McHenry County, Illinois: hazard risk
FEMA rates McHenry County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 90.8 of 100, higher than 90% of rated U.S. counties); 3 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave, tornado, strong wind. Its storm record holds 941 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.7 | $23M |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.3 | $25M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 85.5 | $2.5M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 93.1 | $85M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | $1.3M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 79.2 | $310K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 73.5 | $871K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 75.5 | $1.8M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 74.7 | $1.8M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 59.2 | $420K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 55.6 | $171K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 57.2 | $3K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 31.6 | $25K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10.3 | $3K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 357 | 0 | $794K | 22nd of 102 | 673rd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 196 | 0 | $192K | 32nd of 102 | 887th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 130 | 1 | – | 43rd of 102 | 906th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 52 | 0 | $6.5M | 77th of 102 | 1340th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 50 | 1 | $605K | 27th of 102 | 735th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 36 | 5 | – | 32nd of 102 | 537th of 3,076 |
| Drought | 33 | 0 | – | 30th of 102 | 1141st of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 27 | 7 | $278M | 77th of 102 | 1136th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 23 | 0 | $1.5M | 6th of 102 | 257th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 20 | 0 | – | 35th of 102 | 875th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 12 | 1 | – | 82nd of 102 | 1169th of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full McHenry County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.