Illinois, 2026

Hail in Illinois, April 16, 2026

April 16, 2026 · NWS PAH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Scattered thunderstorms developed across Southern Missouri during the early to mid afternoon hours on April 16th. These storms became severe with large hail, eventually morphing into a more linear structure with the threat switching over to primarily damaging winds as the storms moved into the Lakes area and Southern Pennyrile of West Kentucky.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PAH wrote it up.

Scattered thunderstorms developed across Southern Missouri during the early to mid afternoon hours on April 16th. These storms became severe with large hail, eventually morphing into a more linear structure with the threat switching over to primarily damaging winds as the storms moved into the Lakes area and Southern Pennyrile of West Kentucky. Warm moist air lifted dew points into the lower 60s during the afternoon hours. Clearing behind morning showers allowed for SBCAPE values to reach 2000J/kg in far Southern Illinois with DCAPE of 1000J/kg, 0-6km shear of 30kts, and mid-level lapse rates of 7C/km.

With the system primarily tracking from Southeast Missouri to West Kentucky, the lone severe weather report in Illinois was golf ball size hail reported in Pulaski County.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 16, 11:45 AM CST, 2 hours 59 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Scattered to numerous showers and a few thunderstorms can be expected this morning (40-80% chances), with slightly lower chances (30-55%) from midday into early this evening. Large hail will be possible with these storms.
  • Scattered showers and storms return Friday afternoon (30-40% chances), then chances will increase significantly late Friday night into Saturday (70-85% chances) with the approach and passage of a cold front.
  • High temperatures will be near record readings Friday ahead of the cold front.
  • A significant cool down is expected over the weekend, then we will see a warming trend next week.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 16, 11:45 AM CST, 2 hours 59 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Paducah KY
1245 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Scattered to numerous showers and a few thunderstorms can be
  expected this morning (40-80% chances), with slightly lower
  chances (30-55%) from midday into early this evening. Large
  hail will be possible with these storms.

- Scattered showers and storms return Friday afternoon (30-40%
  chances), then chances will increase significantly late
  Friday night into Saturday (70-85% chances) with the approach
  and passage of a cold front.

- High temperatures will be near record readings Friday ahead
  of the cold front.

- A significant cool down is expected over the weekend, then we
  will see a warming trend next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1245 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026

Scattered thunderstorms are developing over south central
Missouri this afternoon just ahead of a shortwave trough
embedded in the broader flow over western Missouri. These storms
are on the edge of an area of richer lower level moisture with
dewpoints in the mid 60s. The position and strength of the upper
trough are yielding 3-6km lapse rates around 7 to 7.5 degC. Deep
layer shear is sufficient at about 30 to 35 kts and should
improve some through the afternoon. MLCAPEs are around 2000 to
2500 J/kg. This looks like a pretty favorable setup for hail,
and fairly modest looking radar presentations have already
produced hail with activity starting over MO. Low-level
thermodynamics are also supportive of some wind damage/downburst
potential with stronger storms. Generally expecting storms to
increase in coverage and intensity over the next couple hours
and bring a few hours threat of severe storms (wind/hail) mainly
over southeast Missouri and western Kentucky this afternoon.

Another trough moving in from the west brings lower end
rain/storm chances in the afternoon tomorrow but better chances
overnight into Saturday morning. Right now the peak of activity
is progged to move in early Saturday morning at relative minima
for heating which may limit severe weather potential but deep
and low layer shear is strong enough we will need to continue to
monitor for any thermodynamic changes that might increase our
chances.

A cold front moves in behind the storms Saturday sweeping in
more seasonable air. Cooler temperatures persist through the
middle of the week before things start to warm up as we approach
the weekend.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1155 AM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026

Primary flight impediment today will be convection forecast to
develop over the next few hours in southcentral Missouri and
track at least close to CGI/PAH in the afternoon. Conditions are
more favorable than normal for hail today and that and gusty
winds could accompany IFR visibilities in stronger storms. VFR
conditions with fairly light winds are forecast once the storms
clear out.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IL...None.
MO...None.
IN...None.
KY...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...JGG
AVIATION...JGG
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 16, 11:46 AM CST, 2 hours 58 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Paducah KY
1246 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100-
107>112-114-171800-
Jefferson-Wayne IL-Edwards-Wabash-Perry IL-Franklin-Hamilton-White-
Jackson-Williamson-Saline-Gallatin-Union-Johnson-Pope-Hardin-
Alexander-Pulaski-Massac-Gibson-Pike-Posey-Vanderburgh-Warrick-
Spencer-Fulton-Hickman-Carlisle-Ballard-McCracken-Graves-Livingston-
Marshall-Calloway-Crittenden-Lyon-Trigg-Caldwell-Union KY-Webster-
Hopkins-Christian-Henderson-Daviess-McLean-Muhlenberg-Todd-Perry MO-
Bollinger-Cape Girardeau-Wayne MO-Carter-Ripley-Butler-Stoddard-
Scott-Mississippi-New Madrid-
1246 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026 /146 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southern Illinois, southwest
Indiana, western Kentucky and southeast Missouri.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Scattered thunderstorms are expected this afternoon. Large hail and
isolated gusty winds will be possible with these storms as they move
southeast mainly over southeast Missouri and western Kentucky.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Scattered thunderstorms are forecast Friday afternoon and
especially Friday night. There is a marginal risk of severe
storms Friday evening and overnight across portions of southern
Illinois and southeast Missouri, mainly northwest of a line from
Mount Carmel to Marion Illinois, to Cape Girardeau and Poplar
Bluff.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will likely be needed over parts of the area this
afternoon.

JGG

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 16, 1:20 PM CST, 1 hour 24 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
220 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0215 PM     Hail             2 E Zalma               37.15N 90.05W
04/16/2026  E0.75 Inch       Bollinger          MO   Public

            Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).

&&
Local storm report, Apr 16, 1:41 PM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
241 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0241 PM     Hail             Advance                 37.11N 89.91W
04/16/2026  M2.00 Inch       Stoddard           MO   Emergency Mngr

&&

JGG
Local storm report, Apr 16, 1:52 PM CST, 52 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
252 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0233 PM     Hail             Advance                 37.11N 89.91W
04/16/2026  E2.75 Inch       Stoddard           MO   Emergency Mngr

&&

JGG
Local storm report, Apr 16, 2:07 PM CST, 37 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
307 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0248 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 S Marble Hill         37.28N 89.98W
04/16/2026                   Bollinger          MO   Emergency Mngr

            Powerlines down.

&&

JGG
Local storm report, Apr 16, 2:30 PM CST, 14 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
330 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0309 PM     Hail             2 SSW New Hamburg       37.10N 89.61W
04/16/2026  M1.50 Inch       Scott              MO   Trained Spotter

&&

JGG
Local storm report, Apr 16, 2:35 PM CST, 9 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
335 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0324 PM     Hail             1 ESE Oran              37.08N 89.64W
04/16/2026  E1.75 Inch       Scott              MO   Public

&&

JGG

The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:46 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Pulaski

When
April 16, 2:44 PM CST
Where
Pulaski County, Mounds
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
37.118, -89.202

Hail estimated to golf ball size was reported in Mounds.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, April 2026

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1343125.