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 107 hail storms within 25 miles of La Crosse, WI. Of those, 84 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 37 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in La Crosse| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | 3 events | Baseball+ size, structural roof damage likely |
| Destructive | 15 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 17 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 49 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 21 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Minor | 2 events | Pea-size, unlikely to damage modern shingles |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 37 events |
| 2025 | 8 events |
| 2024 | 14 events |
| 2023 | 25 events |
| 2022 | 21 events |
| 2021 | 2 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for La Crosse, with 37 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in La Crosse 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-02 | 6 ENE Pickwick, MN | Severe | 1.50" | Multiple reports of 1 to 1.5 inch hail sizes. Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-08-18 | 1 WNW Onalaska, WI | Significant | 1.25" | — |
| 2026-08-18 | 1 NE Onalaska, WI | Significant | 1.00" | Report by trained spotter with photo of 1 inch hail. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-08-18 | 2 S Holmen, WI | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-06-24 | STODDARD, WI | Moderate | 0.88" | Emergency management reported nickel sized hail 3 miles east-southeast of Stoddard. |
| 2026-06-24 | 3 E Stoddard, WI | Moderate | 0.88" | — |
| 2026-06-10 | NEW AMSTERDAM, WI | Severe | 1.50" | A trained spotter reported ping pong ball sized hail 1 mile east of New Amsterdam. |
| 2026-06-10 | Brice Prairie, WI | Significant | 1.00" | Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-06-10 | LYTLE, WI | Significant | 1.00" | The public reported quarter sized hail 2 miles east-southeast of Lytle. |
| 2026-06-10 | MIDWAY, WI | Significant | 1.00" | The public reported quarter sized hail near Midway. The report was relayed via mPING. |
| 2026-06-10 | 1 ESE New Amsterdam, WI | Severe | 1.50" | — |
| 2026-06-10 | 1 S Holmen, WI | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-06-10 | LAMOILLE, MN | Moderate | 0.88" | Emergency management reported nickle sized hail 1 mile northwest of Lamoille. |
| 2026-06-10 | 5 ENE Pickwick, MN | Moderate | 0.88" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | 1 WSW West Salem, WI | Minor | 0.25" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | 1 WSW West Salem, WI | Minor | 0.25" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | 1 SSW Onalaska, WI | Significant | 1.00" | Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-06-05 | ONALASKA, WI | Significant | 1.00" | The public reported quarter sized hail near Onalaska. |
| 2026-04-14 | ROMANCE, WI | Significant | 1.00" | A trained spotter reported quarter sized 3 miles north of Romance. |
| 2026-04-14 | COON VLY, WI | Significant | 1.25" | The public reported half dollar sized hail in Coon Valley. |
NOAA has recorded 78 high-wind events within 25 miles of La Crosse, WI in the past five years. Of those, 77 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 81 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 33 events |
| Significant | 44 events |
| Moderate | 1 event |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-02 | 1 S Holmen, WI | 57 | Significant | — |
| 2026-09-02 | 2 NE New Amsterdam, WI | 67 | Severe | — |
| 2026-08-18 | 2 NNE French Island, WI | 67 | Severe | ASOS station KLSE La Crosse Regional Airport. |
| 2026-06-24 | BUD, WI | 58 | Significant | State officials reported a tree down at Lake Rd and Sidie Hollow Rd, one mile southeast of Bud. |
| 2026-06-11 | Mound Prairie, MN | 40 | Moderate | — |
| 2026-06-10 | ONALASKA, WI | 58 | Significant | The public reported large tree branches of 2 to 3 inches in diameter down in Onalaska. |
| 2026-06-10 | CENTERVILLE, WI | 58 | Significant | The public reported an outdoor animal cage damaged in Centerville. The report was relayed via social media. |
| 2026-04-23 | SPARTA, WI | 52 | Significant | A trained spotter reported a few outbuildings blown down which included a barn that had already sustained damage prior to storms moving through. |
| 2025-08-09 | WESTBY, WI | 58 | Significant | Law enforcement reported trees down near Westby. |
| 2025-07-28 | HOUSTON, MN | 69 | Severe | The public reported numerous trees down 1 mile east-southeast of Houston. |
| 2025-07-28 | HERRINGTON, WI | 63 | Significant | An NWS Employee reported a large tree and some smaller trees down across Bliss Road 2 miles east-southeast of La Crosse. |
| 2025-07-28 | STODDARD, WI | 58 | Significant | A National Weather Service employee reported a large portion of mature maple tree downed. |
| 2025-07-28 | WEST LA CROSSE, WI | 58 | Significant | The public reported a large maple tree downed in the city of La Crosse. |
| 2025-07-28 | (LSE)LA CROSSE MUNI, WI | 66 | Severe | The ASOS station KLSE at La Crosse Regional Airport observed a 66 mph wind gust. |
| 2025-07-28 | WESTBY, WI | 52 | Significant | The public reported a downed tree limb near Westby. |
| 2025-07-28 | TREMPEALEAU, WI | 63 | Significant | A National Weather Service Employee reported numerous trees down in Perrot State Park. |
| 2025-06-25 | HOKAH, MN | 69 | Severe | Amateur radio groups reported a utility pole down on main street in Hokah near the post office. |
| 2024-07-13 | (LSE)LA CROSSE MUNI, WI | 66 | Severe | The ASOS at La Crosse Regional Airport observed a 63 mph wind gust. |
| 2024-07-13 | ONALASKA, WI | 69 | Severe | Amateur radio groups reported numerous trees and power lines down in Onalaska. |
| 2024-07-13 | ONALASKA, WI | 69 | Severe | The public reported downed trees and power outages in Onalaska. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of La Crosse was on September 2, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
La Crosse averages roughly 21 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 84 of the 107 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near La Crosse in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most La Crosse-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 WI 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 La Crosse. 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 La Crosse 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 ValidationLa Crosse 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.