Hail history in Madison, WI
On average, NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Madison on 3.4 days a year from 2016 to 2025, 2.8 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Madison on 55 days since 2010. The largest hail reported was 4.0 in, in 2026. 44 of those days had hail of 1 inch or larger. May has the most hail days, 11 since 2010. The most recent was April 14, 2026. NOAA also recorded high wind on 54 days, with gusts up to 81 mph.
Ranks #28 of 200 US cities for days with hail 1 inch or larger, 2016 to 2025.
- Hail days since 2010
- 55
- Largest hail
- 4.0 in
- Highest gust
- 81 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
55 hail days within 15 miles since 2010, largest 4.0 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. 55 hail days in total; the most was 7 in 2011.
Hail days by month
Hail days by month since 2010: Jan 0, Feb 1, Mar 1, Apr 9, May 11, Jun 9, Jul 7, Aug 5, Sep 9, Oct 1, Nov 2, Dec 0.
Most recent hail days
| Date | Largest hail | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 2026 | 4.0 in | 0.5 mi |
| Apr 13, 2026 | 1.25 in | 5.3 mi |
| Aug 16, 2025 | 1.0 in | 11.2 mi |
| May 15, 2025 | 2.25 in | 1.3 mi |
| Apr 18, 2025 | 1.25 in | 6.3 mi |
| Apr 17, 2025 | 1.25 in | 8.1 mi |
| Jul 14, 2024 | 1.5 in | 11.2 mi |
| Jun 22, 2024 | 2.0 in | 3.9 mi |
| May 21, 2024 | 1.5 in | 4.9 mi |
| May 20, 2024 | 0.75 in | 12.8 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Madison, 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.
54 high-wind days within 15 miles since 2010, strongest gust 81 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Most recent high-wind days
| Date | Highest gust | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2026 | 65 mph | 12.6 mi |
| Jun 10, 2026 | 70 mph | 0.5 mi |
| May 15, 2026 | Not recorded | 10.3 mi |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 70 mph | 13.7 mi |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Not recorded | 2.8 mi |
| Jul 16, 2025 | 60 mph | 14.2 mi |
| Jul 10, 2025 | 58 mph | 7.2 mi |
| May 15, 2025 | 58 mph | 11.2 mi |
| Mar 14, 2025 | 61 mph | 14.9 mi |
| Aug 5, 2024 | 64 mph | 3.5 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Madison, 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 Madison
Estimated peak gusts
1 day since October 1, 2021 had an estimated peak gust of 58 mph or more at Madison.
| Day | Estimated peak gust |
|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2024 | 50 mph or more |
| Nov 5, 2022 | 50 mph or more |
| Jul 23, 2022 | 58 mph or more |
| Mar 5, 2022 | 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 32 tornadoes whose path came within 10 miles of Madison since 1950; the strongest was rated EF3.
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 28, 2021 | EF0 | 3.52 miles | 6.9 miles |
| Jul 28, 2021 | EF1 | 2.44 miles | 7.8 miles |
| Jul 28, 2021 | EF1 | 2.76 miles | 9.4 miles |
| Oct 7, 2017 | EF0 | 9.7 miles | 3.7 miles |
| Jun 29, 2014 | EF1 | 2.32 miles | 9.4 miles |
| Jun 16, 2014 | EF1 | 1.49 miles | 3.1 miles |
| Jun 16, 2014 | EF2 | 0.22 miles | 3.9 miles |
| Jun 16, 2014 | EF3 | 0.96 miles | 7.9 miles |
Show all 32Show fewer
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 8, 2011 | EF0 | 1.21 miles | 3.5 miles |
| Jun 8, 2011 | EF0 | 17.15 miles | 4.7 miles |
| Jul 22, 2010 | EF0 | 0.22 miles | 8.7 miles |
| Mar 30, 2005 | EF0 | 0.2 miles | 6.4 miles |
| Jun 23, 2004 | EF1 | 7.8 miles | 3.4 miles |
| Jun 23, 2004 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 8.3 miles |
| May 30, 2003 | EF0 | 3.1 miles | 7.7 miles |
| Jul 25, 1997 | EF1 | 2.7 miles | 4.6 miles |
| Jul 25, 1997 | EF1 | 1 miles | 6.7 miles |
| Jul 4, 1994 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 9.8 miles |
| Jun 17, 1992 | EF3 | 16 miles | 8.6 miles |
| Jun 14, 1989 | EF0 | 0.2 miles | 7.9 miles |
| Jun 14, 1989 | EF1 | 0.2 miles | 2.8 miles |
| May 8, 1988 | EF2 | 7 miles | 7.3 miles |
| Jul 11, 1986 | EF1 | 0.8 miles | 1.3 miles |
| May 30, 1985 | EF2 | 21 miles | 9.5 miles |
| Jul 30, 1976 | EF2 | 0.1 miles | 9.9 miles |
| May 21, 1974 | EF1 | 2.3 miles | 6.1 miles |
| Apr 20, 1968 | EF2 | 0.1 miles | 4.1 miles |
| Aug 1, 1967 | EF3 | 0.1 miles | 2.2 miles |
| Jul 10, 1966 | EF1 | 0.1 miles | 3.6 miles |
| Sep 2, 1963 | EF2 | 22.5 miles | 6.4 miles |
| Sep 2, 1963 | EF1 | 70.7 miles | 8.8 miles |
| Oct 9, 1958 | EF0 | 1 miles | 6.4 miles |
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center. Ratings before 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
No hurricane or tropical storm in NOAA's records brought modeled tropical-storm-force winds (39 mph) to Madison.
Modeled from NOAA’s best tracks for open, flat ground; not measurements. How we model hurricane winds
47 radar hail days within 15 miles since 2020, largest 2.75 in or more
Source: NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), from October 14, 2020. Estimates of the largest hail in each 1 km cell, not measurements.
24 days with radar hail 1 inch or larger, 2 at 2 inches or larger, within 15 miles of Madison’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 |
|---|---|
| Jul 2, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Jun 10, 2026 | 1.25 in or more |
| Apr 17, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 2.75 in or more |
| Aug 16, 2025 | 1.25 in or more |
| Jul 10, 2025 | 0.75 in or more |
Storms in Madison
The NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan office says the southern half of Wisconsin, which includes Madison, has more recorded hail events than the north, and that the peak season for severe thunderstorms is April to August.1
Notable storms
- April 14, 2026Storms dropped hail from egg to softball size over Dane County, NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan reports, including 4-inch hail east of Maple Bluff and 3.25-inch hail on Madison's east side. WMTV reported broken windows and windshields and dented cars on the east side.2,3,4,5
- June 13, 2022A storm dropped hail up to 2.25 inches at Sun Prairie, and NOAA's records note shingle, siding, gutter and vehicle damage along its path.6
- June 17, 2014Just after midnight, an EF3 tornado with winds near 140 mph struck Verona's northwest side, and minutes later an EF2 tornado with winds near 120 mph hit Madison's southwest side. NOAA's Storm Events Database lists $14 million in property damage in Verona, where at least 30 homes had major damage, and $5 million in Madison, where at least 23 homes were damaged.7,8,9
- April 3, 2011Evening storms dropped 2.75-inch hail in Middleton and 1.75-inch hail in Madison. NOAA's records describe extensive roof damage from golf-ball- to baseball-size hail in Madison's western suburbs, where some homes and businesses needed whole new roofs.10,11
- July 20, 2006Pre-dawn storms produced a measured 82 mph gust 4 miles northeast of Monona and knocked down hundreds of trees in the Madison area. Gusts estimated at 75 mph tore bricks off a building in downtown Madison.12,13
- April 13, 2006Hail up to 3 inches fell in Madison, Monona and Cottage Grove, in the storms NOAA's records describe as the most costly hailstorm to affect Wisconsin. NOAA's storm records list about $65.4 million in property damage in the area.14,15,16
Warnings and alerts
Warnings for Dane County come from the National Weather Service office in Milwaukee/Sullivan.17,18 Dane County Emergency Management's alert sign-up can send National Weather Service watches and warnings by text and email.19
Sources
- 1. NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan: Severe Weather Awareness - Severe Thunderstorms
- 2. NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan: 2026 Severe Weather Awareness Week In-Action (April 13-17, 2026 event review)
- 3. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Dane County, April 14, 2026 (east of Maple Bluff)
- 4. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Dane County, April 14, 2026 (Madison east side)
- 5. WMTV 15 News: Hail damages hundreds of cars, homes in Madison
- 6. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Dane County, June 13, 2022
- 7. NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan: Mid-June, 2014 Tornadoes
- 8. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Tornado, Dane County, June 16, 2014 (Verona)
- 9. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Tornado, Dane County, June 16, 2014 (Madison)
- 10. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Dane County, April 3, 2011 (Middleton)
- 11. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Dane County, April 3, 2011 (Madison)
- 12. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Dane County, July 20, 2006
- 13. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Dane County, July 20, 2006 (Madison)
- 14. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Dane County, April 13, 2006
- 15. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Dane County, April 13, 2006 (Monona)
- 16. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Dane County, April 13, 2006 (Cottage Grove)
- 17. NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan: NWS Forecast Office Milwaukee/Sullivan, WI
- 18. National Weather Service API: Point metadata, Madison, WI
- 19. Dane County Emergency Management: Sign Up for Emergency Alerts from Dane County
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Questions about hail in Madison
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
- How often does it hail in Madison?
- NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Madison on 3.4 days a year on average from 2016 to 2025, 2.8 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. Since 2010 it recorded 55 hail days.
- When is hail season in Madison?
- May has the most hail days within 15 miles of the center of Madison, 11 since 2010, then April (9) and June (9).
- What is the largest hail recorded in Madison?
- 4.0 in, in 2026: the largest hail NOAA recorded within 15 miles of the center of Madison since 2010.
- When did it last hail in Madison?
- NOAA's most recent hail report within 15 miles of the center of Madison is from April 14, 2026, with hail up to 4.0 in reported 0.5 miles from the center. Data through November 1, 2026.