Hail history for Athens, Illinois
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Athens since 1966, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Athens
- Last hail
- May 15, 2025
- 1.75 in, golf ball size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 3
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 6 reports
- Largest ever
- 2.00 in
- hen egg · Mar 21, 1966
20 reports on 14 days since 1966 · #112 of 378 Illinois places
Hail map · Athens
- Under 1 in
- 1–1.75 in
- 1.75–2.5 in
- 2.5–4 in
- 4 in +
- No size
For homeowners
Roof damage after hail? Get a free inspection
Hail bruises shingles and cracks seals in ways you can't see from the ground, and most insurers set a claim deadline after the storm. The latest hail report in Athens is from May 15, 2025. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
Phone line opening soon
What the record says about Athens
The latest hail report in and around Athens is from May 15, 2025, 1.75 in (golf ball size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 3 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.75 in on May 15, 2025.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Athens logged 17 reports on 11 hail days, about 0.8 reports a year. That is 70% more than the median Illinois town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #112 of 378 Illinois cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Athens accounts for 25% of the 81 reports filed in Menard County.
5% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 4% for the median Illinois town on this site. The largest hail on record here is 2.00 in (hen egg) on March 21, 1966.
Reports held about level in 2016–2025 (9) compared with 2006–2015 (8). The busiest year was 2025, with 4 reports on 2 days. Hail here peaks in May (45% of reports); 55% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Athens 0.8
- Menard County 2.2
- Median Illinois town on this site 0.5
Hail days 2006–2025
- Athens 11
- Menard County 30
- Median Illinois town on this site 8
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Athens 5%
- Menard County 5%
- Median Illinois town on this site 4%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 2024 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2022 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2017 | 0 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2025 | 3 | 1.75 in | — |
| Mar 14, 2025 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 2 | 0.75 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 21, 1966 | 2.00 inhen egg | — | Menard | 12:15 local · NCEI |
| May 15, 2025 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 2 N Athens | Menard | 17:29 local · NCEI |
| Mar 15, 2012 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.48 SSE Athens | Menard | 19:25 local · NCEI |
| May 15, 2009 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Athens | Menard | 16:28 local · NCEI |
| Apr 7, 1998 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Cantrall | Sangamon | 16:02 local · NCEI |
Sizes filed before 1996 are often rough estimates (round numbers like 7.00 or 8.00 in) without an exact spot; they are shown as NOAA filed them.
Size of every report
- Under 1 in 8 40%
- 1–2 in 11 55%
- 2 in + 1 5%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2025 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 2 N Athens | Menard | 17:29 local · NCEI |
| May 15, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.87 NE Athens | Menard | 17:27 local · NCEI |
| May 15, 2025 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 1.02 N Athens | Menard | 17:27 local · NCEI |
| Mar 14, 2025 | 0.75 inpenny | 0.7 NNE Athens | Menard | 21:20 local · NCEI |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 0.75 inpenny | Athens | Menard | 17:05 local · NCEI |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 0.75 inpenny | Athens | Menard | 17:04 local · NCEI |
| Jan 22, 2018 | 0.75 inpenny | 2.14 NNW Cantrall | Sangamon | 14:25 local · NCEI |
| Aug 25, 2016 | 0.88 innickel | Athens | Menard | 00:34 local · NCEI |
| May 11, 2016 | 0.88 innickel | 0.87 NE Athens | Menard | 12:40 local · NCEI |
| May 20, 2012 | 0.75 inpenny | Athens | Menard | 17:27 local · NCEI |
| Mar 15, 2012 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.48 SSE Athens | Menard | 19:25 local · NCEI |
| Mar 15, 2012 | 1.00 inquarter | 2 SW Athens | Menard | 19:06 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Athens
- Petersburg 12 km · 25
- Sherman 13 km · 20
- Greenview 14 km · 12
- Williamsville 15 km · 10
- Springfield 20 km · 108
- Elkhart 22 km · 10
- New Berlin 31 km · 12
- Chatham 32 km · 48
Questions about hail in Athens
How often does it hail in Athens, Illinois?
20 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Athens since 1966. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 0.8 reports a year. That ranks #112 of 378 Illinois places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Athens?
Most reports come in May, March, January. May alone accounts for 45% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Athens?
2.00 in (hen egg size) on March 21, 1966. 5% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Athens?
The most recent report in this data is from May 15, 2025 (1.75 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Athens had in the last five years?
3 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 6 reports. The most recent was May 15, 2025.
Where does this hail data come from?
Hail reports come from the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, which the National Weather Service compiles from spotter, public, law enforcement and media reports. Recent days use preliminary NWS Local Storm Reports via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet until NOAA publishes final data. Only reported hail is counted, so areas with fewer people tend to have fewer reports.