Morgan County, Illinois
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Morgan County, Illinois has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 71% of US counties. It ranks 33rd of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and drought. FEMA estimates about $28 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $865 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2023 (severe storms and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (77 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.6 million on 242 claims here, including $637,000 for floods in 2011.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Morgan County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 94.1 | $10M | ||
| Inland flooding | 61.2 | $9M | ||
| Drought | 92.9 | $2M | ||
| Earthquake | 81.7 | $2M | ||
| Heat wave | 83.4 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 87.2 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 49.6 | $1M | ||
| Hail | 68.7 | $506K | ||
| Lightning | 52.0 | $240K | ||
| Ice storm | 59.3 | $125K | ||
| Winter weather | 46.3 | $54K | ||
| Hurricane | 21.9 | $7K | ||
| Landslide | 64.2 | $3K | ||
| Wildfire | 1.8 | $653 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Morgan County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 15
Illinois also had 2 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 376 storm reports in Morgan County since 1955, with 1 death and 13 injuries and about $171 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 24, 1961.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 1961 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 24, 2004 | F2 | Jacksonville | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 19, 1996 | F2 | Jacksonville | 1 / 0 |
| Jun 14, 1957 | F2 | – | 5 / 0 |
| Jun 4, 1973 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2011 | Flash Flood | Meredosia | $150M |
| Aug 12, 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Concord | $12M |
| May 24, 2004 | Tornado | Jacksonville | $4M |
| May 24, 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jacksonville | $1M |
| Aug 13, 2011 | Hail | Pisgah | $500K |
| Aug 19, 2009 | Tornado | Murrayville | $495K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 11, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Morgan County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Morgan County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 15,016 housing units.
Compare in Illinois
All 102 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Cook County | Inland flooding | |
| DuPage County | Inland flooding | |
| Lake County | Inland flooding | |
| Will County | Inland flooding | |
| Kane County | Inland flooding | |
| McHenry County | Inland flooding | |
| Winnebago County | Inland flooding | |
| Madison County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Sangamon County | 10 | |
| Macoupin County | 7 | |
| Pike County | 23 | |
| Cass County | 19 | |
| Greene County | 17 | |
| Brown County | 14 | |
| Scott County | 16 |
Common questions about Morgan County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Morgan County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Morgan County, about $10 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $9 million.
How many federal disasters has Morgan County had?
Morgan County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in August 2023.
Is Morgan County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 33rd highest of 102 in Illinois. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Morgan County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Morgan County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Morgan County had?
NOAA records list 41 tornadoes in Morgan County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 24, 1961. The weather service has also logged 117 hail reports and 42 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.