According to preliminary data from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC), in 2011 Illinois has received:
- 55 reports of tornadoes
- 247 reports of hail greater than 1 inch in diameter
- 474 reports of wind damage
So it has been a fairly active year for severe weather in Illinois. Fortunately, we have not experienced the level of devastation as was seen in the Southeast or in Joplin, MO.
Personally, the outstanding feature of this year is hail. I’ve had pea-sized hail at my house four times this year (including last night at around 1 am). That’s unusual for me because I’ve gone for years at a time without seeing any hail at home. Out of curiosity, I pulled up the hail statistics since 2000 for Illinois from the SPC site. Beginning in 2011, they changed the significant hail criteria from three-quarter inch to one inch so any hail report less than one inch will no longer be counted.
- 247 in 2011, as of June 27, 2011
- 120 in 2010
- 245 in 2009
- 502 in 2008
- 252 in 2007
- 906 in 2006 (also a big year for tornadoes)
- 339 in 2005
- 383 in 2004
- 588 in 2003
- 256 in 2002
- 193 in 2001
- 342 in 2000
