National Storms

October 1980 storm reports: hail, wind and tornadoes

IndependentNot affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service.

In October 1980, 36 hail, 82 damaging-wind and 43 tornado reports were logged on 14 storm days across 21 states. The largest hail reported was 4.50″ (softball size) in Garden County, NE on October 15, 1980. The most hail reports came on October 15, 1980 (20). Tornadoes killed 1.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports. Data through November 6, 2026. Methodology

← September 1980 All 1980 storm days November 1980 →

36hail reports
82wind reports
43tornado reports
4.50″largest hail
14storm days
Oct 1: 0Oct 2: 0Oct 3: 0Oct 4: 0Oct 5: 0Oct 6: 0Oct 7: 0Oct 8: 0Oct 9: 0Oct 10: 0Oct 11: 1Oct 12: 0Oct 13: 0Oct 14: 0Oct 15: 20Oct 16: 5Oct 17: 0Oct 18: 4Oct 19: 0Oct 20: 0Oct 21: 0Oct 22: 0Oct 23: 2Oct 24: 0Oct 25: 0Oct 26: 1Oct 27: 0Oct 28: 3Oct 29: 0Oct 30: 0Oct 31: 0Oct 1Oct 4Oct 7Oct 10Oct 13Oct 16Oct 19Oct 22Oct 25Oct 28Oct 31max 20
Hail reports by day, October 1980

Source: National Storms (nationalstorms.com), CC BY 4.0, data from NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports.

Biggest storm days of October 1980

DayHailWindTornadoLargest hailStates
Oct 16, 198053981.75″8
Oct 15, 19802018114.50″6
Oct 17, 19800514–4
Oct 18, 19804421.50″3
Oct 25, 1980070–2
Oct 27, 1980016–3
Oct 28, 19803110.75″2
Oct 23, 19802201.75″2
Oct 11, 19801100.75″2
Oct 26, 19801101.75″1

Largest hail reported in October 1980

DaySizeLocation
Oct 15, 19804.50″ (softball)Garden County, NE
Oct 15, 19803.00″ (teacup)Lincoln County, NE
Oct 15, 19802.75″ (baseball)Ellis County, KS
Oct 15, 19801.75″ (golf ball)Harris County, TX
Oct 15, 19801.75″ (golf ball)Mitchell County, KS
Oct 15, 19801.75″ (golf ball)Jewell County, KS
Oct 15, 19801.75″ (golf ball)Real County, TX
Oct 15, 19801.75″ (golf ball)Bandera County, TX
Oct 15, 19801.75″ (golf ball)Nuckolls County, NE
Oct 15, 19801.75″ (golf ball)Kerr County, TX

Storm reports by state, October 1980

StateHailWindTornadoLargest hail
Texas151751.75″
Nebraska91984.50″
Kansas5942.75″
Mississippi0210–
Louisiana054–
Minnesota070–
Missouri2501.75″
South Dakota1500.75″
Arkansas014–
New York050–
Colorado2011.00″
Florida012–
Oklahoma1111.00″
Tennessee002–
Vermont020–
Georgia010–
Iowa001–
Maryland1000.75″
Michigan010–
North Carolina001–
Utah010–

Every storm day in October 1980

Oct 3 Oct 6 Oct 11 Oct 14 Oct 15 Oct 16 Oct 17 Oct 18 Oct 23 Oct 24 Oct 25 Oct 26 Oct 27 Oct 28

A storm day runs 7 a.m. to 7 a.m. Eastern (12:00–12:00 UTC), the convention the Storm Prediction Center uses. Read more about NOAA storm reports.