47
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$18.3M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Lake County, Illinois: 47 recorded events between 1996 and 2024. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #663 nationally and #11 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Lake County, Illinois: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Lake County is the 2010s, when 26 of the county's 47 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Lake County archive, flash flood makes up 7.3% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #663 for this hazard and #11 within Illinois, putting it in the 78.3 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for flash flood in Lake County with 16 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 2024 | WILDWOOD | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 23, 2024 | WEST LAKE FOREST | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 23, 2024 | KNOLLWOOD | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 23, 2024 | ISLAND LAKE | 0 | $0 |
| May 13, 2024 | FOX LAKE HILLS | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 23, 2022 | WINTHROP HARBOR | 0 | $0 |
| May 18, 2020 | FOREST LAKE | 0 | $0 |
| May 15, 2020 | GURNEE | 0 | $0 |
| May 15, 2020 | RUSSELL | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 13, 2019 | CHANNEL LAKE | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Lake County
- Thunderstorm Wind 299
- Hail 185
- Flood 41
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Torrential rain fell across much of Lake County during the morning of July 12th causing widespread flash flooding. Numerous roads were impassable. In Mundelein, numerous houses were flooded and people were rescued by raft. Cars were stranded in flood waters in Libertyville. Garage and basement flooding was reported in Fox Lake. Two day storm total rainfall amounts included 7.22 inches two miles west of Gurnee; 7.13 inches in Round Lake Park; 7.11 inches two miles west southwest of Lake Villa; 6.75 inches in Mundelein; 6.69 inches one mile west of Lake Bluff; 6.46 inches two miles north northeast of Lake Forest; 5.53 inches two miles east of Waukegan; 5.49 inches two miles west northwest of Mundelein; 5.15 inches two miles southeast of Fox Lake; 4.70 inches in Riverwoods and 4.55 inches two miles southeast of Lakemoor. Major flooding with record crests occurred on the Des Plaines River.
A levee was breached in Lincolnshire requiring 49 homes to be evacuated. Route 41 was closed between Route 137 and Route 176. Near Beach Park, water was reported over many roads, ponds were out of banks, and many homes had water up to doorsteps. County emergency managers estimated that 4,500 properties were affected by the flooding.
At least 10 people were rescued from submerged vehicles on Route 41 near Deerpath Road and on Washington Circle. No injuries were reported. A few homes in the area were also reported flooded. Storm total rainfall of 4.54 inches was measured two miles north northeast of Lake Forest and 4.28 inches was measured one mile north of Lincolnshire.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Lake County, Illinois?
47 flash flood events are recorded in Lake County between 1996 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Lake County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Lake County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Lake County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Flash Flood in Lake County, Illinois.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/illinois/lake-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.