Hail history in Chicago, IL
On average, NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Chicago on 3.0 days a year from 2016 to 2025, 2.9 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Chicago on 65 days since 2010. The largest hail reported was 2.75 in, in 2011. 53 of those days had hail of 1 inch or larger. May has the most hail days, 14 since 2010. The most recent was July 27, 2026. NOAA also recorded high wind on 129 days, with gusts up to 96 mph.
Ranks #24 of 200 US cities for days with hail 1 inch or larger, 2016 to 2025.
- Hail days since 2010
- 65
- Largest hail
- 2.75 in
- Highest gust
- 96 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
65 hail days within 15 miles since 2010, largest 2.75 in
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Hail days by year
Bar chart of hail days per year, 2010 to 2026. 65 hail days in total; the most was 8 in 2013.
Hail days by month
Hail days by month since 2010: Jan 1, Feb 4, Mar 6, Apr 7, May 14, Jun 14, Jul 7, Aug 7, Sep 2, Oct 1, Nov 2, Dec 0.
Most recent hail days
| Date | Largest hail | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 27, 2026 | 2.0 in | 3.7 mi |
| Mar 30, 2026 | 2.0 in | 3.1 mi |
| Mar 26, 2026 | 1.0 in | 13.9 mi |
| Mar 10, 2026 | 2.0 in | 3.2 mi |
| May 15, 2025 | 1.5 in | 9.2 mi |
| Mar 19, 2025 | 1.0 in | 7.9 mi |
| Aug 5, 2024 | 1.0 in | 10.6 mi |
| May 7, 2024 | 1.5 in | 6.7 mi |
| May 2, 2024 | 1.0 in | 9.3 mi |
| Mar 4, 2024 | 1.0 in | 9.9 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Chicago, not from any one property. Look up a street address below for a single building.
- Reports come from trained spotters and the public, so they cluster near towns and roads.
- No report does not mean no hail. Hail can fall where no one is there to report it.
- This is not a damage or insurance assessment.
129 high-wind days within 15 miles since 2010, strongest gust 96 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Most recent high-wind days
| Date | Highest gust | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 11, 2026 | 70 mph | 1.2 mi |
| Aug 9, 2026 | Not recorded | 4.5 mi |
| Jul 27, 2026 | 74 mph | 1.8 mi |
| Jul 3, 2026 | 72 mph | 3.4 mi |
| Jul 2, 2026 | 66 mph | 12.6 mi |
| Jun 24, 2026 | Not recorded | 8.8 mi |
| Jun 17, 2026 | 63 mph | 14.7 mi |
| Jun 11, 2026 | 85 mph | 1.8 mi |
| Jun 10, 2026 | 85 mph | 1.3 mi |
| May 18, 2026 | 79 mph | 3.5 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Chicago, not from any one property. Look up a street address below for a single building.
- Reports come from trained spotters and the public, so they cluster near towns and roads.
- No report does not mean no hail. Hail can fall where no one is there to report it.
- Wind speed is the highest reported gust; some reports have no speed.
- This is not a damage or insurance assessment.
Gusts, tornadoes and hurricanes in Chicago
Estimated peak gusts
No day since October 1, 2021 had an estimated peak gust of 58 mph or more at Chicago.
| Day | Estimated peak gust |
|---|---|
| Mar 13, 2026 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 15, 2021 | 50 mph or more |
Estimates: the highest gust of each storm day in NOAA’s hourly 2.5 km wind analysis (URMA), which fills in between weather stations. Analyses like this smooth out short thunderstorm gusts, so they are best for widespread wind (hurricanes, winter storms, high wind days); for thunderstorm wind, NOAA’s wind reports are the better record. Not a measurement at any building.
Tornadoes within 10 miles
NOAA recorded 21 tornadoes whose path came within 10 miles of Chicago since 1950; the strongest was rated EF4.
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 15, 2024 | EF0 | 1.4 miles | 4 miles |
| Jul 15, 2024 | EF1 | 3.1 miles | 2.7 miles |
| Jul 15, 2024 | EF1 | 3.2 miles | 4.4 miles |
| Jul 15, 2024 | EF1 | 2.1 miles | 8.8 miles |
| Jul 15, 2024 | EF0 | 1.2 miles | 8.6 miles |
| Jul 14, 2024 | EF0 | 3.6 miles | 5.4 miles |
| Jul 14, 2024 | EF0 | 8 miles | 2.4 miles |
| Jul 14, 2024 | EF0 | 7.4 miles | 3.6 miles |
Show all 21Show fewer
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 12, 2023 | EF1 | 9.06 miles | 5.1 miles |
| Sep 3, 2018 | EF0 | 1.71 miles | 3.1 miles |
| Aug 9, 2016 | EF0 | 0.01 miles | 2.2 miles |
| May 26, 2015 | EF0 | 0.4 miles | 7.1 miles |
| Sep 22, 2006 | EF0 | 0.3 miles | 1.9 miles |
| Sep 29, 1986 | EF1 | 0.1 miles | 7 miles |
| May 29, 1983 | EF0 | 0.2 miles | 8.6 miles |
| May 29, 1983 | EF1 | 0.2 miles | 2.4 miles |
| Apr 18, 1978 | EF1 | 6.1 miles | 7.4 miles |
| Apr 21, 1967 | EF4 | 15 miles | 9 miles |
| Mar 4, 1961 | EF2 | 7.9 miles | 4.4 miles |
| Aug 30, 1958 | EF1 | 1 miles | 6.5 miles |
| May 26, 1955 | EF1 | 1.5 miles | 6.9 miles |
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center. Ratings before 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
1 storm in NOAA's records brought modeled tropical-storm-force winds (39 mph or more) to Chicago.
| Storm | Modeled peak gust | Sustained | Closest pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Galveston hurricane | 55 mph | 45 mph | 63 miles |
Modeled from NOAA’s best tracks for open, flat ground; not measurements. How we model hurricane winds
46 radar hail days within 15 miles since 2020, largest 2.25 in or more
Source: NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), from October 14, 2020. Estimates of the largest hail in each 1 km cell, not measurements.
26 days with radar hail 1 inch or larger, 3 at 2 inches or larger, within 15 miles of Chicago’s center.
Biggest radar hail days
- 0.75 in+
- 1.0 in+
- 1.5 in+
- 2.0 in+
- 2.5 in+
- 3.0 in+
Most recent radar hail days
| Date | Largest radar estimate |
|---|---|
| Aug 9, 2026 | 1.0 in or more |
| Jul 27, 2026 | 2.25 in or more |
| Jul 18, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Jul 3, 2026 | 1.0 in or more |
| Jul 2, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Jun 24, 2026 | 1.0 in or more |
Storms in Chicago
NWS Chicago notes that northern Illinois and northern Indiana have long been known as a corridor of enhanced derecho activity.1 In SPC's 1980 to 2006 severe report climatology for the Chicago radar area, hail reports peak in May, damaging wind reports peak in July, and the primary severe season runs from May 5 to August 29.2
Notable storms
- July 27, 2026Midway Airport measured a 74 mph gust and O'Hare gusted to 64 mph. Hail up to 1.5 inches fell in Greater Grand Crossing, and residents reported broken tree branches from West Ridge and Rogers Park to Englewood and South Shore.3,4
- June 13, 2022A supercell crossed the Chicago metro, and O'Hare Airport measured an 84 mph gust, tying the second strongest gust on record there, while Midway Airport gusted to 69 mph. An NWS survey found some damage consistent with 75 to 95 mph winds, with some of the worst in a corridor from Elk Grove Village through Lyons in west central Cook County.5
- July 11, 2011A derecho swept through the Chicago area around 8 a.m., with gusts of 75 mph at Midway Airport and 63 mph at O'Hare. Six people were injured when a festival tent collapsed in Palos Heights.6
- June 30, 2011A supercell formed over Lake Michigan and moved south-southwest into Chicago that evening, with hail up to an estimated 2.75 inches in Brighton Park. Hail 2 inches in diameter was reported in Logan Square, Austin and Corwith.7,8
- June 18, 2010Storms crossed Chicago on the afternoon of June 18, 2010, with gusts over 60 mph, and the city's Streets and Sanitation department received thousands of reports of downed trees, limbs and light poles. A woman struck by a falling limb in Beverly died five weeks later.9,10
- April 21, 1967An F4 tornado touched down near 88th Avenue and 105th Street and tore through Oak Lawn, Hometown and Evergreen Park into Chicago's South Side, reaching the lakefront near 78th Street after 16.2 miles in 15 minutes. NWS Chicago lists 33 deaths and 500 injuries, and 25 to 40 cars were thrown at 95th Street and Southwest Highway.11
Warnings and alerts
The city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications sends severe weather alerts by text and email through NotifyChicago, and businesses can text CHIBIZ to 67283 for alerts on severe weather that may affect operations.12
Sources
- 1. NWS Chicago: August 10, 2020: Corn Belt Derecho
- 2. NOAA Storm Prediction Center: LOT Severe Weather Climatology
- 3. NWS Chicago: July 27, 2026: Intense Severe Storms Produce Several Tornadoes, Extensive Wind Damage, Damaging Hail, and Flooding
- 4. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Cook County, July 27, 2026
- 5. NWS Chicago: June 13, 2022: Supercell Storm Brings a Swath of Severe Wind Damage and Two Tornadoes to the Chicago Metro
- 6. NOAA Storm Prediction Center: The Cross Country Derecho of July 2011
- 7. NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan and NWS Chicago: The June 30, 2011 Lake Michigan Supercell: An Overview
- 8. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Cook County, June 30, 2011
- 9. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Cook County, June 18, 2010 (Chicago)
- 10. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Cook County, June 18, 2010 (Beverly)
- 11. NWS Chicago: April 21, 1967: Belvidere, Lake Zurich and Oak Lawn Tornadoes
- 12. City of Chicago OEMC: OEMC Alerts, Current Threats and Public Information
Free hail history
See the hail history near your property.
Enter a street address to see every day since 2010 with NOAA hail and wind reports within 10 miles.
Get a hail report for your whole portfolio.
Send us your properties and we’ll pull the NOAA hail history for every address. Then Cloudbreak watches each one, and you hear from us when a storm tracks toward it.
Questions about hail in Chicago
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
- How often does it hail in Chicago?
- NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Chicago on 3.0 days a year on average from 2016 to 2025, 2.9 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. Since 2010 it recorded 65 hail days.
- When is hail season in Chicago?
- May has the most hail days within 15 miles of the center of Chicago, 14 since 2010, then June (14) and April (7).
- What is the largest hail recorded in Chicago?
- 2.75 in, in 2011: the largest hail NOAA recorded within 15 miles of the center of Chicago since 2010.
- When did it last hail in Chicago?
- NOAA's most recent hail report within 15 miles of the center of Chicago is from July 27, 2026, with hail up to 2.0 in reported 3.7 miles from the center. Data through November 1, 2026.