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 157 hail storms within 25 miles of Park Forest, IL. Of those, 152 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 87 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Park Forest| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | 3 events | Baseball+ size, structural roof damage likely |
| Destructive | 10 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 29 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 110 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 5 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 87 events |
| 2025 | 8 events |
| 2024 | 50 events |
| 2023 | 10 events |
| 2022 | 2 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Park Forest, with 87 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Park Forest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-11 | Cedar Lake, IN | Moderate | 0.88" | — |
| 2026-08-11 | 1 S Crown Point, IN | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-07-27 | Park Forest, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Pea to Quarter sized hail. |
| 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 NE Tinley Park, IL | Severe | 1.75" | — |
| 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 | 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 | 2 NE Mokena, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | Oak Forest, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Also estimated 60 mph winds. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 W Midlothian, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | Darien, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 WSW Willowbrook, IL | Significant | 1.25" | Photo shared to social media shows half dollar size hail near 67th Street and Clarendon Hills Road. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 W Oak Forest, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Relayed via mping. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 SSW Merrionette Park, IL | Significant | 1.00" | Photo of hail in Alsip. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 ENE Willowbrook, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Golf ball size hail near 63rd Street and County Line Road. Relayed via amateur radio. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 3 NW Homer Glen, IL | Significant | 1.25" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 E Greater Grand Cross, IL | Severe | 1.50" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 NW Countryside, IL | Significant | 1.25" | Public report of hail up to half dollar size near 55th Street and Willow Springs Road. Most hail stones nickel size. |
| 2026-07-27 | 2 SE Lemont, IL | Severe | 1.75" | Relayed via mping. Time estimated by radar. |
NOAA has recorded 500 high-wind events within 25 miles of Park Forest, IL in the past five years. Of those, 498 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 99 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Destructive | 1 event |
| Severe | 254 events |
| Significant | 243 events |
| Moderate | 1 event |
| Minor | 1 event |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-12 | 3 NE Bradley, IL | 60 | Significant | Personal weather station measured a wind gust of 60 mph. |
| 2026-08-11 | Peotone, IL | 87 | Severe | Peak wind gust of 87 mph. Secondary sensor reported a wind gust of 78 mph prior to power loss. Widespread tree damage reported as well. |
| 2026-08-11 | Frankfort, IL | 75 | Severe | Sustained winds estimated 55 mph with gusts in excess of 75 mph. |
| 2026-08-11 | 1 N Beecher, IL | 54 | Significant | Private weather station. |
| 2026-08-11 | 3 NE Bradley, IL | 91 | Severe | Private weather station. |
| 2026-08-11 | 1 NNW Crown Point, IN | 70 | Severe | Private weather station. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 NE Cedar Lake, IN | 73 | Severe | Private weather station: KINCEDAR5. |
| 2026-08-11 | St. John, IN | 80 | Severe | — |
| 2026-08-11 | 1 ESE St. John, IN | 72 | Severe | Private weather station: KINSAINT. |
| 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 | 1 SSE South Chicago, IL | 45 | Moderate | Calumet Harbor peak gust of 39 knots. |
| 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 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 | Gary Airport, IN | 99 | Destructive | Peak gust of 86 kt or 99 mph measured at Gary Airport Tower. |
| 2026-08-11 | Munster, IN | 76 | 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 | Midway Airport, IL | 74 | Severe | — |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 NNE Homer Glen, IL | 60 | Significant | Private weather station KILHOMER4 reported 60 mph gust. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Park Forest was on August 11, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Park Forest averages roughly 31 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 152 of the 157 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Park Forest in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most Park Forest-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 Park Forest. 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 Park Forest 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 ValidationPark Forest 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.