Storm reports for October 31, 1997

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

← Oct 30, 1997 All 1997 storm days · October 1997 Nov 1, 1997 →

Other storms on October 31 →

On October 31, 1997, 6 hail, 5 damaging-wind and 7 tornado reports were logged across 4 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Dent 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 (6)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $569,000 in property damage from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (18 events in 4 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Polk County, FL (near Mulberry) · Tornado F1 · $400,000
  “A tornado touched down and damaged a warehouse distribution center, overturned two tractor trailers, tore down 100 feet of chain link fence and blew down several power poles along State Road 60 near County Road 676.The tornado touched down a second time and damaged several roofs of homes and downed…”
• Manatee County, FL (near Bradenton) · Tornado F0 · $60,000
  “A tornado touched down and severely damaged a pool cage, barn roof and downed several oak trees near State Road 64 and Upper Manatee River Road.”
• Polk County, FL (near Mulberry) · Tornado F1 · $50,000
  “A tornado touched down along State Road 37 near State Road 640 and uprooted or snapped, half-way up, 50 to 60 pine trees, destroyed a shed and caused structural damage to a home in rural western Polk county before it lifted and dissipated.”
• Manatee County, FL (near Bradenton) · Thunderstorm wind · $15,000
  “Thunderstorm winds downed several trees and power lines near Cortez Road.”
• Hillsborough County, FL (near Tampa) · Tornado F0 · $10,000
  “A tornado briefly touched down at the Temple Heights Christian School football field near North 46th Street and Regnas Boulevard and lifted along Riverhills road in Tampa. The tornado snapped several large trees along it's narrow path before it lifted and dissipated.”
• Osceola County, FL (near St Cloud) · Thunderstorm wind · $10,000
  “Thunderstorm winds blew down a few trees in St. Cloud. Some trees fell on a house.”

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