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Hail in Hamilton County, Illinois
44 hail events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Hail.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 44 hail events in Hamilton County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 21 years.
April is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 12,331 hail events recorded in Illinois; its 10.1 per 100 square miles compares with 22.2 statewide.
6 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 2.00 inches (hen egg size).
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Hamilton County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 44 | 12,331 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.1 | 22.2 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 55.6 | 9.7 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
6Apr
16May
6Jun
2Jul
4Aug
6Sep
2Oct
0Nov
1Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
NWS hail-size descriptors
- under 1 in
- pea to quarter
- 1–1.74 in
- quarter to golf ball
- 1.75–2.74 in
- golf ball to baseball
- 2.75–3.99 in
- baseball to softball
- 4 in and larger
- softball and larger
Hail size in inches as recorded by NCEI; events without a size are not binned.
Recorded events
All 44 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jul 2024 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2022 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2022 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2019 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2018 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2012 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2012 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2012 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2010 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2006 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2004 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2002 | Hail | 1.75 in | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 2002 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2001 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2001 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1994 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1964 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Hamilton County had?
44 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of hail became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded hail event in Hamilton County?
28 Jul 2024 (Hail, 0.75 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Hamilton County?
The hail of 24 Apr 2002, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $750K.
How does Hamilton County compare with Illinois for hail?
10.1 events per 100 square miles against 22.2 statewide; the county holds 44 of the state's 12,331 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Hail hub and the county page.