How big was the hail on May 4, 2026?

The maximum estimated stone size anywhere in Illinois that day was 1.00 inches. Sizes vary street to street inside a single swath, so a city's figure is the largest radar estimated anywhere within about 5 miles of it.

Does this mean roofs were damaged?

Radar measures stone size, not damage. Whether a particular roof was damaged depends on stone size, wind direction, roof age and material — only an inspection settles it. These figures tell you where it is worth looking.

How do I see the actual swath on a map?

A HailMate plan puts the whole of Illinois on a real interactive map with this swath and three years of others already on it. $79/mo, and the canvassing tools come with it.

Illinois · May 4, 2026

Illinois hail map — May 4, 2026

Name: Illinois hail map — May 4, 2026
Creator: HailMate

NOAA radar detected hail of an inch or more over 3 Illinois cities on May 4, 2026. The largest stones — 1.00″, quarter size — fell over Belleville.

Hail swath map for Belleville, IL on May 4, 2026 showing 1.00 inch hail. — Swath over Belleville on May 4, 2026 — 1.00″ hail. Each city below has its own map for this storm.

Cities hit: 3; in Illinois
Largest stone: 1.00″; quarter size
Impact rating: 3/10; from stone size

Sizes come from NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), which runs about ±0.25″ against ground truth. It is canvass-targeting quality, not claim evidence.

Roofing contractors

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HailMate's canvassing map: hail swaths colour-banded by stone size, from yellow through red to purple, laid over a satellite view of a Texas territory, with hail swath and territory controls.

All of Illinois at street level, with this storm already on it
Three years of hail swaths, filterable by stone size
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Homeowners

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This page covers Illinois as a whole. Check your own address to see every storm on record for your roof — the date and the stone size for each one — and we'll email you the full report to keep.

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Illinois cities hit on May 4, 2026

Belleville, IL1.00″ · quarter Upper Alton, IL1.00″ · quarter Alton, IL1.00″ · quarter

What people on the ground measured in Illinois on May 4, 2026

12 reports filed with the National Weather Service — 5 from trained spotters or officials. These are measured stones, not radar estimates, so they are the closest thing to proof that hail actually reached the ground.

2.00″ hen egg size Public
Livingston, IL6:39 PM CDTMadison County
1.75″ golf ball size Public
2 E Worden, IL6:33 PM CDTMadison County
1.75″ golf ball size Trained Spotter
1 NW Greenville, IL7:10 PM CDTBond County
1.50″ half dollar size Trained Spotter
2 W Worden, IL6:21 PM CDTMadison County
1.50″ half dollar size Trained Spotter
New Douglas, IL6:44 PM CDTMadison County
1.50″ half dollar size Public
Bible Grove, IL8:57 PM CDTClay County
Relayed by Broadcast Media.
1.25″ half dollar size Public
4 SSE Hord, IL8:52 PM CDTClay County
Via Broadcast Media.
1.25″ half dollar size Emergency Mngr
4 SW Emden, IL10:33 PM CDTLogan County
1.00″ quarter size Public
1 NE Prairietown, IL6:23 PM CDTMadison County
Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).
1.00″ quarter size Public
2 SE Old Ripley, IL6:55 PM CDTBond County
Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).
1.00″ quarter size Public
Lovington, IL8:25 PM CDTMoultrie County
Via Broadcast Media.
1.00″ quarter size Emergency Mngr
2 SSW Hord, IL8:43 PM CDTClay County

Showing the 12 largest of 42 hail reports filed that day.

Reports come from the National Weather Service Local Storm Report feed, ingested every 15 minutes. A report records where the observer was, not the full extent of the swath — treat it as evidence about the storm, not about any one roof.

Other states hit on May 4, 2026

New York3 cities · 1.50″Florida2 cities · 1.00″

The full US hail map for May 4, 2026 →

Other Illinois hail days

August 13, 20263 cities · 1.00″August 11, 20263 cities · 1.00″August 9, 202640 cities · 1.50″July 27, 2026127 cities · 2.00″July 10, 20262 cities · 1.00″July 4, 20261 city · 1.50″July 3, 202618 cities · 1.00″July 2, 202614 cities · 1.00″June 24, 202614 cities · 1.50″June 17, 20264 cities · 2.00″June 11, 20261 city · 1.00″June 10, 202614 cities · 1.00″

Every hail day across Illinois →

FAQ

Illinois hail on May 4, 2026

NOAA radar put hail of an inch or more over 3 Illinois cities that day. The largest stones — 1.00 inches, quarter size — were over Belleville. Every city hit is listed above with its own stone size.

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