Hail history for Shelby County, Illinois
Every NOAA hail report filed in Shelby County since 1958, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Shelby County
- Last hail
- May 3, 2026
- 0.75 in, penny size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 7
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 9 reports
- Largest ever
- 4.50 in
- softball · Apr 10, 2001
66 reports on 54 days since 1958 · #71 of 103 Illinois counties
Hail map · Shelby County
- 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 Shelby County is from May 3, 2026. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Shelby County
The latest hail report in Shelby County is from May 3, 2026, 0.75 in (penny size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 7 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.50 in on March 26, 2026.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Shelby County logged 32 reports on 23 hail days, about 1.6 reports a year. That is 38% less than the median Illinois county (2.6 a year) and ranks #71 of 103 Illinois counties for all-time reports. Shelby County holds 1% of all 12,418 hail reports in Illinois.
2% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 5% for the median Illinois county. The largest hail on record here is 4.50 in (softball) on April 10, 2001 near Cowden.
Reports were down 67% in 2016–2025 (8) compared with 2006–2015 (24). The busiest year was 2011, with 8 reports on 3 days. Hail here peaks in May (36% of reports); 62% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Shelby County 1.6
- Median Illinois county 2.6
Hail days 2006–2025
- Shelby County 23
- Median Illinois county 34
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Shelby County 2%
- Median Illinois county 5%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2019 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2017 | 1 | 1 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 2026 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Mar 26, 2026 | 1 | 1.50 in | — |
| Mar 22, 2026 | 2 | 1.25 in | — |
| Sep 20, 2025 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| May 16, 2025 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Mar 19, 2025 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Mar 14, 2024 | 2 | 1.25 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2001 | 4.50 insoftball | Cowden | — | 06:52 local · NCEI |
| Feb 28, 2017 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Shelbyville | $800K | 18:45 local · NCEI |
| May 28, 2003 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Moweaqua | — | 15:46 local · NCEI |
| May 1, 2002 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Tower Hill | — | 15:00 local · NCEI |
| Jun 12, 1998 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Shelbyville | $200 | 17:43 local · NCEI |
Size of every report
- Under 1 in 27 41%
- 1–2 in 38 58%
- 2 in + 1 2%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 2026 | 0.75 inpenny | 0.87 SW Shelbyville | — | 22:17 local · NCEI |
| Mar 26, 2026 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 0.69 N Moweaqua | — | 19:32 local · NCEI |
| Mar 22, 2026 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 1.48 SSE Duvall | — | 18:13 local · NCEI |
| Mar 22, 2026 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 2.97 SE Findlay | — | 18:11 local · NCEI |
| Sep 20, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.75 SE Oconee | — | 14:49 local · NCEI |
| May 16, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.69 N Sigel | — | 16:49 local · NCEI |
| Mar 19, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.96 SSW Shelby Co Arpt | — | 15:10 local · NCEI |
| Mar 14, 2024 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.38 N Windsor | — | 17:14 local · NCEI |
| Mar 14, 2024 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | Oconee | — | 16:55 local · NCEI |
| May 2, 2020 | 1.00 inquarter | 2 S Shelbyville | — | 21:52 local · NCEI |
| Aug 2, 2018 | 1.00 inquarter | 3 W Shelbyville | — | 16:38 local · NCEI |
| Feb 28, 2017 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Shelbyville | $800K | 18:45 local · NCEI |
Cities and towns in Shelby County
| Place | Reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|
| Shelbyville | 15 | 1.75 in |
Smaller places with fewer than 10 reports
These places have too few reports for a page of their own, so their record lives here.
| Place | Reports | Hail days | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moweaqua | 9 | 9 | Mar 26, 2026 |
| Cowden | 7 | 7 | Apr 9, 2015 |
| Findlay | 6 | 6 | Mar 22, 2026 |
| Oconee | 6 | 6 | Sep 20, 2025 |
| Tower Hill | 4 | 4 | May 28, 2011 |
| Windsor | 4 | 4 | Mar 14, 2024 |
| Lakewood | 3 | 3 | Mar 19, 2025 |
| Stewardson | 3 | 3 | May 25, 2011 |
| Gays | 2 | 2 | Apr 26, 2016 |
| Herrick | 2 | 2 | Apr 19, 2011 |
| Westervelt | 2 | 2 | May 5, 1999 |
| Strasburg | 1 | 1 | May 14, 1979 |
Questions about hail in Shelby County
How often does it hail in Shelby County, Illinois?
66 hail reports have been logged in Shelby County since 1958. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 1.6 reports a year. That ranks #71 of 103 Illinois counties by number of reports.
When is hail season in Shelby County?
Most reports come in May, March, April. May alone accounts for 36% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Shelby County?
4.50 in (softball size) on April 10, 2001 near Cowden. 2% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Shelby County?
The most recent report in this data is from May 3, 2026 (0.75 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Shelby County had in the last five years?
7 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 9 reports. The most recent was May 3, 2026.
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.