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Hail in Lee County, Illinois
115 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 115 hail events in Lee County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 36 years.
May is the busiest month, with 36 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 58 events against 49 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.
30 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 4.00 inches (softball size).
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Lee County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 115 | 12,331 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 15.9 | 22.2 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 33.8 | 9.7 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
6Mar
5Apr
20May
36Jun
14Jul
18Aug
0Sep
16Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 115 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr 2026 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2025 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2025 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2023 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2023 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2021 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2021 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2021 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2021 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2021 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2021 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2021 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2021 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2019 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2019 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2019 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2019 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2019 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2018 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2018 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Feb 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2015 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2015 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2014 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2014 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2013 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2013 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2012 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2010 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2010 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2008 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2005 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2005 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2004 | Hail | 4.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2002 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2001 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2000 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1997 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1995 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1992 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1992 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1991 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1990 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1987 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1986 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1975 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1973 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1970 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1970 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1958 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1958 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Lee County had?
115 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 Lee County?
2 Apr 2026 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Lee County?
NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.
How does Lee County compare with Illinois for hail?
15.9 events per 100 square miles against 22.2 statewide; the county holds 115 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.