Natural hazards · Harvard

Harvard, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Harvard comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1999. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Harvard?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Harvard to be higher than in 10% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding39%Cold waves26%Tornadoes25%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Harvard faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

26% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

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 Harvard flood?

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

8paid claims since 1999

$28Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19992026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $6K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Harvard isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: McHenry County.

Disasters that hit Harvard

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HarvardDeclared for McHenry County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$24K to the City of Harvard for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$18K to the City of Harvard for repairs

2006

Snow

$19K to the City of Harvard for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$11K to the City of Harvard for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$10K to the City of Harvard for repairs

McHenry County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

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. Harvard covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Harvard’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Harvard. 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 Harvard total about $1.3M 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.