Rochester, Minnesota Hail Report and Map: April 17, 2026
Was there hail in Rochester, MN on April 17, 2026? Radar estimated hail up to 1.04 inches inside the town limits of Rochester on April 17, 2026 (Eastern time). Radar estimates of at least 0.5 inch covered 17% of the town. Across the report area, the maximum radar estimate was 1.59 inches. The strongest part of the swath was about 9 miles south of Rochester, MN. Radar detected hail aloft in this area between about 1:25 p.m. and 4:35 p.m. CT on April 17, 2026.
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Hail estimates at a glance
| Storm date (Eastern time) | April 17, 2026 (Friday) |
|---|---|
| Maximum radar estimate across the area | 1.59 inches; strongest part of the swath about 9 miles south of Rochester, MN |
| Maximum radar estimate inside Rochester | 1.04 inches |
| Share of Rochester with radar estimates of at least 0.5 inch | 17% |
| Approximate radar timing | Between about 1:25 p.m. and 4:35 p.m. CT on April 17, 2026 (Central time) |
| County coverage includes (0.5 inch or larger) | Olmsted County (167 sq mi), Dodge County (92 sq mi), Winona County (65 sq mi), Mower County (40 sq mi), Trempealeau County (29 sq mi) and Buffalo County (24 sq mi) |
| Area with radar estimates of 0.5 inch or larger | about 429 square miles |
| Area with radar estimates of 1 inch or larger | about 40 square miles |
| Source | NOAA MRMS radar hail estimates (MESH) |
Which towns had hail on April 17, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayfield, MN | Dodge County | 1.37 inches | 100% |
| Rochester, MN | Olmsted County | 1.04 inches | 17% |
| St. Charles, MN | 0.94 inch | 90% | |
| Winona, MN | Winona County | 0.93 inch | 19% |
| Fountain City, WI | Buffalo County | 0.91 inch | 26% |
| Utica, MN | 0.91 inch | 86% | |
| Goodview, MN | Winona County | 0.85 inch | 54% |
How big was the hail in Rochester?
Radar estimated hail up to 1.04 inches inside the town limits of Rochester. Among the listed towns, the highest estimate was 1.37 inches inside the limits of Hayfield. The maximum estimates in Goodview were 0.85 inch or less. A town's maximum isn't an estimate for every home. Check the swath for estimates around an address.
What time did radar detect hail?
Radar detected hail aloft in this area between about 1:25 p.m. and 4:35 p.m. CT on April 17, 2026. We used 31 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.