Data current as of 2026-10-16 · Sourced from NOAA Storm Events
Over the past five years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has recorded 386 hail storms within 25 miles of Hinsdale, IL. Of those, 379 produced hail at least quarter-size — the threshold most insurance carriers consider potentially damaging to asphalt shingles. The largest reported hail in this window was baseball-sized or larger, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2026 was the most active year on record locally, with 194 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Hinsdale| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | 4 events | Baseball+ size, structural roof damage likely |
| Destructive | 39 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 96 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 240 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 7 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 194 events |
| 2025 | 34 events |
| 2024 | 57 events |
| 2023 | 91 events |
| 2022 | 10 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Hinsdale, with 194 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Hinsdale typically peaks in spring and early summer, when the jet stream pushes Gulf moisture into the area and supercell thunderstorms become more frequent.
| Date | Location | Severity | Size | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-09 | 2 W Naperville, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-08-09 | 1 N Naperville, IL | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-08-09 | 2 W Naperville, IL | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-08-09 | 3 W Naperville, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-07-28 | Oak Brook, IL | Destructive | 2.00" | Photo shared on social media showing a hailstone roughly two inches in diameter. |
| 2026-07-27 | 2 W Frankfort, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Public report of quarter size hail on the west side of Frankfort. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 NW Roselle, IL | Significant | 1.25" | Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.). |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 S Shorewood, IL | Severe | 1.50" | — |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 ENE Carol Stream, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Quarter size hail in Carol Stream. Location approximate. |
| 2026-07-27 | 3 W York Center, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | Downers Grove, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Photo shared on social media of golf ball size hail. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 SW York Center, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Relayed via mping. |
| 2026-07-27 | 4 SW Plainfield, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Reports of golf ball size hail near Caton Farm Road and County Line Road. Relayed via amateur radio. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 2 SW Crystal Lawns, IL | Significant | 1.25" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 2 N Shorewood, IL | Destructive | 2.25" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 E Glendale Heights, IL | Severe | 1.50" | Relayed via mping. |
| 2026-07-27 | 2 NW Lisle, IL | Severe | 1.50" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 S Hanover Park, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Public report of quarter size hail relayed via mping. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 W Medinah, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Relayed via mping. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 NE Tinley Park, IL | Severe | 1.75" | — |
NOAA has recorded 500 high-wind events within 25 miles of Hinsdale, IL in the past five years. Of those, 495 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 96 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Destructive | 1 event |
| Severe | 224 events |
| Significant | 270 events |
| Moderate | 4 events |
| Minor | 1 event |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-12 | 2 NNW Shorewood, IL | 64 | Severe | Measured wind gust of 64.2 mph on an Ambient weather station. The gusts appear well calibrated surrounding the period of time during the storm, and radar data supported wind gusts in excess of 60 mph. |
| 2026-08-11 | Frankfort, IL | 75 | Severe | Sustained winds estimated 55 mph with gusts in excess of 75 mph. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 NNW Shorewood, IL | 96 | Destructive | Private weather station. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 NW Plainfield, IL | 88 | Severe | Second personal weather station measured an 88 mph wind gust in Plainfield. |
| 2026-08-11 | 3 SE Batavia, IL | 89 | Severe | Private weather station: KILAUROR58. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 NW Plainfield, IL | 85 | Severe | — |
| 2026-08-11 | 1 ENE Oswego, IL | 65 | Severe | Private weather station: 0.9 SSE Oswego. |
| 2026-08-11 | NWS Chicago-Romeoville, IL | 58 | Significant | Peak wind gust of 58 mph measured by Davis weather station at NWS Chicago office. Severe gusts lasted for 5 to 10 minutes as the storm moved overhead. There are numerous small branches down in the vicinity of the office. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 NNW Warrenville, IL | 80 | Severe | A corridor of destructive winds impacted Warrenville and a portion of Lisle during the derecho on August 11. Extensive tree damage occurred in Blackwell Forest Preserve, Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, and Danada Forest Preserve with snapped and uprooted trees. In addition, extensive tree damage occurred throughout Warrenville including the snapping and uprooting of trees ranging in size from 1 to 3 feet in diameter. Several trees fell on homes causing structure damage, as well. Based on video footage and witness reports, the damage was most likely caused by straight line winds in excess of 80 mph on the southern side of a radar-indicated rotation path. Thank you to emergency management partners in Warrenville and DuPage County Forest Preserve for their help in this report. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 NW Plainfield, IL | 62 | Significant | Private weather station: 2.3 NW Plainfield. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 SSE Plainfield, IL | 80 | Severe | Received 1.59 inches of rain so far. Power out with tree and siding damage to homes. |
| 2026-08-11 | 1 SSE South Chicago, IL | 45 | Moderate | Calumet Harbor peak gust of 39 knots. |
| 2026-08-11 | 3 NE Navy Pier, IL | 60 | Significant | Mesonet station CHII2 Harrison-Dever Crib. Peak gust of 52.1 kt before data loss. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 N Lemont, IL | 70 | Severe | Peak wind gust of 70 mph measured by sonic anemometer at a height of 10m. |
| 2026-08-11 | 1 WNW Westmont, IL | 55 | Significant | Private weather station: KILDOWNE102. |
| 2026-08-11 | 1 W Oak Lawn, IL | 70 | Severe | — |
| 2026-08-11 | Oak Forest, IL | 57 | Significant | Private weather station: KILOAKFO13. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 E Mokena, IL | 91 | Severe | Near 195th and La Grange Road. |
| 2026-08-11 | 1 SSE South Barrington, IL | 81 | Severe | Private weather station. |
| 2026-07-27 | 2 N Lemont, IL | 78 | Severe | A 10m tower measured a peak wind gust of 77.6 mph. A 2 foot diameter willow tree was downed close by, as well. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Hinsdale was on August 9, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Hinsdale averages roughly 77 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 379 of the 386 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Hinsdale in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most Hinsdale-area hail falls in the marble-to-quarter range, with destructive storms (egg-size or larger) appearing roughly once every few years.
Most homeowners insurance policies in IL cover hail damage to roofs, siding, and gutters under the dwelling and other-structures coverage. Coverage typically requires the damage to be tied to a verifiable storm date — which is where the NOAA hail history above (and a HAAG-style test square validation) becomes important for the claim file.
Use the HailCheck address search to enter any street address in or near Hinsdale. HailCheck returns every NOAA hail event within a configurable radius, along with severity bands, dates, and storm narratives for Pro members.
If your property in or near Hinsdale took on hail during one of the storms above, the standard process for documenting damage is a 10×10 foot test square inspection. A HAAG-trained reviewer counts impact indicators — granule displacement, mat fractures, and bruising — within the marked square and produces a PASS or FAIL document for the claim file.
HailCheck offers a $99 photo-based HAAG-style test square validation. You submit photos from the field, our reviewer evaluates the impact indicators and cross-references the NOAA storm dates listed above, and a written PASS/FAIL determination is returned within one business day. We do not send anyone to the roof — the validation is built around the photos you submit.
Learn About $99 HAAG-Style ValidationHinsdale sits east of the traditional hail alley, where hail events are less frequent than the central plains but tend to be associated with strong squall lines and tropical systems. Local roof systems are less commonly hardened for hail, which can mean even moderate impacts produce claim-worthy damage.