Storm reports for August 19, 1997

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

← Aug 18, 1997 All 1997 storm days · August 1997 Aug 20, 1997 →

Other storms on August 19 →

On August 19, 1997, 12 hail, 28 damaging-wind and 1 tornado reports were logged across 11 states. The largest hail reported was 2.75″ (baseball size) in Smith County, TN.

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 (12)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $93,000 in property damage and $4,000 in crop damage from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (46 events in 11 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Graves County, KY (near Mayfield Graves Arpt) · Thunderstorm wind 69 mph · $30,000
  “A 20-foot section of roof was blown off a building on the north side of Mayfield. Metal awning poles were blown through the plate glass window of a building next door. Several trees and power lines were down on Highway 80 near the Graves County Airport.”
• White County, TN (near Countywide) · Thunderstorm wind 58 mph · $20,000
  “911 center reported several trees and larger limbs down around the county. A tree fell on a house in the Cherry Creek area, which is 5.7 miles NNE of Sparta. Also, an out building was demolished by the strong thunderstorm winds.”
• Putnam County, TN (near Baxter) · Thunderstorm wind · $20,000
  “Local fire department reported trees and power lines were down around Baxter. One home had a roof blown off by the strong thunderstorm winds.”
• Covington County, AL (near Libertyville) · Thunderstorm wind 58 mph · $5,000
  “Several trees were blown down near Libertyville and also near Wing. Two funnel clouds were observed in the area but they never touched the ground.”
• Gibson County, TN (near Kenton) · Thunderstorm wind · $5,000
  “A few trees and power lines were knocked down.”
• St. Johns County, FL (near Ponte Vedra Beach) · Thunderstorm wind · $3,000
  “Large trees and power lines were blown down.”

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