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Natural hazards · Wheeling

Wheeling, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wheeling comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 143 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 Wheeling?

61
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wheeling to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding53%Cold waves25%Tornadoes13%Heat waves7%Everything else3%
By hazard

What Wheeling faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

25% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% 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 weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Wheeling flood?

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

143paid claims since 1978
$1.5Mpaid to owners
18homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Ike: 9 claims, $115K
  • Mid-spring storms: 8 claims, $142K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Wheeling is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Cook County.
Disasters that hit Wheeling

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WheelingDeclared for Cook County only
2024

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

6 households applied for aid
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

20 households applied for aid $18K aid approved
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

67 households applied for aid $255K aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$38K to the Village of Wheeling for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $15K aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

42 households applied for aid $122K aid approved $57K to the Village of Wheeling for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$33K to the Village of Wheeling for repairs
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$16K to the Village of Wheeling for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$37K to the Village of Wheeling for repairs
Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Wheeling

Wheeling and the towns around it

Prospect Heights: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBuffalo Grove: Moderate, mostly inland floodingArlington Heights: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWheeling: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorthfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingVernon: Low, mostly inland floodingNorthbrook: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMount Prospect: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGlenview: High, mostly inland floodingLong Grove: Low, mostly inland floodingLincolnshire: Low, mostly inland floodingVernon Hills: Very low, mostly inland floodingRiverwoods: High, mostly inland floodingRolling Meadows: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPalatine: Low, mostly inland floodingPalatine: Low, mostly inland floodingDes Plaines: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNew Trier: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNiles: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMoraine: Low, mostly inland floodingGlencoe: Very low, mostly inland floodingWest Deerfield: High, mostly inland floodingLibertyville: Low, mostly inland floodingEla: Low, mostly inland floodingNorthfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDeerfield: High, mostly inland floodingWheeling: High, mostly inland flooding WheelingProspect HeightsBuffalo GroveArlington HeightsWheelingNorthfieldVernonNorthbrook
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Wheelingmostly inland floodingHigh
Prospect Heightsmostly inland floodingModerate
Buffalo Grovemostly inland floodingModerate
Northbrookmostly inland floodingModerate
Wheelingmostly inland floodingModerate
Northfieldmostly inland floodingModerate
Arlington Heightsmostly inland floodingModerate
Vernonmostly 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. Wheeling covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wheeling’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Wheeling. 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 Wheeling total about $22.5M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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