Hail in Lee County, IL
Hail turns up in Lee County on a regular basis. NOAA radar has confirmed 12 hail events of 1 inch or larger in Lee County since 2025, the largest 2″ (hen egg) on July 10, 2025. The most recent confirmed hail was August 21, 2026.
Did hail hit your exact address?
This page covers the whole area. Enter your address to see what NOAA radar detected over your specific roof - free, in seconds.
About Lee County, IL
Lee County lies in the rolling farmland of north-central Illinois, drained by the Rock and Green rivers west of the Chicago metro. Hail tends to come in the warm months, when humid air and passing fronts build thunderstorms that can occasionally produce large stones near golf ball size. Radar duty falls to Chicago (KLOT), roughly 64 miles to the east, distant enough that it tracks storm tops better than what is unfolding close to the surface.
The hail record for Lee County, IL
Hail is a recurring threat in Lee County, with 12 confirmed events on record since 2025.
This year has run hot: 7 confirmed events in 2026 already, ahead of the recent pace.
Most confirmed hail in Lee County falls between spring and early summer, with July the busiest month.
Common questions
How often does it hail in Lee County?
NOAA radar has confirmed 12 severe hail events (1 inch or larger) in the Lee County area since 2025.
When is hail season in Lee County?
Lee County sees hail from spring into early summer, most often in July.
What's the largest hail recorded in Lee County?
Radar confirmed 2-inch hail, about hen egg size, on July 10, 2025.
Does homeowner's insurance cover hail damage?
Hail is a covered peril under most standard homeowner's policies (typically HO-3), subject to your deductible. Whether you have replacement-cost or actual-cash-value coverage makes a big difference in what's paid out. Your declarations page will say which.
How do I know if my roof was damaged by hail?
Common signs are granules collecting in gutters and downspouts, bruised or cracked shingles, and dents on soft metals like vents, flashing, and gutter tops. A lot of hail damage isn't visible from the ground, so a professional inspection is the reliable check.
Is hail getting worse in Lee County?
Nationally, the research on long-term hail trends is mixed. Better radar coverage since the 1990s makes real increases hard to separate from improved detection. In Lee County, 7 confirmed events have been recorded in 2026 so far, but the tracked record is still short, so it isn't evidence of a lasting trend.
Hail just hit, what should I do?
Safely photograph any hail and note the time, then confirm what radar recorded at your address before calling your insurer. Most policies require prompt notice after a hail event, and deadlines vary by policy and state, so don't wait to document it.
Recent confirmed hail near Lee County, IL
What this means for your home
If you were just hit
With recent hail in Lee County, you're still in the window to document and report it. Photograph any damage, note the storm date, confirm what radar detected at your address, and review your policy's reporting requirements. Deadlines vary.
Damage can be invisible from the ground
At Lee County's typical sizes, hail often bruises shingles and loosens granules without obvious holes, shortening roof life in ways that are easy to miss until the next storm or an inspection.
Document before you repair
If you suspect hail damage, photograph it and note the storm's date before making any repairs. Undocumented or already-fixed damage is much harder to claim later.
Replacement cost vs. actual cash value
An RCV policy pays to replace your roof at today's prices; an ACV policy subtracts depreciation for the roof's age, which can mean a much smaller check on an older roof. Knowing which you carry shapes what a hail claim is actually worth.
Know your hail deductible
Many policies in hail-prone states use a percentage deductible, often 1–2% of the home's insured value rather than a flat dollar amount. On a $400,000 home that can be $4,000–$8,000 out of pocket before coverage starts, so it's worth checking your declarations page before a storm.
Get more than one estimate
After a damaging storm, reputable local roofers get busy and out-of-town crews flood in. Get multiple written estimates and verify licensing and local references before signing anything.
Before you call your insurer
Get the radar evidence for your address.
A NOAA Radar Evidence Report documents exactly what federal radar recorded at your address - hail size, date, and signature - in a formatted PDF you can attach to a claim. Built entirely from public NOAA data.
Events are NOAA/NWS Severe Thunderstorm Warnings with confirmed hail ≥ 1 inch, matched to this county by the warning centroid. Federal public-domain data. A confirmed event indicates radar-detected hail over the area, not a guarantee of damage to any specific property.