Natural hazards · Rochelle

Rochelle, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rochelle comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 31 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Rochelle?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rochelle to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding56%Cold waves16%Tornadoes14%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Rochelle faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 95 years 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 Rochelle flood?

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

31paid claims since 1978

$163Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ogle County.

Disasters that hit Rochelle

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RochelleDeclared for Ogle County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$205K to the City of Rochelle for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$30K to the City of Rochelle for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$17K to the City of Rochelle for repairs

2006

Snow

$29K to the City of Rochelle for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$13K to the City of Rochelle for repairs

Ogle County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around Rochelle

Rochelle and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Flaggmostly inland floodingModerate

Rochellemostly inland floodingModerate

Hillcrestmostly inland floodingLow

Dementmostly 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. Rochelle covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rochelle’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Rochelle. 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 Rochelle total about $1.9M 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.