Joliet hail storm history
Will County·NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database·~75-day publication lag
Joliet, located in Will County, has experienced 3 documented hail events of 1 inch or larger over the past 10 years, averaging 0.3 events annually. The city sits in the Chicago metropolitan area, where the western and southern suburbs face greater hail risk than lakeside communities, though Lake Michigan's moderating influence reduces the overall frequency of severe hailstorms in this region.
Hail risk in Joliet peaks during April, May, and June, when atmospheric conditions favor thunderstorm development across the Chicago metro area. March and July represent secondary risk months. The lake-breeze boundary that forms from Lake Michigan's thermal influence can locally enhance storm intensity in western and southern suburbs like Joliet during the spring and early summer months.
Annual frequency — last 10 years
When hail hits — monthly pattern
Avg events per month · all years · NOAA data
All recorded hail events
Of 147 recorded events, 28 (19%) reached 1.5" or larger — the threshold for likely functional damage on standard asphalt shingles.
A photo showed hail 1 to 1.25 inches in diameter.
Quarter size hail was reported along with several other reports of penny size hail.
Quarter size hail was reported near University Parkway and Monee Road.
A photo shared on social media showed mostly quarter size hail with the largest hail stones approxim…
Quarter size hail was reported along Caton Farm Road near and west of Route 59.
An NWS employee observed 1 hail in Lockport.
Hail fell for almost ten minutes with the largest hail roughly quarter size.
A trained spotter reported hail with multiple hailstones being at least one inch in diameter. Time w…
Photos shared on social media showed quarter size hail near 9000 North Road and 3500 West Road, west…
Quarter size hail was reported at Joliet Junior College.
A report of quarter size hail was received from mPING.
Several reports of quarter size hail were received out of Romeoville. Time was estimated by radar.
Several reports of nickel to quarter size hail were received from the south side of Naperville.
Golf ball size hail was reported near Interstate 80 and Lisbon Road.
Wind blown hail up to 2 inches in diameter lasted for 5 minutes and shattered a wind shield along Sa…
Tennis ball size hail was reported on 11000 E just north of 9000 N.
Large hail to the size of golf balls fell for several minutes over much of Peotone causing damage to…
Quarter size hail was reported near Caton Farm and County Line Roads.
Hail was estimated between 1 and 1.5 inch diameter.
Dime to nickel size hail was reported 4 miles north of Plainfield.
Screens on a home were shredded and there was also damage to the siding of a home.
Half dollar size hail was reported near Lily Cache Road.
Winds of 40 mph also reported.
Will County's NOAA Storm Events Database contains a limited sample of 3 hail events ≥1 inch since 2015, reflecting both the actual lower frequency of significant hail in this area and the inherent sparseness of NOAA's trained spotter network outside major metro centers. The largest recorded event—1.25 inches on September 21, 2025—fell at the marginal damage threshold and would likely cause granule loss on aging asphalt shingles but not structural damage to roofs in good condition. Current-year data is excluded from the annual frequency table until October, when NOAA's Storm Events Database has processed the full hail season accounting for the standard 75-day reporting lag.
NOAA Storm Events Database source