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Flood in Clay County, Illinois
72 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Clay County, Illinois, has 72 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 56 events against 16 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 6,507 flood events recorded in Illinois; its 15.4 per 100 square miles compares with 11.7 statewide.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Clay County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 72 | 6,507 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 15.4 | 11.7 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 54.8 | 5.1 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 61 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | June | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
3Mar
0Apr
4May
16Jun
18Jul
15Aug
12Sep
2Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 72 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Jun 2026 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2026 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2026 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2026 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $9.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jan 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 May 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jan 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Clay County had?
72 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Clay County?
27 Jun 2026 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Clay County?
The flash flood of 23 Jun 2013, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $9.0M.
How does Clay County compare with Illinois for flood?
15.4 events per 100 square miles against 11.7 statewide; the county holds 72 of the state's 6,507 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Flood hub and the county page.