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 121 hail storms within 25 miles of Loves Park, IL. Of those, 113 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 egg-sized, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2026 was the most active year on record locally, with 71 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Loves Park| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Destructive | 15 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 33 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 65 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 8 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 71 events |
| 2025 | 15 events |
| 2024 | 11 events |
| 2023 | 15 events |
| 2022 | 9 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Loves Park, with 71 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Loves Park 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-21 | 2 N Machesney Park, IL | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-08-21 | 1 N Machesney Park, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Photo shared to email service account showing hailstones ranging in size between dime to quarter -- 0.5 to 1.0 inch -- in diameter. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-06-24 | BYRON, IL | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-06-24 | 2 NNE Byron, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail near Byron. Relayed via amateur radio. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-04-17 | Winneshiek, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Report from mPING: Golf Ball (1.75 in.). |
| 2026-04-17 | DAKOTA, IL | Destructive | 2.75" | Relayed by Chicago NWS Office, with a photo of baseball size hail. |
| 2026-04-17 | DAKOTA, IL | Severe | 1.75" | — |
| 2026-04-17 | 1 N Dakota, IL | Severe | 1.75" | — |
| 2026-04-17 | Dakota, IL | Destructive | 2.75" | report from LOT on Dakota storm.. they received a photo of baseball size hail.. |
| 2026-04-17 | WINNESHIEK, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Report received from Mping. |
| 2026-04-17 | Winneshiek, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-04-17 | WINNESHIEK, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Report received from Mping. |
| 2026-04-17 | DURAND, IL | Destructive | 2.25" | A few hail reports came from south of Durand ranging in size from 1.25 to 2.25 inches in diameter. |
| 2026-04-17 | ROCKTON, IL | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-04-17 | ROCK GROVE, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Report received from Mping. |
| 2026-04-17 | 4 NE Durand, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-04-17 | 2 NNW Pecatonica, IL | Destructive | 2.00" | Photo shows hail estimated as approximately 2 inches in diameter near Pecatonica. Location estimated, relayed by broadcast media. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-04-17 | 2 NE Lake Summerset, IL | Destructive | 2.25" | Time estimated by radar. Relayed via mping. |
| 2026-04-17 | South Beloit, IL | Severe | 1.50" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-04-17 | South Beloit, IL | Significant | 1.25" | Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.). |
NOAA has recorded 188 high-wind events within 25 miles of Loves Park, IL in the past five years. Of those, 188 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 85 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 78 events |
| Significant | 110 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | 3 NNW Marengo, IL | 53 | Significant | Personal weather station measured a wind gust of 53.2 mph. |
| 2026-06-28 | 3 N Poplar Grove, IL | 51 | Significant | Personal weather station measured a wind gust of 51 mph. |
| 2026-06-28 | 3 NNW Marengo, IL | 60 | Significant | Personal weather station measured a wind gust of 60.4 mph. |
| 2026-06-11 | 4 NE Winnebago, IL | 62 | Significant | Peak gust measured on personal weather station. |
| 2026-06-11 | WEMPLETON, IL | 62 | Significant | A personal weather station measured a wind gust to 62 mph. |
| 2026-06-11 | BELVIDERE, IL | 63 | Significant | Two trees 1 to 2 feet in diameter were blown down at a high school. |
| 2026-06-11 | ESMOND, IL | 58 | Significant | Power lines were blown down near Mowers Road and Esmond Road. |
| 2026-06-11 | BELVIDERE, IL | 58 | Significant | A photo showed a large tree limb blocking part of Shaw Road between State Street and Newburg Road. |
| 2026-06-10 | LAKE SUMMERSET, IL | 60 | Significant | Large tree limbs were downed over powerlines. Picture sent via social media. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-06-10 | BELVIDERE, IL | 58 | Significant | A three inch diameter tree limb was blown down. |
| 2026-06-10 | 2 S Poplar Grove, IL | 58 | Significant | Personal weather station measured as the line of storms moved through. |
| 2026-06-10 | POPLAR GROVE AIRPORT, IL | 58 | Significant | A personal weather station measured a wind gust to 58 mph. |
| 2026-06-10 | 6 N Shirland, WI | 85 | Severe | 85 MPH wind gust estimated from home instrumentation. |
| 2026-06-10 | NEWARK, WI | 85 | Severe | Trained spotter estimates 85 MPH wind gusts from observations and home weather station. |
| 2026-04-27 | 1 SE Winnebago, IL | 52 | Significant | Private weather station KILWINNE5 reported 52 mph gust. |
| 2026-04-27 | 5 ENE Herbert, IL | 52 | Significant | Illinois DOT weather station on Harmony Road southwest of Marengo reported 52 mph gust. |
| 2026-04-27 | 4 NW Harvard, IL | 55 | Significant | Illinois DOT station on Lawrence Road northwest of Lawrence reported 55 mph gust. |
| 2026-04-18 | Rockford Airport, IL | 62 | Significant | Rockford ASOS KRFD gusted 62 mph. |
| 2026-04-18 | 4 S Garden Prairie, IL | 61 | Significant | Private weather station KILGARDE2 recorded 61 mph gust. |
| 2026-04-18 | 5 ENE Herbert, IL | 76 | Severe | IL DOT station on Harmony Road west of Riley recorded 76 mph wind gust. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Loves Park was on August 21, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Loves Park averages roughly 24 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 113 of the 121 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Loves Park in the last five years was egg-sized. Most Loves Park-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 Loves Park. 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 Loves Park 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 ValidationLoves Park 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.