DisasterAWARE
9
Extreme

flood Flood Risk in Chicago, IL

Risk Level: Extreme — Score 9/10

FEMA: 9Historical: 10

Live Flood alert status near Chicago

Checking live flood alerts near Chicago…

refreshes every 15 minutes · DisasterAWARE live feed · all active flood alerts in the US →

Live flood activity around Chicago — refreshed throughout the day.

Open full-screen map →

Key Risk Factors

  • FEMA rates Chicago's county as Very High risk for this hazard
  • Estimated annual loss of $1,097M from this hazard type
  • Extensive history of significant events in this area
  • High recent activity — multiple events in the last 12 months
  • Average annual frequency: 5.9 events per year

Peak season: March-September

Last significant event: Flood - Chicago metro area, United States (2026-03-15) — 4,890,000 people exposed

Highest Risk Cities for Floods

1
New York, NY
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
2
Los Angeles, CA
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
3
Chicago, IL
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
4
Houston, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
5
Phoenix, AZ
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
6
Philadelphia, PA
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
7
San Antonio, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
8
San Diego, CA
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
9
Dallas, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
10
San Jose, CA
FEMA: 9Historical: 10

How Chicago Compares

Loading chart...

Notable Flood Events Near Chicago

DisasterAWARE's historical archive records 5 notable flood events near Chicago, ranked below by impact. The most impactful: Flood - Chicago metro area, United States (March 2026) — 4,890,000 people exposed; $778,891M capital exposed.

Flood - Chicago metro area, United States

March 14, 2026 — ADVISORY

4,890,000 people exposed; $778,891M capital exposed

Flood - Chicago, IL--IN Region, United States

July 8, 2025 — WARNING

573,000 people exposed; $133,535M capital exposed

Flood - Chicago, IL--IN Region, United States

July 1, 2023 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Flood - Chicago, IL--IN Region, United States

September 10, 2022 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Flood - Chicago, IL--IN Region, United States

February 24, 2020 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Flood Preparedness Tips

  • 1.Know if your property is in a flood zone — check FEMA maps
  • 2.Consider flood insurance even if not in a high-risk zone
  • 3.Never drive through flooded roadways — Turn Around, Don’t Drown
  • 4.Move valuables and important documents to upper floors
  • 5.Install sump pumps and check valves in plumbing

Related Pages

earthquake
Earthquake Risk in Chicago
Score: 7/10
wildfire
Wildfire Risk in Chicago
Score: 1/10
hurricane
Hurricane Risk in Chicago
Score: 1/10
tornado
Tornado Risk in Chicago
Score: 9/10
winter-storm
Winter Storm Risk in Chicago
Score: 9/10
landslide
Landslide Risk in Chicago
Score: 1/10
extreme-heat
Extreme Heat Risk in Chicago
Score: 9/10
drought
Drought Risk in Chicago
Score: 1/10
high-wind
High Wind Risk in Chicago
Score: 9/10
tsunami
Tsunami Risk in Chicago
Score: 0/10
flood
Flood Risk in Milwaukee, WI
Score: 7/10
flood
Flood Risk in Indianapolis, IN
Score: 7/10
flood
Flood Risk in Louisville, KY
Score: 7/10

How this data is built

Chicago, IL flood risk combines Historical Event Intelligence with authoritative hazard modeling from the Geospatial Intelligence Layers catalog. Live flood monitoring is available through the Event Intelligence API and the DisasterAWARE Platform.

Monitor Flood Risk in Real Time

Get real-time flood alerts for Chicago, IL and hundreds of other locations with DisasterAWARE's enterprise platform.

Start Free TrialTalk to Expert