Hail history for Fairfield, Illinois
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Fairfield since 1979, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Fairfield
- Last hail
- May 11, 2016
- 1.75 in, golf ball size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 0
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 0 reports
- Largest ever
- 2.50 in
- tennis ball · Apr 19, 1996
17 reports on 16 days since 1979 · #149 of 378 Illinois places
Hail map · Fairfield
- 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 Fairfield is from May 11, 2016. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Fairfield
The latest hail report in and around Fairfield is from May 11, 2016, 1.75 in (golf ball size). There has been no hail report here in the five years since November 3, 2021.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Fairfield logged 9 reports on 9 hail days, about 0.5 reports a year. That is 10% less than the median Illinois town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #149 of 378 Illinois cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Fairfield accounts for 24% of the 72 reports filed in Wayne County.
6% 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 2.50 in (tennis ball) on April 19, 1996 near Fairfield.
Reports were down 71% in 2016–2025 (2) compared with 2006–2015 (7). The busiest year was 2006, with 3 reports on 3 days. Hail here peaks in April (29% of reports); 82% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Fairfield 0.5
- Wayne County 1.7
- Median Illinois town on this site 0.5
Hail days 2006–2025
- Fairfield 9
- Wayne County 27
- Median Illinois town on this site 8
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Fairfield 6%
- Wayne County 4%
- 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 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2017 | 0 |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 1996 | 2.50 intennis ball | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 20:35 local · NCEI |
| May 11, 2016 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Fairfield | Wayne | $80K | 14:26 local · NCEI |
| May 31, 1998 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 15:14 local · NCEI |
| May 1, 2010 | 1.50 inping pong ball | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 20:57 local · NCEI |
| Jun 20, 1979 | 1.50 inping pong ball | — | Wayne | — | 14:15 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 7 41%
- 1–2 in 9 53%
- 2 in + 1 6%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2016 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Fairfield | Wayne | $80K | 14:26 local · NCEI |
| Apr 21, 2016 | 0.75 inpenny | 2 E Fairfield | Wayne | — | 18:21 local · NCEI |
| May 20, 2012 | 1.10 inquarter | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 17:21 local · NCEI |
| May 4, 2012 | 1.00 inquarter | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 18:22 local · NCEI |
| May 1, 2010 | 1.50 inping pong ball | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 20:57 local · NCEI |
| Apr 3, 2007 | 0.75 inpenny | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 14:29 local · NCEI |
| Jun 22, 2006 | 0.75 inpenny | 3 S Fairfield | Wayne | — | 14:45 local · NCEI |
| Jun 3, 2006 | 1.00 inquarter | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 18:00 local · NCEI |
| Mar 11, 2006 | 0.88 innickel | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 05:36 local · NCEI |
| Jun 27, 2002 | 0.75 inpenny | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 15:52 local · NCEI |
| Apr 24, 2002 | 1.00 inquarter | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 14:51 local · NCEI |
| Aug 18, 2001 | 0.75 inpenny | Fairfield | Wayne | — | 19:30 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Fairfield
- Wayne City 19 km · 10
- Albion 27 km · 18
- Flora 33 km · 19
- Clay City 34 km · 11
- McLeansboro 35 km · 24
- Carmi 37 km · 19
- Xenia 37 km · 16
- Bellmont 40 km · 15
Questions about hail in Fairfield
How often does it hail in Fairfield, Illinois?
17 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Fairfield since 1979. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 0.5 reports a year. That ranks #149 of 378 Illinois places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Fairfield?
Most reports come in April, May, June. April alone accounts for 29% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Fairfield?
2.50 in (tennis ball size) on April 19, 1996 near Fairfield. 6% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Fairfield?
The most recent report in this data is from May 11, 2016 (1.75 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Fairfield had in the last five years?
None: there has been no hail report in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Fairfield since November 3, 2021. The last one was on May 11, 2016.
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.