Streator, IL Hail Storm – April 2026

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through Streator, Illinois, on April 13, 2026, with spotter-verified stones up to 2.75 inches and multiple radar-detected hail alerts through the afternoon. The storm produced repeated hail signals from late morning into late afternoon across the Ottawa, IL metro area.

The first NWS alert came at 12:37 PM CDT with 1-inch hail detected by dual-polarization radar. A second radar-based alert followed at 12:40 PM CDT with the same hail size. Spotter reports began later in the early afternoon, including a 1:55 PM CDT report of pea-sized hail with a few stones up to quarter size. A second spotter-verified report came at 2:23 PM CDT, describing lots of nickel- to penny-sized hail. That report was shared by video and time-estimated from radar.

Additional NWS alerts were issued at 1:24 PM CDT, 1:39 PM CDT, and 2:07 PM CDT, each tied to 1-inch hail and spotter confidence. Radar then escalated the hail threat to 1.5 inches at 2:33 PM CDT and 2 inches at 3:25 PM CDT. The storm remained active through the afternoon before the hail threat ended.

Damage Assessment

Field reports point to a storm that dropped repeated small-to-moderate hail before the larger stones arrived later in the day. The 1:55 PM CDT report of pea-sized hail with a few quarter-size stones showed early surface impact. The 2:23 PM CDT video report added another round of hail, this time nickel to penny sized, along the same storm path.

The gap between the early spotter reports and the later radar-driven hail increases suggests a storm that built strength as it moved through the area. By 2:33 PM CDT, radar was detecting 1.5-inch hail. By 3:25 PM CDT, the hail signal had increased again to 2 inches. The spotter-verified reports did not reach that final radar size, but they do show measurable hail at the surface before the storm peaked.

In Streator and nearby parts of the Ottawa metro, contractors should expect roof, gutter, siding, and soft metal impacts to be uneven across the path. The report mix suggests some neighborhoods saw several rounds of hail, not a single brief pass. That often leaves a patchwork of cosmetic hits alongside more obvious damage on exposed slopes, roof edges, downspouts, and vehicle surfaces.

What Contractors Should Know

Start with the timing. The first hail signals came just before 12:40 PM CDT, then the storm produced additional reports through 3:25 PM CDT. That spread matters in the field. Crews should not treat this as a single short-duration hail core. The report set shows a multi-hour event with changing hail size and repeated impacts.

Focus canvass work on Streator and the broader Ottawa, IL metro corridor, with attention to any homes or businesses that were exposed during the early afternoon window. The spotter reports show hail at the surface before the larger radar sizes arrived. That often means some properties saw several impacts, then a second round later. Check roofs with low slopes, ridge caps, vents, window screens, vehicle panels, and north- or west-facing exposures where hail marks can be easier to verify.