Government records show 238 natural disaster events affecting the River Forest, IL area (ZIP 60305) — a notably active disaster history. These include 100 extreme cold events, 53 extreme heat events, and 42 hailstorms. Total documented property damage amounts to $55.3M. These events have resulted in 507 recorded deaths and 95 injuries.
With 100 recorded incidents (42% of all events), extreme cold events are the leading natural hazard for this ZIP code. Of these, 20 (20%) were rated at severity level 4 or 5 — the most intense on the normalized scale. The highest recorded severity for cold-related events here is 5/5 (extreme). 149 fatalities have been attributed to extreme cold events in this area. The most recent recorded extreme cold event occurred on Jan 18, 2016.
Extreme heat events account for 22% of the disaster record here, with 53 events documented. Of these, 32 (60%) were rated at severity level 4 or 5 — the most intense on the normalized scale. The highest recorded severity for heat-related events here is 5/5 (extreme). Heat-related events have caused a combined $775K in documented property damage. 341 fatalities have been attributed to extreme heat events in this area. The most recent recorded extreme heat event occurred on Sep 11, 2013.
There have been 42 recorded hailstorms in this area, representing 18% of all disaster events. Hail-related events have caused a combined $17M in documented property damage. The most recent recorded hailstorm occurred on May 15, 2025.
There have been 27 recorded severe wind events in this area, representing 11% of all disaster events. Wind-related events have caused a combined $105K in documented property damage. The most recent recorded severe wind event occurred on Jul 15, 2024.
River Forest has experienced 7 floods on record. Of these, 7 (100%) were rated at severity level 4 or 5 — the most intense on the normalized scale. The highest recorded severity for flood-related events here is 5/5 (extreme). Flood-related events have caused a combined $31.4M in documented property damage. The most recent recorded flood occurred on Aug 17, 2025.
River Forest has experienced 6 blizzards on record. Of these, 4 (67%) were rated at severity level 4 or 5 — the most intense on the normalized scale. The highest recorded severity for winter storm events here is 5/5 (extreme). Winter storm events have caused a combined $700K in documented property damage. 15 fatalities have been attributed to blizzards in this area. The most recent recorded blizzard occurred on Dec 29, 2018.
The most significant disaster event on record for River Forest was Lakeshore Flood on Jan 11, 2020, which caused $25M in property damage. Another major event was 2" Hail (Jun 30, 2011), causing $17M in damages. Flash Flood on Sep 11, 2022 also caused significant damage ($3.1M).
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Based on federal and state records, ZIP code 60305 has experienced 238 natural disaster events. The hazard types affecting this area include extreme cold events (100 events), extreme heat events (53 events), hailstorms (42 events), severe wind events (27 events), floods (7 events), blizzards (6 events), and tornadoes (3 events). The primary hazard is extreme cold events, which account for 42% of all recorded events.
Extreme cold events are the most frequently recorded hazard in River Forest, IL, with 100 events documented.
Yes, River Forest (ZIP 60305) has 7 recorded flood events. These floods have caused $31.4M in total property damage. The most recent flood on record occurred on Aug 17, 2025.
River Forest has 3 recorded tornado events in the historical record. The strongest tornado recorded reached severity level 3/5 on the normalized scale. Total property damage from tornadoes in this area is $5.3M. The most recent tornado was recorded on Sep 29, 1986.
The most damaging natural disaster on record for ZIP code 60305 was Lakeshore Flood, which occurred on Jan 11, 2020. This event caused $25M in documented property damage. It was rated at severity level 5/5.
Natural disasters have caused a documented total of $55.3M in property damage in the River Forest, IL area (ZIP 60305). This figure is based on historical records from FEMA, NOAA Storm Events Database, and USGS, and covers events from the 1950s through the present. Actual damages may be higher, as not all events have complete damage assessments.
Data sourced from FEMA (disaster declarations, NFIP flood claims), NOAA Storm Events Database, USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, and NIFC wildfire records. Historical coverage varies by source, with most records beginning in the 1950s–1970s. Full methodology →