Storm reports for May 7, 1998

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

← May 6, 1998 All 1998 storm days · May 1998 May 8, 1998 →

Other storms on May 7 →

On May 7, 1998, 268 hail, 40 damaging-wind and 42 tornado reports were logged across 18 states. The largest hail reported was 4.50″ (softball size) in Rowan County, NC. Tornadoes killed 1.

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 (268)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $59.7 million in property damage, $229,000 in crop damage, 33 injuries and 1 death from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (388 events in 18 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Edgefield County, SC (near Edgefield) · Tornado F3 · $1 million · 1 death · 9 injuries
  “An F3 tornado either destroyed or severely damaged around 60 homes and mobile homes and a church. One person was killed when her mobile home took a direct hit and was completely destroyed. Widespread trees were taken down.”
• Lincoln County, GA (near Lincolnton) · Tornado F2 · $300,000 · 8 injuries
  “An F2 tornado hit the Pine Woods subdivision destryoing 12 homes and causing major damage to 15 homes and minor damage to 8 homes.”
• Forsyth County, NC (near Clemmons) · Tornado F3 · $50 million · 5 injuries
  “A large tornado tore through the Waterford Subdivision of Clemmons in southwest Forsyth county. The initial touchdown was at 630 pm local time. Several homes were completely destroyed, several hundred sustained major roof, wall, and window damage.”
• Caldwell County, NC (near Dudley Shoals) · Tornado F4 · $1.1 million · 2 injuries
  “A violent, F4 tornado touched down near Dudley Shoals then moved east-southeast cutting a winding path through valleys, to the Alexander county border. The damage path was 100 yards wide on average, but reached a width of 3/4 of a mile at times.”
• Edgefield County, SC (near Johnston) · Tornado F2 · $500,000 · 2 injuries
  “An F2 tornado touched down west of Johnston and moved into the community just after 8 pm EDT causing major damage to several homes and businesses.”
• Lexington County, SC (near Lexington) · Thunderstorm wind 58 mph · $15,000 · 2 injuries
  “Trees fell on a vehicle as it pulled out from under an over pass on I-20 at SC highway 34.”

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