Storm reports for August 17, 1997

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

← Aug 16, 1997 All 1997 storm days · August 1997 Aug 18, 1997 →

Other storms on August 17 →

On August 17, 1997, 21 hail, 142 damaging-wind and 6 tornado reports were logged across 21 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Jefferson County, OK.

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 (21)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $5.6 million in property damage, $20,000 in crop damage, 5 injuries and 1 death from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (178 events in 21 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Taylor County, WV (near Grafton) · Thunderstorm wind · $5,000 · 1 death
  “A 40 year old man was killed, while driving on Route 50, when a large tree branch struck his vehicle.”
• Clay County, TX (near Jolly) · Thunderstorm wind · $2.3 million · 2 injuries
  “Severe thunderstorm winds blew a train car off the tracks, which in turn caused the rest of the freight train to derail. In all, 30 cars and 2 engines were derailed. One train car smashed into two automobiles and a tractor trailer that were parked on a parallel highway.”
• Dawson County, TX (near Lamesa) · Thunderstorm wind 75 mph · $8,000 · 1 injury
  “A microburst in southwest Dawson County caused damage on a couple of properties. One metal shed and two wooden sheds were destroyed by the winds. A greenhouse was heavily damaged and a travel trailer with two occupants was pushed up against an adjacent barn.”
• Wood County, WV (near Lubeck) · Thunderstorm wind · $200,000
  “A total of 25 homes were damaged by fallen trees from Parkersburg on south and west, including the Lubeck and Mineralwells region. Sheds and cars were also damaged. One of the hardest hit regions in Parkersburg was the Meadowcrest region.”
• Washington County, OH (near Belpre) · Thunderstorm wind · $115,000
  “The city's safety-service director said more than 100 trees were downed in the city. He estimated wind gusts of around 70 mph. Roofs were damaged by fallen trees. Some city residents even reported their vehicles were lifted off the pavement.”
• Hamilton County, OH (near Countywide) · Thunderstorm wind 69 mph · $100,000
  “Numerous trees and power lines were downed across the county by the thunderstorm winds. Lunken Field reported a wind gust to 60 mph. Moderate damage occurred to the Goodyear blimp "Spirit of Akron", which was parked at the airport at the time of the storm.”

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