Whiteside County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Whiteside County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Whiteside County's highest-rated hazards are drought, strong wind, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 53% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Whiteside County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (7), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1993 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1979 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1965.
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 | Very Low | 14.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 70.1 | 20 | 0 | $513K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 62.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 50.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 78.1 | 16 | 0 | $40K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 18.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 84.3 | 38 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 85.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 68.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 68.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 76.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 50.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 86.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 58.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Whiteside County ranks in the 32nd percentile (Low) 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 | 32nd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 27th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 77th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 48th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 17th | Very 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 | 7th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 7th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 21.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 72 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 49 in 2016–20 vs 23 in 2021–25 (-53% — frequency decreasing).
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 Whiteside County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Whiteside County, Illinois are drought, strong wind, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Whiteside County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Whiteside County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has Whiteside County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Whiteside County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Whiteside County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Ogle County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Carroll County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Whiteside County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Whiteside County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Whiteside 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. Whiteside County's composite score of 66 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 66% of US counties.