Storm reports for April 26, 1997

IndependentNot affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports. Data through November 6, 2026. Methodology

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Other storms on April 26 →

On April 26, 1997, 26 hail, 14 damaging-wind and 1 tornado reports were logged across 5 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Iberia Parish, LA.

Storm day runs 7 a.m. to 7 a.m. Eastern (12:00–12:00 UTC), the convention the Storm Prediction Center uses. Radar hail estimates start October 2019.

Storm reports by state

Cities with hail reported within 5 miles

Hail reports (26)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $164,000 in property damage from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (42 events in 5 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Manatee County, FL (near Bradenton) · Thunderstorm wind · $50,000
  “Several trees and power lines were downed throughout the city of Bradenton which left nearly 3,300 residents without electrical power for a couple of hours.”
• Highlands County, FL (near Sebring) · Thunderstorm wind 60 mph · $4,000
  “Thunderstorm winds downed power lines in Sebring.”
• Adams County, MS (near Natchez) · Thunderstorm wind · $3,000
  “Several trees were blown down in Natchez and a couple other locations throughout the county.”
• Rankin County, MS (near Brandon) · Thunderstorm wind · $3,000
  “Several trees were blown down across the county.”
• Manatee County, FL (near Bradenton) · Tornado F0 · $2,000
  “A short-lived tornado touched down south of De Soto Square Mall, lifted and moved east then touched down for a final time along the 1900 block of 27th Street.”
• Pasco County, FL (near Zephyrhills) · Thunderstorm wind · $1,000
  “Thunderstorm winds downed a couple of trees and numerous tree limbs in the city of Zephyrhills.”

Event narratives from NWS Storm Data, shortened. Up to six per day, chosen by deaths, injuries, damage and size.

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Storm Events Database, as entered by National Weather Service offices; data through July 31, 2026. Damage is in dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation.

Guides: What radar-estimated hail (MESH) is and isn't · Storm reports: preliminary vs final