Natural hazards · Northlake

Northlake, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Northlake comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 209 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Northlake?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Northlake to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding57%Cold waves23%Tornadoes11%Heat waves6%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Northlake faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

23% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingWildfireDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Northlake flood?

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

209paid claims since 1978

$2.0Mpaid to owners

43homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 40 claims, $421K
Mid-spring storms: 34 claims, $580K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cook County.

Disasters that hit Northlake

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NorthlakeDeclared for Cook County only

2024

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Floodng

8 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

20 households applied for aid $71K aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

141 households applied for aid $328K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$24K to the City of Northlake for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

122 households applied for aid $305K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

23 households applied for aid $66K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$104K to the City of Northlake for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$21K to the City of Northlake for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$24K to the City of Northlake for repairs

Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Northlake

Northlake and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Stone Parkmostly inland floodingVery high

Northlakemostly inland floodingHigh

Provisomostly inland floodingHigh

Melrose Parkmostly inland floodingHigh

Elmhurstmostly inland floodingHigh

Franklin Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Berkeleymostly inland floodingModerate

Yorkmostly inland floodingLow

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. Northlake covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Northlake’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Northlake. 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 Northlake total about $11.0M 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.