HailHistoryHail by countyIllinois › Boone County

Illinois · county FIPS 17007

Hail history for Boone County, IL

Boone County has 65 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 49 of them 1″ or larger and 1 at 2″ or larger. The largest on record: 2.0″ (hen egg) on April 12, 2014.

Records 1950–present Data through April 2026 Peak month April
Core sample · every recorded event, 1955–2026
1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 1955 through 2026 largest · 2.0″ hen egg April 12, 2014

Mark size = measured hail diameter; slivers are events with no recorded size. Amber ≥2″, red ≥2.75″ (baseball class). Denser recent decades partly reflect better reporting, not only more storms.

Recorded events 65 since 1963
1″ or larger 49 NWS severe threshold
2″ or larger 1 hen egg class and up
Largest recorded 2.0 hen egg · April 12, 2014
Read the record honestly: Storm Events contains what was reported to the National Weather Service. Sparse or rural counties under-report, and coverage improved sharply after the mid-1990s — a quiet-looking stretch is not proof nothing fell.

When it hails in Boone County

Jan Feb 4 Mar 17 Apr 17 May 9 Jun 6 Jul 9 Aug 1 Sep 2 Oct Nov Dec

Recorded events by month, 1950–present. The amber bar marks Boone County's peak: April.

Most recent recorded events

Latest 8 of 65 recorded events · data through April 2026
DateSizeComparable to
1.0″ Quarter
1.25″ Half dollar
1.0″ Quarter
1.0″ Quarter
1.0″ Quarter
1.75″ Golf ball
1.5″ Ping-pong ball
1.0″ Quarter

Looking for a specific storm? Use the did-it-hail date lookup for Boone County.

From the storm reports

Narratives as filed with the NOAA Storm Events Database (public records; lightly trimmed for length).

· 1.0″ (quarter)

Multiple quarter size hail reports were received from Belvidere.

· 2.0″ (hen egg)

Hail to two inches in diameter was estimated on Route 76 near Poplar Grove Airport. Shopping centers in the area reported heavy damage from hail. A Walmart had 129 skylights damaged or broken while a ShopKo was also damaged by the hail.

· 1.75″ (golf ball)

Hail from marble size to golfball size was reported.

Events by decade

1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
01133152319

The climb across decades is largely a reporting story: spotter networks, radar, and digital filing pulled far more storms into the record after the 1990s.

Questions about hail in Boone County

Has it ever hailed in Boone County?

Yes — 65 hail events have been recorded for Boone County, IL in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1963, including 49 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.

When did it last hail in Boone County?

The most recent recorded hail event for Boone County, IL is April 15, 2026, with 1.0″ (quarter) hail. The database is currently updated through April 2026, so a storm from the last few weeks may not appear yet. To check a specific day, use the did-it-hail date lookup.

What is the largest hail ever recorded in Boone County?

2.0″ (hen egg), recorded on April 12, 2014. Hail that size meets or exceeds the National Weather Service severe threshold. See how big that really is on the actual-size hail chart.

Does a recorded hail event mean my roof was damaged?

No. This page reports storm records, not damage. Hail size and damage vary block by block within a county, and only an inspection can establish what happened to a specific roof. If you suspect damage, talk to your insurer or a licensed roofer — they can pull the same NOAA records for your claim.

More Illinois hail history

All 102 Illinois counties, ranked by recorded hail →

Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, public domain, updated monthly by NCEI — this site's copy runs through April 2026. HailHistory reports records; it does not give insurance advice or assess damage.