How big was the hail on May 18, 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 18, 2026

Illinois hail map — May 18, 2026

Name: Illinois hail map — May 18, 2026
Creator: HailMate

NOAA radar detected hail of an inch or more over 3 Illinois cities on May 18, 2026. The largest stones — 1.00″, quarter size — fell over Moline.

Hail swath map for Moline, IL on May 18, 2026 showing 1.00 inch hail. — Swath over Moline on May 18, 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

Work Illinois on the live hail map

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
GPS door-knocking, pins, jobs and estimates — the full loop, not a preview
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Homeowners

Did hail hit your address?

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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Free, and no account needed to look it up. If hail did hit, you can ask for a free inspection from a vetted local roofer.

Illinois cities hit on May 18, 2026

Moline, IL1.00″ · quarter Rock Island, IL1.00″ · quarter East Moline, IL1.00″ · quarter

What people on the ground measured in Illinois on May 18, 2026

One report filed with the National Weather Service. These are measured stones, not radar estimates, so they are the closest thing to proof that hail actually reached the ground.

1.00″ quarter size Public
Lerna, IL9:40 AM CDTColes County
Delayed report. Time estimated from radar.

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 18, 2026

Kansas3 cities · 2.00″Iowa2 cities · 1.00″Florida1 city · 1.00″

The full US hail map for May 18, 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 18, 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 Moline. Every city hit is listed above with its own stone size.

Knock the Illinois streets this storm hit

Your whole state at street level, with this swath already on the map — $79/mo, cancel anytime.

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