance Program records indicate varying impacts across property zones. Zone A properties experienced 9 claims with an average payout of $19,360 and an average recorded water depth of 20 inches. Properties categorized as Zone UNKNOWN logged 12 claims averaging a $10,317 payout and an average recorded water depth of 4 inches, while Zone X recorded 1 claim with a $0 payout and 0 inches of water depth. Homeowners and real estate agents handling properties in Zone A and unmapped or unverified areas should pay the closest attention to flood preparedness, given the historical severity of flash flooding in these categories.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 12 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2008, with 3 claims and $116,691 paid, the year of Severe Storms and Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
4 NOAA storm reports from Montgomery County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Illinois flood stories →
7 federal disaster declarations since 2002.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Dec 10, 2021 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Sep 13, 2008 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Nov 30, 2006 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Apr 21, 2002 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
21 since 1996: 20 flash floods and 1 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 4, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 1, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 22, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 10, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 1, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | Apr 29, 2017 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 4, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Dec 28, 2015 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Sep 4, 2022. An upper level system stalled out over the region with plenty of low level moisture convergence on the nose of a modest low level jet. The forcing was focused over south central Illinois, so this is the area that got the most rainfall. A couple of isolated areas had over 4 inches of rain in a short amount of time, causing flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Sep 1, 2021. As an outflow boundary moved south across the forecast area, scattered showers and storms developed along it. Some of the storms produced heavy rain causing flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Jun 22, 2020. Showers and storms developed ahead of a cold front. Some of the storms produced very heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Jun 10, 2018. Scattered thunderstorms developed along a frontal boundary as well as old outflow boundaries. Some of the storms produced large hail and flash flooding.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Montgomery County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.