FEMA rates relative cold wave risk for Lake County as very high and reports FEMA annualized frequency of 0.959 per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for Lake County reports FEMA annualized frequency of 0.959 per year for cold wave. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is very high; the annualized frequency is a separate measure.
Hazard metrics cover FEMA county-equivalent geographies rather than individual addresses or parcels. Use local or state hazard maps before making a property, insurance, retrofit, or evacuation decision.
Select a hazard to inspect FEMA's figures for Lake County.
Cold Wave
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
99.9/100
Occurrence thresholds vary by hazard. The FEMA methodology defines the value for each hazard.
The area loss estimate combines FEMA's modeled losses to buildings, population, and agriculture across Lake County. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For Waukegan, FEMA rates cold wave risk for Lake County as very high, with a relative score of 99.9/100. The next highest relative scores are strong wind at 99.4/100 and tornado at 99.1/100.
Using FEMA data for Lake County, Waukegan is tied #3 among 14 covered Illinois entries for cold wave risk; 2 entries share that score. Round Lake Beach is about 11 straight-line miles from the Waukegan map point and uses the same FEMA geography.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in Waukegan? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows Waukegan. All FEMA figures on this page cover Lake County.
The FEMA figures cover Lake County. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative cold wave risk for Lake County as very high. Its FEMA annualized frequency is 0.959 per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 14 Illinois cities covered by this directory, Waukegan is Tied #3 for relative cold wave risk based on FEMA's score for Lake County. 2 covered cities share this rank because they use the same FEMA geography. Homes within Waukegan can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for Lake County, the highest relative ratings are Cold Wave (Very High), Strong Wind (Very High), and Tornado (Very High). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover Lake County. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives Lake County an overall relative risk rating of relatively moderate. Conditions at a specific home depend on its hazard zones, building type, maintenance, insurance, and access to evacuation routes and emergency services.
Start with this step: Confirm the exact hazard using official local maps before making property or insurance decisions. Know how local officials issue warnings and evacuation instructions. Use Ready.gov Be Informed and local emergency guidance for a complete plan.
Distances are measured between city coordinates.
| City | Distance | Cold Wave rating | Relative score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Lake Beach, IL | 11 mi | Very High | 99.9 |
| Kenosha, WI | 15 mi | Very High | 96.6 |
| Racine, WI | 25 mi | Relatively High | 91.5 |
| Elgin, IL | 33 mi | Relatively High | 96.0 |
| Cicero, IL | 37 mi | Very High | 100.0 |
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View productHazard metrics come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0 (March 2023). City population and coordinates come from SimpleMaps US Cities Database. For current conditions, use official local maps, warnings, inspections, and professional advice.