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 211 hail storms within 25 miles of Lincoln Square, IL. Of those, 211 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 106 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Lincoln Square| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | 1 event | Baseball+ size, structural roof damage likely |
| Destructive | 18 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 53 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 139 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 106 events |
| 2025 | 15 events |
| 2024 | 32 events |
| 2023 | 53 events |
| 2022 | 5 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Lincoln Square, with 106 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Lincoln Square 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-10 | Vernon Hills, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Trained spotter reports quarter size hail ongoing in Vernon Hills. |
| 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 | 1 NW Roselle, IL | Significant | 1.25" | Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.). |
| 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 | 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 NNE Indian Head Park, IL | Significant | 1.25" | Photo shared on social media of quarter to half dollar size hail in La Grange Highlands. |
| 2026-07-27 | Oak Brook, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Public report of golf ball size hail in Oak Brook. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | Clarendon Hills, IL | Destructive | 2.00" | Trained spotter reported 2 inch diameter hail in Clarendon Hills. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 SW Evergreen Park, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 NW Oak Lawn, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | Oak Brook, IL | Destructive | 2.00" | Photo shared on social media showing a hailstone roughly two inches in diameter. |
| 2026-07-27 | Elmhurst, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 WNW Westmont, IL | Destructive | 2.50" | — |
| 2026-07-27 | Hinsdale, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Public report of golf ball size hail in Hinsdale. Relayed via social media. Time estimated by radar. |
NOAA has recorded 500 high-wind events within 25 miles of Lincoln Square, IL in the past five years. Of those, 497 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 86 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 212 events |
| Significant | 285 events |
| Moderate | 3 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 NE Bensenville, IL | 62 | Significant | ASOS site ORD Chicago Ohare Airport reported 62 mph peak gust. |
| 2026-07-27 | Midway Airport, IL | 74 | Severe | — |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 N Oakbrook Terrace, IL | 72 | Severe | — |
| 2026-07-27 | Lakeview - Chicago, IL | 62 | Significant | Private weather station KILCHICA1037 reported 62 mph gust. |
| 2026-07-27 | 3.0 SW Midway Airport, IL | 74 | Severe | Also observed nickel sized hail and 2.83 inches of rainfall. |
| 2026-07-27 | Lakeview - Chicago, IL | 63 | Significant | Private weather station KILCHICA1231 reported 63 mph gust. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 S Palos Park, IL | 66 | Severe | Private weather station KILPALOS2 reported 66 mph gust. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 NNW Oak Forest, IL | 68 | Severe | Private weather station KILOAKFO13 reported 68 mph gust. Last observation prior to power outage. |
| 2026-07-27 | North Park - Chicago, IL | 59 | Significant | Private weather station KILCHICA929 reported 59 mph gust. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 SSE South Barrington, IL | 55 | Significant | Private weather station KILHOFFM60 reported 55 mph gust. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 SSE Lake Bluff, IL | 55 | Significant | Private weather station reported 55 mph gust near Lake Forest Cemetery. |
| 2026-07-04 | Westchester, IL | 60 | Significant | Measured at PWS WESTC57. |
| 2026-07-03 | 1 NE Montrose Harbor, IL | 57 | Significant | Mesonet station XMTB Montrose Beach Light. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Lincoln Square was on August 10, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Lincoln Square averages roughly 42 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 211 of the 211 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Lincoln Square in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most Lincoln Square-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 Lincoln Square. 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 Lincoln Square 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 ValidationLincoln Square 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.