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Flood in Kankakee County, Illinois
56 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.
Kankakee County, Illinois, has 56 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 43 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 6,507 flood events recorded in Illinois; its 8.3 per 100 square miles compares with 11.7 statewide.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Kankakee County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 56 | 6,507 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.3 | 11.7 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 5.3 | 5.1 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 61 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | May | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
11Feb
4Mar
2Apr
1May
14Jun
13Jul
2Aug
2Sep
5Oct
1Nov
0Dec
1
Recorded events
All 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Dec 2025 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 2025 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jan 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2018 | Flood | — | $1.1M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2014 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2012 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2012 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 2008 | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jan 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2000 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jul 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Kankakee County had?
56 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 Kankakee County?
28 Dec 2025 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Kankakee County?
The flood of 20 Feb 2018, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.1M.
How does Kankakee County compare with Illinois for flood?
8.3 events per 100 square miles against 11.7 statewide; the county holds 56 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.