Joliet, Illinois Hail Report and Map: March 31, 2026
Was there hail in Joliet, IL on March 31, 2026? Radar estimated hail up to 1.55 inches inside the town limits of Joliet on March 31, 2026 (Eastern time). Radar estimates of at least 0.5 inch covered 48% of the town. Across the report area, the maximum radar estimate was 1.66 inches. The strongest part of the swath was about 2 miles southwest of Joliet, IL. Radar detected hail aloft in this area between about 9:05 a.m. and 4:05 p.m. CT on March 31, 2026.
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Hail estimates at a glance
| Storm date (Eastern time) | March 31, 2026 (Tuesday) |
|---|---|
| Maximum radar estimate across the area | 1.66 inches; strongest part of the swath about 2 miles southwest of Joliet, IL |
| Maximum radar estimate inside Joliet | 1.55 inches |
| Share of Joliet with radar estimates of at least 0.5 inch | 48% |
| Approximate radar timing | Between about 9:05 a.m. and 4:05 p.m. CT on March 31, 2026 (Central time) |
| County coverage includes (0.5 inch or larger) | Will County (131 sq mi), Cook County (20 sq mi) and Kendall County (16 sq mi) |
| Area with radar estimates of 0.5 inch or larger | about 164 square miles |
| Area with radar estimates of 1 inch or larger | about 18 square miles |
| Source | NOAA MRMS radar hail estimates (MESH) |
Which towns had hail on March 31, 2026?
Radar estimated hail of at least 0.5 inch inside these town limits, using U.S. Census boundaries. Each percentage is the share of town area with those estimates.
| Town | County | Maximum radar estimate inside town limits | Town area with estimates of at least 0.5 inch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockdale, IL | Will County | 1.66 inches | 100% |
| Joliet, IL | Will County | 1.55 inches | 48% |
| Preston Heights, IL | Will County | 1.55 inches | 100% |
| Frankfort, IL | Will County | 1.08 inches | 60% |
| New Lenox, IL | Will County | 0.99 inch | 53% |
| Shorewood, IL | Will County | 0.84 inch | 87% |
| Channahon, IL | Will County | 0.77 inch | 2% |
| Park Forest, IL | Cook County | 0.76 inch | 60% |
| Steger, IL | Cook County | 0.76 inch | 86% |
| University Park, IL | 0.76 inch | 79% | |
| Mokena, IL | Will County | 0.75 inch | 22% |
How big was the hail in Joliet?
Radar estimated hail up to 1.55 inches inside the town limits of Joliet. Among the listed towns, the highest estimate was 1.66 inches inside the limits of Rockdale. The maximum estimates in New Lenox, Park Forest and Mokena were 0.99 inch or less. A town's maximum isn't an estimate for every home. Check the swath for estimates around an address.
Towns near the hail
The strongest part of the swath was within 15 miles of these towns. Distances and directions run from each town to that part of the swath.
- Lockport, IL: strongest radar estimates about 6 miles southwest of town
- Crest Hill, IL: strongest radar estimates about 4 miles south of town
- Bolingbrook, IL: strongest radar estimates about 14 miles south of town
- Plainfield, IL: strongest radar estimates about 10 miles southeast of town
- Romeoville, IL: strongest radar estimates about 10 miles south of town
- Homer Glen, IL: strongest radar estimates about 11 miles southwest of town
- Goodings Grove, IL: strongest radar estimates about 13 miles southwest of town
- Lemont, IL: strongest radar estimates about 13 miles southwest of town
What time did radar detect hail?
Radar detected hail aloft in this area between about 9:05 a.m. and 4:05 p.m. CT on March 31, 2026. We used 151 NOAA radar hail detections in this area to estimate the window. We trim outlying detection times when enough are available, then round down to five-minute marks. It doesn't give an arrival time at an address.
Data source and limits
We use NOAA's MRMS radar product MESH (Maximum Estimated Size of Hail) for hail-size estimates. Each town's figure is the maximum inside its Census town limits. The percentage is the town area with estimates of at least 0.5 inch. A town's maximum isn't an estimate for every home. Each storm date covers one calendar day in Eastern time. A late-evening storm west of the Eastern time zone can appear under two dates. Radar estimates don't confirm hail on the ground or roof damage. Hail of 0.5 to 0.75 inch can damage roofs, especially older roofs. An estimate below 1 inch doesn't rule out damage. Read how we calculate sizes and times.