Storm reports for October 8, 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 October 8 →

On October 8, 1997, 28 hail, 101 damaging-wind and 13 tornado reports were logged across 8 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 (28)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $2.3 million in property damage, $11,000 in crop damage and 4 injuries from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (160 events in 8 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Lac qui Parle County, MN (near Haydenville) · Thunderstorm wind 63 mph · $1 million · 1 injury
  “Hog barn collapse resulted in one injury. Damage estimate for entire county.”
• Sherman County, KS (near Goodland) · Thunderstorm wind 81 mph · $100,000 · 1 injury
  “Gusts estimated to 80 mph caused a southbound truck-trailer to be lifted and thrown cab first into the east ditch. Driver sustained a hip injury. Rescuers were pelted by small hail.”
• Hubbard County, MN (near Nevis) · Thunderstorm wind · $70,000 · 1 injury
  “A large recreational vehicle was overturned a complete revolution in the wind with 2 people inside. The woman sustained a cut on her head.”
• Polk County, MN (near Climax) · Thunderstorm wind · $2,000 · 1 injury
  “The wind blew out a window on a tractor, injuring the man inside.”
• Atchison County, KS (near Muscotah) · Tornado F1 · $100,000
  “An F1 tornado touched down in Northeast Jackson County then tracked northeast through Western Atchison County south of Route 9 to 2 miles northwest of Muscotah.”
• Marion County, KS (near Pilsen) · Tornado F0 · $100,000
  “COMBINE FLIPPED ONTO IT'S SIDE AND ONE BARN RIPPED FROM IT'S FOUNDATION.”

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