Storm reports for May 20, 1998

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

← May 19, 1998 All 1998 storm days · May 1998 May 21, 1998 →

Other storms on May 20 →

On May 20, 1998, 80 hail, 82 damaging-wind and 5 tornado reports were logged across 23 states. The largest hail reported was 3.50″ (teacup size) in Pottawatomie County, KS.

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 (80)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $465,000 in property damage and $102,000 in crop damage from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (182 events in 23 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Vanderburgh County, IN (near Evansville) · Thunderstorm wind · $100,000
  “A roof was blown off an industrial building on Diamond Avenue. Debris was scattered across First Avenue, which disrupted traffic. Trees and wires were blown down. About 3,000 Vanderburgh County electric customers were still without power a few hours later.”
• Montgomery County, OH (near Kettering) · Thunderstorm wind 69 mph · $15,000
  “Trees and power lines downed. Also, a wooden baseball dugout was completely destroyed.”
• Morrill County, NE (near Bayard) · Hail 1.75″ · $10,000
  “A storm produced golf ball size hail in Bayard.”
• Buchanan County, VA (near Grundy) · Thunderstorm wind · $10,000
  “The county sheriff reported several trees were blown down.”
• Jackson County, OH (near Oak Hill) · Thunderstorm wind · $10,000
  “The sheriff reported trees and power lines were knocked down.”
• Morgan County, IL (near Jacksonville) · Thunderstorm wind · $6,000
  “As a thunderstorm moved east across Morgan County its winds blew down several trees and power lines in Jacksonville and one mile east of Alexander. Also, the winds caused minor damage to the roof of a livestock building at the Morgan County Fairgrounds in Jacksonville. No injuries were 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