Nokomis, IL Hail Storm – July 2026

Nokomis, IL experienced a multi-zone hail-producing storm on July 9, 2026, producing radar-detected stones up to 1.65 inches and prompting a series of NWS warning-area alerts. The event concluded the same evening after multiple warning issuances and radar detections.

What Happened

The storm produced 11 NWS alerts between about 3:00 PM CDT and 10:39 PM CDT on July 9. Dual-polarization radar detected hail early in the event, with consecutive 1.00-inch returns at 3:00 PM CDT and 3:01 PM CDT. A late-afternoon NWS warning at 4:17 PM CDT reported 0.75-inch hail in the warning area. Radar again registered larger returns at 4:55 PM CDT, recorded at 1.51 inches. After that, the NWS issued several warning-only alerts through the evening, reporting hail sizes from 0.75 to 1.00 inches in the 5:10 PM to 8:22 PM time window, and a final warning-only alert at 10:39 PM CDT.

Radar-detected hail and NWS warning-only reports both contributed to the alert sequence. Dual-polarization radar supported multiple detections early and mid-event. Later alerts were issued on warning-only basis without accompanying radar dual-pol product notes.

Damage Assessment

Alerted hail sizes during this event ranged from roughly 0.75 inch to 1.51 inches on the sampled radar and warning reports. Stones in the 0.75–1.00-inch range commonly dent vehicle body panels and damage soft siding materials when exposure is prolonged. The 1.51-inch radar return is large enough to cause localized roof shingle damage on aged or already-worn roofs, and to crack vulnerable skylights or panels if strike concentration is high.

There are no spotter-verified damage reports in the alert set. Observed radar returns and the pattern of multiple warning-area issuances indicate the highest risk of impact near the times and locations of the 3:00 PM CDT and 4:55 PM CDT radar detections and within the broader warning polygons issued later in the evening.

What Contractors Should Know

Prioritize roof and vehicle inspections in areas covered by the July 9 warning polygons, with special attention to structures under the 4:55 PM CDT radar return and the early afternoon detections around 3:00 PM CDT. Photograph roof slopes, gutters, skylights, solar arrays, and exposed siding with scale and time stamps. Document hail size proxies such as dent diameter, shingle granule loss, and sample impacts on soft metals. Use geotagged images to correlate damage locations with the warning-area polygons.

Maintain standard safety controls when accessing elevated surfaces. For initial triage, perform a walkaround to identify obvious punctures or broken glass before committing to rooftop work. Prepare roof reports that note material age, pre-existing conditions, and measured impact spacing. Coordinate estimates with insurers using the documented photo set and reference the warning-area times in the claim notes.