FEMA Records
19
Below median
Illinois · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Winnebago County, IL
19 FEMA disaster declarations (1967-2024), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate. Most common hazard: Snowstorm.
- 19
- FEMA declarations
- 12
- Major disasters
- 92
- NRI risk · Relatively Moderate
- Snowstorm
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Winnebago County. Its 19 FEMA declarations are 48% above the Illinois county mean and exceed the count for 41% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 8%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 8%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Moderate
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 19
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 1,729
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 17201 · Winnebago County 19 declarations · rank 1796/3,266
DECL-MID · MAJOR-MID · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-MID · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-ABOVE
- DECL-MID 19
- MAJOR-MID 63%
- RANK-LOWER #1,796
- PHOTO-FINISH Bartow
- NRI-MID 92
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Snowstorm
- VS-ST-ABOVE +48%
Nearest declaration peer: Bartow, GA (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Illinois state profile
Winnebago County in the declaration-count neighbourhood
FEMA declaration records among Winnebago County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Bartow · near 19
Bartow · near
19 declarations
- Union · near 19
Union · near
19 declarations
- Warren · near 19
Warren · near
19 declarations
- Winnebago · this county 19
Winnebago · this county
19 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Winnebago County carries 19 FEMA declaration records, ranked 1796 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
How Winnebago County's FEMA declaration count compares nationally
Winnebago County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Winnebago County
19 41st percentile higher than 41% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-25
Winnebago County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Winnebago County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $67.8M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Moderate), while Cold Wave carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively High). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Winnebago County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
FEMA's NFIP table contains a substantial paid-claim history for this county: 1,729 claims and $27.3M in payments. PlainHazard labels 500 or more claims a heavy registry record; that is a reporting bucket, not an official FEMA risk grade. The average paid claim was $15.8K. NFIP totals exclude uninsured flood losses and do not measure how many properties currently carry a policy.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Winnebago County's 19 federal records stand 48% above the Illinois county mean of 12.9. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 92.4/100 (Relatively Moderate). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Moderate (roughly $121.6M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively Low and community resilience Relatively High, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Cold Wave stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Relatively High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 5.7 times per year here, based on 109 historical events on record.
63 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Winnebago County, IL · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) Moderate
14/30
19 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.9x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
18/25
19 declarations (1.5x state county average of 13)
Major Disaster Share High
16/25
12 of 19 declarations are major disasters (63%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Winnebago County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Winnebago County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
63%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
92
Relatively Moderate
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Winnebago County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | an average of 5.7 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | an average of 6.1 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively High | roughly once every 2 years |
| Hail | Relatively High | an average of 4.5 times per year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | an average of 2.1 times per year |
| Lightning | Relatively High | an average of 40 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 3.3 modeled event-days per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | roughly once every 1 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | an average of 15 times per year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | roughly once every 979 years |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 9.9 modeled event-days per year |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 11 years |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 10,038 years |
| Hurricane | Very Low | roughly once every 174 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Snowstorm 6
Flood 5
Severe Storm 4
Biological 2
Hurricane 1
Tornado 1
What Snowstorm declarations mean here
Snowstorm is the most frequent declaration type on Winnebago County's record, 32% of its declarations. Snow-related declarations work on a narrower basis than most other hazards: they are generally issued to reimburse the cost of snow removal and emergency protective measures, rather than to repair destroyed property.
The qualifying test is unusual too. FEMA assesses snowfall against record levels for the affected area, so the same storm total can qualify in a county where it is historically extreme and not qualify a few hundred miles north where it is an ordinary winter. A low snowstorm declaration count is therefore not evidence of mild winters.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 12 63.2%
of all 19 declarations
Emergency - 7 36.8%
of all 19 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 2 | |
| 2007 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 1 | |
| 1979 | 1 | |
| 1974 | 1 | |
| 1973 | 1 | |
Show 1 earlier declaration years
| 1967 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 19 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 19 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4819 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODNG | DR | Flood | 2024-09-20 |
| 4489 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-26 |
| 3435 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4116 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2013-05-10 |
| 1960 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR | Snowstorm | 2011-03-17 |
| 1935 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2010-08-19 |
| 1771 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2008-06-24 |
| 3283 | RECORD SNOW AND NEAR RECORD SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2008-03-13 |
| 1722 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2007-08-30 |
| 3269 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2006-12-29 |
| 3230 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-07 |
| 3161 | ILLINOIS WINTER SNOW STORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 2001-01-17 |
| 3134 | IL-WINTER STORM 1/1/99 | EM | Snowstorm | 1999-01-08 |
| 1129 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1996-07-25 |
| 997 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1993-07-09 |
| 3068 | BLIZZARDS & SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1979-01-16 |
| 438 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1974-06-10 |
| 373 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1973-04-26 |
| 227 | TORNADOES | DR | Tornado | 1967-04-25 |
Storm Events in Illinois
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Winnebago County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 7,218 | 9 | 67 | $46.0M |
| Hail | 3,195 | 0 | 0 | $27.1M |
| Winter Weather | 1,363 | 14 | 49 | $1.8M |
| Flood | 1,221 | 14 | 11 | $84.3M |
| Flash Flood | 1,133 | 11 | 3 | $1.1B |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
1,729
Total Paid
$27.3M
Avg Per Claim
$15.8K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Moderate
Score: 92.4/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Moderate
$121.6M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Low
Community Resilience
Relatively High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Cold Wave Relatively High
Strong Wind Relatively High
Tornado Relatively High
Hail Relatively High
Riverine Flooding Relatively High
Lightning Relatively High
Heat Wave Relatively Moderate
Ice Storm Relatively High
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Relatively Low
Drought Relatively Low
Landslide Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Hurricane Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Cold Wave
Cold Wave measures exposure to extreme cold rather than to snow. Its harm is concentrated in health effects, burst infrastructure and energy demand spikes, and it falls hardest where the building stock and the grid were not built with sustained cold in mind.
For Winnebago County the two measures on this page point the same way: Cold Wave is the county's highest-rated modeled hazard (Relatively High), and Snowstorm declarations also lead its federal record. Where the model and the declaration history agree, the reading is comparatively straightforward, the hazard is both expected and repeatedly realised.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Winnebago County's closest FEMA peer: Lucas County, OH
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Winnebago County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Similar modeled NRI score
Winnebago County: NRI composite 92.4 (Relatively Moderate).
Similar Major-disaster share
Winnebago County: 12 of 19 of its declarations are Major.
Closest declaration profiles
Winnebago County shows 19 FEMA declarations, led by Snowstorm.
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Winnebago County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Winnebago County: nearest out-of-state National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar NRI composite
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA NRI score. This county: 92.4 (Relatively Moderate).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 19. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Winnebago County's NFIP claims file (1,729 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Winnebago County?
The most common disaster type in Winnebago County is Snowstorm, with 6 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (5), Severe Storm (4), Biological (2).
How does Winnebago County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Illinois average?
FEMA lists 19 declaration records for Winnebago County. That is 48% above the Illinois county mean of 12.9. Its count is also 8% below the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Winnebago County received?
Winnebago County has received 12 major disaster declarations, representing 63% of all 19 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Winnebago County filed?
Winnebago County has 1,729 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $27.3M in payments, with an average of $15.8K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Winnebago County?
No. In Winnebago County, Cold Wave has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively High), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $67.8M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Winnebago County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Winnebago County was 2007, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1967 to 2024.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Winnebago County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Winnebago County, Illinois has an overall risk score of 92.4 out of 100 (Relatively Moderate). Social vulnerability here rates Relatively Low, while community resilience comes in at Relatively High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Moderate, representing $121.6M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Winnebago County?
Based on FEMA NRI data, the highest-risk natural hazard in Winnebago County as of the latest release is Cold Wave (risk rating: Relatively High). Other significant hazards include Strong Wind (Relatively High) and Tornado (Relatively High). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts cold wave here at an average of 5.7 times per year, drawn from 109 historical events on record. These scores are based on FEMA's analysis of historical event frequency, exposed assets, and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Winnebago County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Illinois profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events