Storm reports for May 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 May 17 →

On May 17, 1998, 35 hail, 11 damaging-wind and 5 tornado reports were logged across 7 states. The largest hail reported was 2.75″ (baseball size) in Orangeburg County, SC.

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 (35)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $495,000 in property damage, $125,000 in crop damage and 2 injuries from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (61 events in 7 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• McHenry County, ND (near Upham) · Thunderstorm wind 70 mph · $40,000
  “New machine shop destroyed, equipment in shop OK.”
• Jeff Davis County, TX (near Ft Davis) · Thunderstorm wind · $30,000
  “Winds from a collapsing thunderstorm damaged the hospital exhibit building at the Fort Davis National Historic Site. A sixty foot section of the porch along with columns and a 12-foot overhang for the porch were all thrown on top of the roof of the structure.”
• Baraga County, MI (near Baraga) · Thunderstorm wind 63 mph · $5,000
  “Thunderstorm winds tore off part of the Lakeside Inn's copper roof and downed large maple trees in Baraga State Park campground.”
• Georgetown County, SC (near Georgetown) · Thunderstorm wind 69 mph
  “Thunderstorm winds caused power outages across the city.”
• Baraga County, MI (near Pelkie) · Thunderstorm wind 66 mph
  “An automatic weather station reported a 64 mph wind gust.”
• Brewster County, TX (near Alpine) · Thunderstorm wind 58 mph
  “Downbursting thunderstorm winds gusted to 58 mph at a radio station in Alpine.”

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