Storm reports for May 6, 1997

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

← May 5, 1997 All 1997 storm days · May 1997 May 7, 1997 →

Other storms on May 6 →

On May 6, 1997, 34 hail, 60 damaging-wind and 3 tornado reports were logged across 13 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Deaf Smith County, TX.

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 (34)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $428,000 in property damage, $25,000 in crop damage and 14 injuries from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (105 events in 15 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Lea County, NM (near Hobbs) · Tornado F1 · $60,000
  “A strong mesocyclone on the leading edge of the severe thunderstorm moving to the ESE produced a tornado on the southeast flank of the storm. This storm displayed some characteristics of an HP supercell, but with much of the forward flank missing.Damage ranged from F0 on the southern end (probably…”
• Bradford County, PA (near Silvara) · Thunderstorm wind · $40,000
  “A line of severe thunderstorms rapidly developed over northern Pennsylvania with the northern end of the line moving across Bradford county. Strong winds associated with these storms seriously damaged a barn in Silvara township around 1030 am EDT.”
• Luzerne County, PA (near East Berwick) · Thunderstorm wind · $30,000
  “A line of severe thunderstorms responsible for producing wind damage in Bradford and Wyoming counties ripped through the northern half of Luzerne county between 1030 and 1100 am EDT. Numerous large trees and wires were downed in East Berwick and Salem townships around 1040 am.”
• Sullivan County, NY (near Wurtsboro) · Thunderstorm wind · $15,000
  “A cluster of thunderstorms became severe near the Delaware river and moved through southern portions of the county, producing scattered wind damage. Trees and wires were downed in Wurtsboro around 1210 pm EDT and in Bloomingburg about 1215 pm.”
• Wyoming County, PA (near Tunkhannock) · Thunderstorm wind · $10,000
  “A different part of the squall line that was also responsible for wind damage in Bradford county caused isolated damage in central Wyoming county. Trees and power lines were downed in Tunkhannock around 1030 am EDT.”
• Pike County, PA (near Milford) · Thunderstorm wind · $10,000
  “Thunderstorms intensified to severe levels over Pike county just after 12 noon EDT. Numerous large trees and power lines were blown down in Milford around 1220 pm.”

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