Lake County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lake County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Lake County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, tornado, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 90 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (70th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Lake County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (5), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1977.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 66.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 96.2 | 33 | 0 | $14.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 41.2 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 89.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92.8 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.1 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 18.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 71.4 | 27 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 94.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 76.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 92.6 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 54.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Lake County ranks in the 70th percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 70th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 63rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 78th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 85th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 47th | Low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 32nd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 9.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 90 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 46 in 2016–20 vs 44 in 2021–25 (-4% — relatively stable).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Lake County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lake County, Indiana are cold wave, tornado, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Lake County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lake County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Lake County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lake County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Lake County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cook County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Jasper County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Lake County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Lake County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lake County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Lake County's composite score of 96 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 96% of US counties.