Kankakee, Illinois – Residents across the Kankakee River Valley are assessing damage after iPhone-sized hail measuring 6.0 inches in diameter crashed down during violent supercell storms Tuesday evening, a stone large enough to potentially set a new Illinois state hail record and rank among the largest ever documented in the United States.
According to the National Weather Service in Chicago, the giant hailstone was measured in Kankakee during severe storms Tuesday night that also produced multiple strong tornadoes across northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana. If confirmed, the hailstone would easily surpass Illinois’ current state record of 4.75 inches recorded in Minooka in 2015.
Meteorologists say hail approaching 6 inches in diameter is extremely rare and places the storm among notable North American hail events. The largest hailstone ever recorded in the United States fell in Vivian, South Dakota in 2010, measuring 7.87 inches across and weighing nearly two pounds. Other historic events include 7-inch hail in Nebraska in 1928 and destructive softball-sized hailstorms that have caused billions in damage across cities like Denver, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Calgary.
Tuesday’s storm produced widespread extreme hail across northern Illinois. Reports included 5.5-inch hail in Campus, 5.2 inches southwest of Kankakee, and several 5-inch stones near Buckingham and northeast of Campus. Farther north, Darien reported 4.8-inch hail, with 4-inch hailstones near Odell and Westmont.
Hail of this size carries enormous destructive force, capable of shattering windshields, puncturing roofs, and destroying crops within seconds. Several of North America’s costliest hailstorms — including events in St. Louis, Denver, and Calgary — have produced billions of dollars in losses.
Damage surveys are continuing across the Kankakee River Valley and northwest Indiana, where officials are also confirming tornado tracks from the same storm system. Additional updates are expected as meteorologists finalize measurements and determine whether Illinois has officially set a new hail record.
