Storm reports for April 17, 1998

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 April 17 →

On April 17, 1998, 57 hail, 36 damaging-wind and 2 tornado reports were logged across 8 states. The largest hail reported was 4.50″ (softball size) in Forrest County, MS.

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 (57)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $2.1 million in property damage and $141,000 in crop damage from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (107 events in 9 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Covington County, AL (near Opp) · Tornado F1 · $1 million
  “A tornado touched down just east of the Opp country club, then moved southeast crossing U S Highway 84 just south of downtown before lifting back into the cloud just west of U S Highway 331. The tornado damaged the Opp mill and tore off part of the roof from the South Highlands Elementary school.”
• Houston County, GA (near Hayneville) · Thunderstorm wind · $50,000
  “Sight survey by a NWS employee indicated a downburst from a severe thunderstorm destroyed a mobile home on County Line Road 12 miles south-southeast of Perry. About 20 large mature oak, cedar and pine trees were blown down. A very old graveyard was damaged by uprooting of huge oak trees.”
• Marion County, MS (near Columbia) · Thunderstorm wind · $50,000
  “Three homes, five mobile homes, and several barns were damaged.”
• Pulaski County, GA (near Hawkinsville) · Thunderstorm wind · $50,000
  “Sight survey by a NWS employee showed the damage path continued out of Houston county into Pulaski county. Over 150 pecan trees in 2 separate orchards were blown down. Very large oak and pine trees were also knocked down. An unoccupied mobile home was flipped and landed 30 to 40 feet away.”
• Dooly County, GA (near Lilly) · Thunderstorm wind · $40,000
  “A trailer was blown off its foundation in Lilly. Numerous trees were knocked down from Byromville to Vienna and over to Pinehurst. A barn or outbuilding was destroyed about 15 miles northeast of Vienna near highway 230. Small hail was also reported.”
• Pulaski County, GA (near Hawkinsville) · Thunderstorm wind · $25,000
  “Numerous trees were downed by thunderstorm winds, some falling on power lines causing power outages. Roofs were taken off houses. Quarter size hail was also reported.”

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