Storm reports for May 5, 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 May 5 →

On May 5, 1998, 73 hail, 9 damaging-wind and 6 tornado reports were logged across 15 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Manatee County, FL.

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 (73)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $5.4 million in property damage, $620,000 in crop damage and 3 injuries from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (96 events in 15 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Santa Clara County, CA (near Los Altos) · Tornado F1 · $300,000 · 1 injury
  “A tornado briefly touched down in Los Altos CA on Alicia Way and continued to the Los Altos High School.A woman Tennis Coach at the high school was picked up and hurled around 20 feet and sustained injuries.”
• Seminole County, FL (near Winter Spgs) · Hail 1.00″ · 1 injury
  “One inch hail fell in Maitland injuring a woman. One inch hail also fell in Apopka.”
• Hillsborough County, FL (near Tampa) · Thunderstorm wind 85 mph · $500,000
  “Thunderstorm winds measured at 85 mph damaged nine parked aircraft and nine hanger doors at the Peter O. Knight Airport on Davis Island. At least 27 drydocked sailboats and five moored power boats were damaged by the thunderstorm wind at a marina on Davis Island.”
• Shelby County, TN (near Memphis) · Hail 1.75″ · $200,000
  “Over 400 homes in the Lakeland area were damaged by the hail. Hail ranged from quarter size in Memphis and Bartlett to baseball size in Arlington.”
• Kit Carson County, CO (near Burlington) · Thunderstorm wind 66 mph · $1,000
  “Estimated 60 to 70 mph winds blew out windows.”
• Brevard County, FL (near Titusville Ti Co Arp) · Thunderstorm wind 81 mph
  “Thunderstorm winds produced wind gusts to 70 knots turning a jet C23 jet aircraft on the tarmac.”

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