Wisconsin Hail: A 3.21-Inch Radar Estimate on July 27
By StormAuditor Editorial Team · Published 2026-09-23 · Updated 2026-09-24
Based on public NOAA and National Weather Service records, published under StormAuditor's methodology and data-source standards. Radar-derived hail sizes are estimates unless attributed to a ground report.
Damage-threshold ranges in this article are general guidance synthesized from industry and federal research — IBHS building-performance research, NWS severe criteria, and product standards such as UL 2218 (hail impact resistance) and ASTM D3161/D7158 (shingle wind ratings). Actual performance depends on product rating, age, installation quality, exposure, and impact characteristics — thresholds describe when damage becomes possible, not when it occurs.
Radar-estimated hail reached 3.21 inches in Wisconsin on July 27, 2026 — one of five dated hail days at 2.57 inches or larger in StormAuditor's recent detail window. Hail led all hazards with 2,251 of the state's 4,944 events in the 12 months through August 25, 2026.
Wisconsin's biggest hail day landed on July 27, 2026
Radar-estimated hail reached 3.21 inches over Wisconsin on July 27, 2026. That is the largest hail size in StormAuditor's recent detail window (November 28, 2025 through August 25, 2026) for the state. It was not a one-off. The same window shows a 3.17-inch radar estimate on April 14, 2026, and a 2.99-inch estimate on August 12, 2026. Stones that size sit well past the NWS severe hail criterion of 1.00 inch. They also clear the NWS "significant severe" mark of 2.00 inches.
Hail is the headline hazard here by volume, too. In the 12 months through August 25, 2026, Wisconsin logged 4,944 storm events across all 72 counties. Hail accounts for 2,251 of them — more than wind (1,868), flood (490), or tornado (335). For roofers, adjusters, and homeowners, that makes dated hail research the single most useful storm question in this state.
The five biggest hail days, dated
StormAuditor's 9-month detail window for Wisconsin surfaces five standout hail days:
- July 27, 2026 — radar-estimated hail to 3.21 inches
- April 14, 2026 — radar-estimated hail to 3.17 inches
- August 12, 2026 — radar-estimated hail to 2.99 inches
- April 13, 2026 — radar-estimated hail to 2.76 inches
- July 1, 2026 — radar-estimated hail to 2.57 inches
Two patterns stand out. First, mid-April 2026 produced back-to-back giant-hail days on the 13th and 14th. April was also Wisconsin's busiest month in the detail window, with 306 events — far ahead of May's 42. Second, big hail kept arriving through midsummer. July 1 paired a 2.57-inch radar estimate with the state's top wind day, a 109 mph gust value.
Which counties collected the most events
Dane County leads Wisconsin by a wide margin. It logged 286 events in the 12 months through August 25, 2026 and 86 in the detail window. Radar-estimated hail there reached 4.00 inches, with wind values to 70 mph. Rock (167 events), Marathon (165), Walworth (148), and Waukesha (135) round out the 12-month leaders. Dodge and Racine each recorded 134, and Brown 131. Together, Dane, Rock, Walworth, Jefferson, and Waukesha trace a south-central band. One spring day there can put hail over whole neighborhoods at once.
How StormAuditor estimates it
StormAuditor's SAWE-2 wind engine and SAHE-2 hail engine estimate what the public weather record shows for a specific address and date. Hail sizes come from MRMS MESH radar estimates. Wind values blend station observations with modeled gust fields. Every output is an estimate of that record. It is not a damage finding, and not a promise about any insurance outcome. The full approach lives at /methodology/hail and /methodology/wind.
What to do with a Wisconsin hail date
Start with the date, not the damage. If a roof in Waukesha or Dane County shows bruising or granule loss, pull the candidate storm days first. A free report snapshot shows whether an address sits inside a screened swath on a given date. StormAuditor screening thresholds are wind of 45 mph or more and hail of 0.75 inch or more. These are screening levels, set below the NWS severe criteria so smaller events still surface.
Contractors canvassing after a storm day should lead with a dated estimate. That beats a general claim about the season. Adjusters working a Wisconsin date of loss can cross-check a hail report against NWS local storm reports. The SPC daily reports page covers the same dates. Homeowners unsure of their date can work backward from the notable days below. Then a quick lookup shows which dates touched the property.
Notable storm days
- April 13, 2026 — statewide — 366 events; radar-estimated hail to 2.76 in
- April 14, 2026 — statewide — 621 events; radar-estimated hail to 3.17 in; wind to 79 mph
- April 17, 2026 — statewide — 550 events; flood, hail, tornado, and wind
- June 10, 2026 — statewide — 335 events; wind to 83 mph
- July 1, 2026 — statewide — wind to 109 mph; radar-estimated hail to 2.57 in
- July 27, 2026 — statewide — 283 events; radar-estimated hail to 3.21 in
- August 12, 2026 — statewide — radar-estimated hail to 2.99 in
Limitations
Radar-estimated hail sizes are estimates, and MESH can run larger or smaller than what actually fell at a single rooftop. Wind values reflect the strongest estimate in an area, not necessarily the gust at one address. Event counts tally records in the public data, and one storm can generate many records across counties. None of this establishes that damage occurred at a property, and no report here predicts a claim decision. Read the full discussion at /limitations.
Wisconsin hail FAQ
What was the biggest hail in Wisconsin recently?
The largest radar-estimated hail in StormAuditor's recent detail window was 3.21 inches, on July 27, 2026. April 14, 2026 came close at a radar-estimated 3.17 inches.
Did Dane County, Wisconsin get large hail in 2026?
Dane County recorded 86 events in the detail window, with radar-estimated hail as large as 4.00 inches. Over the 12 months through August 25, 2026 it logged 286 events, the most of any Wisconsin county.
What happened in Wisconsin on April 14, 2026?
April 14 was the state's busiest day in the 12 months through August 25, 2026, with 621 flood, hail, tornado, and wind records. Radar-estimated hail reached 3.17 inches, and wind values reached 79 mph.
How big does hail need to be to count as severe?
The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1.00 inch or larger, and "significant severe" at 2.00 inches. StormAuditor screening starts lower, at 0.75 inch, to surface smaller events worth a closer look.
How do I look up hail at my Wisconsin address for a specific date?
Run the address through the address lookup with your date of loss. The result estimates the radar-derived hail size and wind value at that location, drawn from the public record.