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Hail in Knox County, Illinois
114 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 114 hail events in Knox County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 36 years.
May is the busiest month, with 28 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 69 events against 37 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 12,331 hail events recorded in Illinois; its 15.9 per 100 square miles compares with 22.2 statewide.
21 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 4.50 inches (grapefruit size).
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Knox County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 114 | 12,331 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 15.9 | 22.2 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 23.1 | 9.7 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
6Mar
18Apr
20May
28Jun
22Jul
3Aug
7Sep
5Oct
2Nov
3Dec
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 114 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug 2024 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2024 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2024 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 2024 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Feb 2024 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2022 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2020 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2020 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2020 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2019 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2019 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2019 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2019 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2018 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2018 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2018 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Oct 2017 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2017 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2017 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2016 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2016 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2016 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2015 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2015 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2015 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2013 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2012 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2012 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2012 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2012 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2012 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2011 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Nov 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Nov 2010 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2010 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2009 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2001 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2000 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1999 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1998 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1997 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1997 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Hail | 4.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1988 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1987 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1977 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1975 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1975 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1974 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1974 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1973 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1973 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1967 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Knox County had?
114 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 Knox County?
15 Aug 2024 (Hail, 0.75 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Knox County?
NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.
How does Knox County compare with Illinois for hail?
15.9 events per 100 square miles against 22.2 statewide; the county holds 114 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.