Enter any address in White County, Illinois to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow along the Wabash and Ohio Rivers is the dominant flood character in White County. Recent events include lingering minor flooding at Carmi in May 2025, following heavy rainfall, and mid-April 2024 flooding along the Wabash River due to upstream rainfall. These events primarily impacted low-lying areas, rural roads, and agricultural land.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most frequent claims, with an average payout of $12,874 and an average water depth of 2.4 feet. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED have seen the highest average payouts at $44,910, despite a lower average water depth of 0.3 feet. Residents in or near floodplains, particularly those in Zone A and Zone X_UNSHADED, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
81 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
White County, Illinois has recorded 227 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 25 flash floods and 202 river or area floods. The county has received 10 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1983–2020)
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 | Severe Storm | Apr 19, 2011 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Record/near Record Snow | Snowstorm | Dec 21, 2004 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Tornado | Apr 21, 2002 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 28, 1996 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Severe Storm | May 15, 1990 |
| Severe Storms & Tornadoes | Tornado | Jan 7, 1989 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 6, 1983 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 4, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 11, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 26, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 25, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 5, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 27, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 25, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 19, 2022 | 0.00K |
Flood — May 4, 2025
Long-lingering flooding from the major flood event in April resulted in minor flooding at Carmi to start May. River levels briefly dropped below flood stage May 3rd; however, heavy rainfall the night of May 3rd into early morning the 4th pushed water levels back into minor flood for another week.
Flood — May 1, 2025
Long-lingering flooding from the major flood event in April resulted in minor flooding at Carmi to start May. River levels briefly dropped below flood stage May 3rd; however, heavy rainfall the night of May 3rd into early morning the 4th pushed water levels back into minor flood for another week.
Flood — Apr 11, 2024
Well above normal rainfall upstream on the White, Wabash, and Ohio Rivers late March through mid-April led to minor flooding occurring mid-month along the Wabash River and just downstream of the Wabash/Ohio confluence in Southeast Illinois. River crests occurred between the 19th and 21st, with a swift decline in river levels bringing an end of flooding shortly after. Flooding of low-lying areas...
Flood — Mar 26, 2023
A nearly stationary front draped itself from central Texas northeast through the Ohio River Valley and produced multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, some with very heavy rainfall. Scattered showers and thunderstorms resulted in several cases of flooding or flash flooding. One to three inches of rain fell across the region with isolated higher amounts before the front passed east on the...
Flood — Mar 25, 2023
A nearly stationary front draped itself from central Texas northeast through the Ohio River Valley and produced multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, some with very heavy rainfall. Scattered showers and thunderstorms resulted in several cases of flooding or flash flooding. One to three inches of rain fell across the region with isolated higher amounts before the front passed east on the...
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 White 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 White 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.