Report: Record 5 Inch Hail Found by Storm Chaser in Illinois

As storms have just started to impact Illinois, a chaser has reportedly just found what would be a record-size hail stone.

UPDATE: 3/10/26 - 11:48pm - NOAA Storm Reports has confirmed the storm chaser hail photo was 5.2 inches.

ORIGINAL STORY: I've been following the extremely powerful thunderstorms that have started to blow up over Illinois. Ryan Hall has a livestream that continues as I write this. He just shared a few minutes ago that a storm chaser in Kankakee County, Illinois found a 5-inch hail stone which would be a state record if confirmed.

See the record 5-inch hail stone found in Illinois here! The Illinois Storm Community also shared pictures of monster hail. 

The NOAA Storm Prediction Center has yet to confirm this 5-inch hail stone, but they do have a 4-inch hail stone that is confirmed on their Storm Reports site. This article will be updated once we receive official confirmation from the National Weather Service.

Reed Timmer shared video INSIDE of a tornado near Pontiac, Illinois.

These are extremely dangerous storms and the night has only begun. If you live in Illinois, you need to be weather aware. Tornadoes, straight-line winds, hail and all of the elements present in strong thunderstorms are possible in the storms.