St. Louis County, Minnesota: hail history 2014–2026
The National Weather Service logged 239 hail reports in St. Louis County between January 2014 and June 2026. On 48 days the largest stone was an inch or bigger, the size NWS calls severe. The biggest was 3 inches, about the size of a teacup, reported on July 18, 2020 near Shaw. June is the peak month (33% of reports).
- 239hail reports, 2014–2026
- 48days with hail of 1 in or more
- 10days with hail of 1.75 in or more (golf ball)
- 3 inlargest stone reported
Has severe hail hit St. Louis County since my roof was put on?
Our record covers 2014–2026 only. A roof older than 2014 has also been through hail we do not show here. A day counts when at least one report of 1 inch or larger was filed in the county, so it does not mean your own roof was hit; an inspection is the only way to know.
Year by year
| Year | Reports | Days 1 in+ | Days 1.75 in+ | Largest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1.5 in |
| 2015 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1.5 in |
| 2016 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1.5 in |
| 2017 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 2.5 in |
| 2018 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 1.75 in |
| 2019 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1.25 in |
| 2020 | 34 | 8 | 1 | 3 in |
| 2021 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 3 in |
| 2022 | 31 | 9 | 3 | 2 in |
| 2023 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 2 in |
| 2024 | 39 | 2 | 1 | 2.5 in |
| 2025 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1.5 in |
| 2026 (Jan–Jun) | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1.25 in |
When hail hits: reports by month
| Jan | 0 |
|---|---|
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 2 |
| Apr | 5 |
| May | 28 |
| Jun | 78 |
| Jul | 60 |
| Aug | 32 |
| Sep | 32 |
| Oct | 2 |
| Nov | 0 |
| Dec | 0 |
June alone has 33% of the 239 reports. Book an inspection before the first month with reports so crews still have dates.
Where hail of 1 inch or more was reported in St. Louis County
- 1 to 1.74 in
- 1.75 to 2.74 in (golf ball to tennis ball)
- 2.75 in and up (baseball)
159 reports of 1 inch or larger have coordinates; the map shows the 140 largest. Each dot is a place a spotter, a trained observer or the public reported hail, not a measured storm path.
Sources: NOAA Storm Events (report locations) · US Census cartographic boundary (county outline, public domain)The ten biggest hail days
| Date | Largest hail | Reports | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 18, 2020 | 3 in, a teacup | 8 | Shaw |
| September 16, 2021 | 3 in, a teacup | 8 | Saginaw |
| June 12, 2024 | 2.5 in, a tennis ball | 33 | Fraser |
| July 17, 2017 | 2.5 in, a tennis ball | 5 | Parkville |
| July 27, 2023 | 2 in, a hen egg | 13 | Clifton |
| September 14, 2017 | 2 in, a hen egg | 10 | Crane Lake |
| August 2, 2022 | 2 in, a hen egg | 10 | Markham |
| May 30, 2022 | 2 in, a hen egg | 8 | Embarrass |
| July 2, 2018 | 1.75 in, a golf ball | 2 | Side Lake |
| October 11, 2022 | 1.75 in, a golf ball | 1 | Gheen |
“The storms developed over north-central Minnesota during the afternoon and pushed eastward through northwest Wisconsin during the evening hours producing damaging winds and large hail as they pushed across the area.”
National Weather Service report, July 18, 2020
“The large hail punched holes in canvas tents, dented multiple vehicles and completely stripped the leaves off of trees.”
National Weather Service report, September 16, 2021
“Numerous severe thunderstorms moved across north-central and northeast Minnesota on the evening of Wednesday, June 12, 2024, producing large hail to the size of baseballs, isolated thunderstorm wind damage, and several tornadoes.”
National Weather Service report, June 12, 2024
Tornadoes in St. Louis County
NOAA lists 9 tornadoes in the county in 2014–2026; the 8 strongest are below. Tornadoes tear off whole roof sections, which is a different repair from hail bruising.
| Date | Rating | Path length | Width | Near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 19, 2016 | EF1 | 7.23 mi | 250 yd | Casco |
| September 19, 2024 | EF1 | 5.9 mi | 200 yd | Canyon |
| July 17, 2019 | EF1 | 5.73 mi | 420 yd | Orr Public Arpt |
| July 17, 2019 | EF1 | 3.43 mi | 600 yd | Kabetogama |
| June 29, 2026 | EF1 | 1.6 mi | 100 yd | Central Lakes |
| August 8, 2015 | EF1 | 1.58 mi | 110 yd | Central Lakes |
| July 17, 2019 | EF0 | 5.72 mi | 500 yd | Orr |
| May 18, 2022 | EF0 | 3.1 mi | 50 yd | Arnold |
Strongest thunderstorm gusts
| Date | Gust | Near |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2023 | 107 mph | Polo |
| July 21, 2016 | 100 mph | Duluth |
| September 5, 2023 | 94 mph | Allen |
| September 5, 2023 | 93 mph | Allen |
| July 22, 2014 | 90 mph | Spruce |
| July 22, 2014 | 90 mph | Eveleth Muni Arpt |
Gust speeds are measured or estimated; reports in knots are converted to mph.
What to do with this
- Find the year your roof went on (closing papers, permit, a past invoice). Use the box above to see how many severe hail days it has lived through.
- After any day on the table, photograph the roof and keep the date: insurers ask for it.
- Get a free inspection from a local roofer: Duluth.
St. Louis County cities we cover
All counties: hail history hub · live hail map. Data: NOAA Storm Events Database, 2014–2026, county level, public domain. The 2026 row is partial: NOAA's file ran to June 2026 when we loaded it on 2026-10-06. Reports are filed by spotters, trained observers and the public; one storm can produce many reports. Not a forecast, not legal advice.