Storm reports for May 16, 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 May 16 →

On May 16, 1997, 52 hail, 11 damaging-wind and 0 tornado reports were logged across 8 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Nodaway County, MO.

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 (52)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $40,000 in property damage and 2 injuries from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (79 events in 8 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Yavapai County, AZ (near Camp Verde) · Thunderstorm wind 58 mph · $5,000
  “A thunderstorm caused wind damage to eastern sections of Camp Verde. One report was received from the public of a tornado, but no witnesses could be found to verify this. We concluded the damage was caused by gusty winds, but no winds speeds were recorded.”
• Worth County, MO (near Sheridan) · Thunderstorm wind 75 mph
  “A local radio station reported a wind gust to 65 MPH at Sheridan during a severe thunderstorm.”
• Nodaway County, MO (near Barnard) · Thunderstorm wind 69 mph
  “Severe weather spotters reported wind gusts to 60 MPH about 5 miles south of Barnard during a severe thunderstorm.”
• Andrew County, MO (near Bolckow) · Thunderstorm wind 69 mph
  “Emergency Management officials reported wind gusts to 60 MPH at Bolckow during a severe thunderstorm.”
• Daviess County, MO (near Gallatin) · Thunderstorm wind 69 mph
  “A private citizen reported a wind gust to 60 MPH during a severe thunderstorm at Gallatin.”
• Nodaway County, MO (near Burlington Jct) · Hail 1.75″
  “Severe thunderstorms dropped large hail across the county. At Burlington Junction, the sheriff's office reported golfball-size hail . A local radio station in Maryville reported dime-size hail.”

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