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Hail in Union County, Illinois
55 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.
Union County, Illinois, has 55 hail events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 29 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 29 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 13.3 per 100 square miles compares with 22.2 statewide.
10 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 2.75 inches (baseball size).
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Union County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 55 | 12,331 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 13.3 | 22.2 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 32.5 | 9.7 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
11Apr
16May
11Jun
9Jul
2Aug
2Sep
2Oct
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 55 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Feb 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2022 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2022 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2022 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2018 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2018 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2015 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2015 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2007 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2003 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2003 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2002 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2001 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2000 | Hail | 1.75 in | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2000 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2000 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1997 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1995 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | 20 | County |
| 16 May 1995 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1995 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1995 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1994 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1993 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $500 | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1991 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1991 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1989 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1989 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1986 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1984 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 1977 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1975 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1972 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1972 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1969 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1969 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 1967 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1963 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Union County had?
55 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 Union County?
22 Feb 2024 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Union County?
The hail of 23 May 2000, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50K.
How does Union County compare with Illinois for hail?
13.3 events per 100 square miles against 22.2 statewide; the county holds 55 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.