Storm reports for May 19, 1997

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

← May 18, 1997 All 1997 storm days · May 1997 May 20, 1997 →

Other storms on May 19 →

On May 19, 1997, 16 hail, 92 damaging-wind and 4 tornado reports were logged across 14 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Callahan 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 (16)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $1 million in property damage, $25,000 in crop damage and 15 injuries from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (119 events in 15 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Luzerne County, PA (near Dallas) · Thunderstorm wind · $150,000
  “A bow echo type severe thunderstorm raced across northern sections of the county between 800 pm EDT and 900 pm. Widespread wind damage resulted, especially in the Wyoming Valley. West of Dallas township, numerous trees were uprooted and toppled around 820 pm.”
• Clermont County, OH (near Bethel) · Thunderstorm wind 69 mph · $100,000
  “Numerous trees downed with some falling on residences and a church.”
• Lackawanna County, PA (near Dalton) · Thunderstorm wind · $80,000
  “The same line of severe storms that produced widespread damage in Luzerne county moved through Lackawanna county between 845 pm EDT and 930 pm, producing additional wind damage. At 845 pm, numerous trees and power lines were downed just east of Dalton.”
• Callahan County, TX (near Cross Plains) · Tornado F1 · $50,000
  “A downpour of rain and hail lasted about 12 minutes, and left a narrow strip of ground completely covered with hail. While hail was destroying the garden of this residence, a tornado touched down for a few seconds. The roof was ripped apart and the fireplace was destroyed.”
• Brown County, TX (near Brownwood) · Hail 1.75″ · $50,000
  “Hail up to golfball-size fell over most of the city of Brownwood.”
• Wayne County, PA (near Lake Ariel) · Thunderstorm wind · $50,000
  “Severe thunderstorms that inflicted considerable wind damage on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton vicinity moved through Wayne county between 910 pm EDT and 945 pm. At 910 pm, numerous large trees and wires were blown down in Lake Ariel.”

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