Storm reports for April 18, 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 18 →

On April 18, 1998, 31 hail, 1 damaging-wind and 3 tornado reports were logged across 6 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Simpson 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 (31)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $178,000 in property damage and $41,000 in crop damage from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (38 events in 6 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Jefferson County, AL (near Bessemer) · Hail 1.75″ · $95,000
  “A large hail storm moved over Jefferson County, dropping hail ranging from dime size to golf ball size. Leaves were knocked off some trees. In the Birmingham area, hail was reported at McAdory, Lipscomb, Bessemer, Midfield, Pratt City, and throughout the city of Birminghami including the civic…”
• Calhoun County, AL (near Oxford) · Tornado F1 · $75,000
  “A small tornado developed over the Wellborn community. The Wellborn High School and Elementary School suffered extensive damage and the House of Prayer church in Wellborn had its roof blown partly off. The high school had damage done to its roof, air conditioning system and the softball field.”
• Sumter County, AL (near Sumterville) · Hail 1.75″ · $4,000
  “Golf ball size hail was reported in Sumterville.”
• Greene County, AL (near Boligee) · Hail 1.00″ · $2,000
  “Hail the size of quarters was reported near Boligee.”
• DeKalb County, AL (near Rainsville) · Hail 1.00″ · $2,000
  “Hail the size of quarters was reported in Rainsville.”
• Columbia County, GA (near Appling) · Thunderstorm wind 75 mph
  “Sheriff reported trees uprooted and numerous funnel cloud reports from public.”

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