Hail & Wind Storms in Rochester, MN — Latest Dates and Sizes
Hail and wind activity within ~25 miles of Rochester, Minnesota or recorded for its county: the last 12 months from NWS warnings, storm reports, and station measurements, plus official NOAA records back to 2010.
Latest hail and wind near Rochester
- Last reported hail (0.75 in.+, screening): August 18, 2026 — 1.00 in. reported 11.4 mi E of Rochester (2 SSE Viola), SPC storm report.
- Last wind gust 45 mph+ (screening): September 2, 2026 — 68 mph measured in Rochester, NWS Local Storm Report.
- 2026 so far: 3 hail days and 15 wind days within 25 miles (days with a storm report or station gust at the screening thresholds; warnings alone never count).
| Date | Largest reported hail | Strongest gust |
|---|---|---|
| September 2, 2026 | — | 68 mph measured |
| August 18, 2026 | 1.00 in. reported | — |
| July 1, 2026 | — | 59 mph reported |
| June 10, 2026 | 1.25 in. reported | — |
| May 25, 2026 | — | 51 mph measured |
| May 17, 2026 | — | 53 mph measured |
| May 12, 2026 | — | 52 mph measured |
| April 23, 2026 | — | 51 mph measured |
| April 17, 2026 | 1.75 in. reported | — |
| April 13, 2026 | — | 58 mph reported |
Was your address hit on September 2, 2026? Check any address free with the Free Report Snapshot — a YES/NO estimate at the screening thresholds.
Rochester storm facts
- StormAuditor's analysis of NOAA and National Weather Service records found 102 wind and hail events, NWS warning products included, within 25 miles of Rochester, Minnesota or recorded for Olmsted County in the 12 months ending October 8, 2026 (76 wind, 26 hail).
- The strongest gust within 25 miles of Rochester in the last 12 months was 73 mph, measured at the Dodge Center station (17.5 mi W of Rochester) on December 26, 2025 (ASOS weather station; storm reports and station gusts only, warnings excluded).
- The largest hail reported within 25 miles of Rochester in the last 12 months was 1.75 in., 3.8 mi N of Rochester (4 N Rochester) on April 17, 2026 (NWS Local Storm Report).
- The busiest day by event count near Rochester was April 17, 2026, with 31 events.
- Olmsted County alone recorded 70 of those wind and hail events (51 wind, 19 hail); the Minnesota page ranks counties by events of every type, floods and Special Weather Statements included.
Rochester, Minnesota storm history at a glance (last 12 months)
This free weather history for Rochester — home to about 120,000 residents — draws on StormAuditor's consolidated public record: 102 wind and hail events within 25 miles of Rochester or recorded for Olmsted County in the trailing 12 months — 76 wind and 26 hail.
Events combine NWS warning products, observed Local Storm Reports, station measurements and official NCEI records in one event table. Because they include warnings, and wind covers thunderstorm and non-thunderstorm wind alike, they measure something different from the NCEI entry counts in the history section below; the two are not comparable year to year.
Busiest days near Rochester by event count
Ranked by the number of 12-month events, NWS warnings included, so a day with many warnings can outrank a day with larger hail.
- April 17, 2026 — 31 events incl. warnings · 17 wind · 14 hail
- September 2, 2026 — 11 events incl. warnings · 10 wind · 1 hail
- March 13, 2026 — 9 events incl. warnings · 9 wind
- April 13, 2026 — 7 events incl. warnings · 6 wind · 1 hail
- September 1, 2026 — 5 events incl. warnings · 5 wind
How these numbers are counted
The storm numbers on this page are counted in four different ways, plus the free address check. Each answers a different question with its own size cutoffs, area and time span, so compare numbers within one group, not across groups.
- Storm days (latest hail and wind): A day in the last 12 months when at least one report within 25 miles of Rochester showed hail 0.75 in. or larger or wind of 45 mph or more (StormAuditor screening thresholds). Reports are NWS storm reports from spotters, the public and officials, plus weather-station gusts, which count from 50 mph. A warning on its own never makes a storm day. The latest and largest hail, the latest and strongest gust, and the storm-day table all use this record.
- Storm-date pages (NWS severe): A storm-date page is published only when at least one report or station gust within 25 miles of a city met the National Weather Service severe criteria (hail 1.00 in. or larger, or wind 58 mph or more), at least two separate observations were logged, and the day ranks among the most significant. A storm report that relays an airport weather station's reading (the same station, the same gust and the same time) counts once, as the station reading. Not every storm day gets a page; when one does, the page and the storm-day table show the same largest hail and strongest gust.
- Events (12-month counts): Events count NWS warnings, storm reports (wind 50 mph+, hail 0.75 in.+), station gusts (50 mph+) and NCEI entries within 25 miles of Rochester or recorded for Olmsted County, tornado entries counted as wind. One event is one place on one day, counted separately for hail and for wind. A weather station or storm-report point counts once a day, at that day's highest reading, however many readings it filed; a place with hail and wind on the same day is two events. NWS warnings count once per county per day, and each NCEI entry once per place per day. A storm report that relays an airport weather station's reading (the same station, the same gust and the same time) counts once, as the station reading. The same report arriving through another feed (SPC or NCEI) is one record. Events measure how busy the area was, not whether a storm hit: one storm can bring warnings and reports from many places, so the busiest days by event count can differ from the storm days.
- NOAA history (since 2010): The official NOAA storm record (NCEI Storm Events) within 25 miles of Rochester or in Olmsted County from January 1, 2010 to the day before the 12-month window starts: hail 0.50 in.+, thunderstorm wind 40 mph+ and tornadoes. It is a separate, older record with its own "storm days" (days with any entry), so its counts are not compared with the 12-month numbers.
- Free Report Snapshot: A free YES/NO estimate for one address, from radar and wind analysis at the property rather than area reports, at the same screening thresholds: hail 0.75 in. or wind 45 mph.
Full method: Methodology and Data Sources.
Rochester hail and wind history in NOAA NCEI records, 2010–Oct. 2025
This section covers January 1, 2010 through October 7, 2025. Storms from October 8, 2025 on are in the 12-month summary above, so no date is counted in both.
Hail (334 reports) and thunderstorm wind (339) appear in nearly equal numbers. In all: 703 NCEI Storm Events entries within 25 miles of Rochester or in Olmsted County, spread over 136 storm days.
Storm days ranged from 5 in 2015 to 11 in 2012, 2017 and 2018. Across 2022–2024, the area averaged 8.3 storm days a year, below the 15-year average of 8.5.
The largest hail in these records for this area was 3.00 in. (teacup size), reported on July 18, 2012 in Dodge County. Hail of 2 inches or more appears in 5 different years of this record, the latest being 2022. Measured thunderstorm gusts topped out at 81 mph (Olmsted County, July 13, 2024). NCEI also lists 30 tornado entries for the area — one entry per county a tornado crossed.
Hail peaks in May (42% of all hail reports); thunderstorm wind peaks in July. December through February accounts for 1 storm day.
- Average: 8.5 storm days a year (2010–2024)
- May and June: 58% of all hail reports
- Most hail reports in one year: 72 in 2022
- Hail of 1 in. or larger reported in 14 of 15 full years (2010–2024)
| Year | Hail reports | Thunderstorm wind reports | Tornado entries | Storm days | Largest hail | Strongest measured gust |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 11 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 1.75 in. | 74 mph |
| 2011 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 9 | 1.00 in. | 66 mph |
| 2012 | 22 | 19 | 0 | 11 | 3.00 in. | 74 mph |
| 2013 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 1.75 in. | 60 mph |
| 2014 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 1.75 in. | 66 mph |
| 2015 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1.50 in. | — |
| 2016 | 6 | 24 | 0 | 8 | 0.88 in. | 75 mph |
| 2017 | 47 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 2.00 in. | 66 mph |
| 2018 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 11 | 2.00 in. | 69 mph |
| 2019 | 23 | 35 | 2 | 9 | 2.75 in. | 74 mph |
| 2020 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1.00 in. | — |
| 2021 | 16 | 68 | 12 | 9 | 1.00 in. | 77 mph |
| 2022 | 72 | 40 | 0 | 9 | 2.50 in. | 76 mph |
| 2023 | 36 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 1.75 in. | 60 mph |
| 2024 | 14 | 29 | 2 | 8 | 1.75 in. | 81 mph |
| 2025 through Oct. 7 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 1.50 in. | 76 mph |
Download this history: CSV · JSON at https://www.stormauditor.com/downloads/storm-history/mn/rochester.json (free, open license, cite StormAuditor).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (thunderstorm wind, hail, and tornado entries; hail 0.50 in. or larger, wind 40 mph or more; wind converted from knots).
Rochester storm history questions, 2010–Oct. 2025
What is the largest hail reported near Rochester, 2010–Oct. 2025?
3.00 in., teacup size, reported on July 18, 2012 in Dodge County, per NCEI. Other years with hail of 2 inches or more: 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022.
What was Rochester's most active storm year, 2010–Oct. 2025?
2012, 2017 and 2018 tied, with 11 storm days each. The 15-year average is 8.5 storm days.
How often does Rochester get hail?
NCEI's records average 21 hail reports a year here over 2010–2024, alongside 22 thunderstorm wind reports. Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported in 14 of those 15 years.
When is hail season near Rochester?
May has the most hail reports (140, 2010–Oct. 2025), followed by June (54) and July (53).
How strong were measured thunderstorm winds in Rochester, 2010–Oct. 2025?
81 mph, measured on July 13, 2024 in Olmsted County. Only gusts NCEI lists as measured count here; gusts measured on a date and county with a tornado entry, and entries of 120 knots or more (known entry errors), are left out.
Rochester hail map and wind map
Researching hail or wind in Rochester? The Hail Explorer and Wind Explorer map radar-derived hail swaths and peak-gust wind swaths across Minnesota, including the Rochester metro: pick any storm date and see how estimated hail size and gust bands tracked through Olmsted County. Both explorers are included with Pro+ and Organization plans.
County-level activity is on the Impact Heatmap (free with an account), and day-by-day history is on the Storm Calendar (Pro plans and higher).
Free Rochester weather report by address
Area maps show where storms tracked; an insurance claim or roof inspection turns on what happened at the property. Three ways to check one Rochester address:
- The Free Report Snapshot answers YES/NO instantly on estimated wind of 45 mph or more and hail of 0.75 in. or larger (screening thresholds) at the address.
- The free Address Lookup lists NWS warnings, storm reports and NOAA observations near the address — free Rochester wind history and free Rochester hail history.
- A complete Weather Report for $2.99 covers every qualifying storm date at one address over the last 2 years.
All values are estimates from public NOAA data under our published methodology (see Limitations).
Working storm claims? Roofing contractors, public adjusters, and insurance adjusters work from this same public storm record with statewide hail and wind maps and per-address reports — see StormAuditor for professionals.
Sources: NWS alerts (api.weather.gov) · NWS Local Storm Reports via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet · ASOS/AWOS station gusts via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet · NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database · every StormAuditor data source.
Free Rochester storm data download
The Rochester storm records for the last 12 months download free, free to reuse under the data license: download CSV · JSON at https://www.stormauditor.com/downloads/storm-data/mn/rochester.json.
- Coverage: every wind and hail record within about 25 miles of Rochester or recorded for Olmsted County, with dates, counties, event types, measured gusts and hail sizes.
- Rows: each source record before consolidation, including every NWS warning product and smaller storm reports, so the row count differs from the event counts above.
- Statewide files are on the Minnesota storm data page.
Nearby city storm pages:
- Burnsville hail & wind history
- Bloomington hail & wind history
- St. Paul hail & wind history
- Eau Claire, WI hail & wind history
- Minneapolis hail & wind history
- Mankato hail & wind history
- Minnesota statewide storm data
Guides for reading this data
Cite or link to this data — free
Free to quote, summarize, reuse, and link — for bloggers, journalists, researchers, contractors, and AI writing tools. No permission or credit required. A ready-made citation and link are below if they help. Terms: StormAuditor data & content license.
Citation: StormAuditor. "Rochester, MN Hail & Wind Storm History." Updated September 2, 2026. https://www.stormauditor.com/storm-data/mn/rochester
HTML link: <a href="https://www.stormauditor.com/storm-data/mn/rochester">Rochester, MN Hail & Wind Storm History — StormAuditor</a>
About this page: built by Storm Auditor LLC from public NOAA/NWS records — deduplicated warnings, storm reports, station measurements, and official records on a rolling 12-month window, under the published methodology. See the StormAuditor Editorial Team for how content is produced.
Data last refreshed October 8, 2026. Event counts cover wind and hail (warning products, and storm reports from 50 mph or 0.75 in.); flood activity and Special Weather Statements are not counted here.