Buffalo Grove

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Smoke overhead

1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Flood insurance figures are for Lake County, the county that contains Buffalo Grove.

Claims by ZIP code

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges in Lake County, the county that contains Buffalo Grove.

River gauges

1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

The drought index is for Lake County, the county that contains Buffalo Grove.

1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Tsunamis

Tsunami records for Lake County.

1. Places where NOAA's Global Historical Tsunami Database records a tsunami's water arriving, with the greatest height it reached above sea level at the time. Only tsunamis NOAA rates probable or definite are counted. Heights from eyewitness accounts and tide gauges are mixed, and older events are less completely recorded.

NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Mapped landslides

Landslides mapped in Lake County.

Mapped by NASA (1).

1. Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.

USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Jul 12, 2017Flash Flood$12.7 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   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…

2. Apr 19, 1996Tornado$6.6 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The roof was torn off an apartment building. Over 400 homes and businesses sustained damage and 32 received major damage. Five trucks were overturned at a plant. Homes and garages had roof damage. Numerous trees were damaged or blown down. Injuries included a child with a broken leg and a woman cut by glass.

3. Apr 19, 1996Thunderstorm Wind$5.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorm winds caused considerable damage over northern Lake County. The storms entered northwest Lake County around 1100 pm CDT. Trees and power lines were blown down at Fox Lake, Chain O'Lakes and west of Antioch. Barns and other outbuildings were damaged at the Lake-McHenry County line west of Antioch. In Antioch a billboard was blown down, part of a house roof was torn away and garages were damaged. Many trees were downed. At Round Lake, the roof was blown off a building at a lumberyard. At Lindenhurst, 4 businesses and 12 homes were damaged by winds. Signs were blown down. A tree fell on a house. Trees were down throughout the village. Twenty six homes were damaged in…

4. Apr 17, 2013Flash Flood$4.7 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   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.

5. Aug 2, 2015Tornado$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado touched down near Cedar Lake Road in Round Lake where tree damage occurred. The tornado moved east and damaged hundreds of trees along the 7.5 mile long path, including dozens that were snapped at the base or uprooted. The most significant tree damage was noted in the subdivisions of Grayslake and Wildwood. A roof was blown off of a restaurant along Illinois Route 134 with a sign from the restaurant ending up over two miles away in Grayslake. Several homes and businesses suffered roof damage from either falling trees or loss of shingles. A large part of the roof of the Grayslake Central High School was blown across the street. A nearby skatepark was heavily damaged.…

6. Jun 13, 2008Flood$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   After a wet winter and spring, heavy rain fell in June causing moderate to major flooding on the Des Plaines and Fox Rivers in Lake and McHenry Counties in IL. June rainfall totals included 7.13 inches at Woodstock, 6.56 inches at Spring Grove, and 5.57 inches at Mundelein. Some parts of southern Wisconsin received 10 inches or more. Moderate flooding occurred on the Des Plaines at Russell from the 11th through the 13th mostly impacting park land. On the Fox River, the New Munster, WI river gage reached a record crest of 15.18 feet on the 15th. The gage at McHenry Lock and Dam tailwater crested at 6.8 feet on the 18th. This was the third highest on record. A total of 408…

7. May 28, 1998Lightning$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Lightning struck the roof of a million dollar home, causing serious damage to the roof and attic. Total estimated damage - $500,000.00.

8. May 13, 2010Flash Flood$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Flash flooding occurred in many areas in Lake County during the morning hours of May 13th. Numerous roads were closed and flooded including, Route 60, east of St. Mary Road; Route 41 between Westleigh and Kennedy Roads; Peterson Road at Route 60; Cuba Road, west of Ela Road; Route 45 south of Hawley Street; Route 173 at Delany Road; Russell Road east of Lewis Avenue; Southbound Route 41 at Milwaukee Road; Route 60, eastbound between Saint Marys and Riverwood Roads; Grand Avenue east of Oplaine Road and two vehicles were stranded in flood waters at the Deerpath and Route 41 underpass in Lake Forest. A house was surrounded by flood waters in Lake Forest and the occupants had to be…

9. Jun 30, 2011Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Over 1,000 trees were either uprooted or split in half at the Illinois Beach State Park. Various structures as well as mobile campers sustained damage from the falling trees.

10. Aug 24, 2006Lightning$200,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Two houses were struck by lightning in Buffalo Grove. The roof of one house was completed destroyed by fire. The second house was heavily damaged by fire.

1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

All-time high

104°F2 times, most recently Jul 13, 1995

All-time low

−27°FJan 20, 1985

Warmest night

83°FJul 14, 1995

Coldest day

−11°F2 times, most recently Jan 18, 1994

Wettest day

6.86 inJul 23, 2011

Snowiest day

18.6 inJan 2, 1999

Hottest year

2024mean 55.0°F

Coldest year

1985mean 47.1°F

Wettest year

200850.86 in

Driest year

196221.77 in

Snowiest season

83.7 in1978-79

Station Chicago O'hare International Airport (USW00094846), 672 ft elevation, 14.3 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1958 to October 26, 2026; 100.0% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Declarations for Lake County.

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

• Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
• Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
• Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
• Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
• Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
• Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00094846.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
• Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Tsunamis NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database.
• Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
• Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.