Natural hazards · Gurnee

Gurnee, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gurnee comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 86 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Gurnee?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gurnee to be higher than in 21% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes20%Cold waves17%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Gurnee faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Gurnee flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Gurnee, from FEMA’s records.

86paid claims since 1979

$3.8Mpaid to owners

12homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 7 claims, $512K
Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $6K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Gurnee is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Lake County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

31flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Gurnee

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Gurnee itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Gurnee.

Brought FEMA money into GurneeDeclared for Lake County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

38 households applied for aid $52K aid approved $148K to the Village of Gurnee for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$87K to the Village of Gurnee for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$80K to the Village of Gurnee for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$31K to the Village of Gurnee for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$35K to the Village of Gurnee for repairs

Lake County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around Gurnee

Gurnee and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Grandwood Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Third Lakemostly inland floodingLow

Gurneemostly inland floodingLow

Warrenmostly inland floodingVery low

Gages Lakemostly inland floodingVery low

Waukeganmostly inland floodingVery low

Wadsworthmostly inland floodingVery low

Waukeganmostly inland floodingVery low

Park Citymostly inland floodingVery low

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Gurnee covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Gurnee’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Gurnee. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Gurnee total about $9.5M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.