Storm reports for July 31, 1998

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

← Jul 30, 1998 All 1998 storm days · July 1998 Aug 1, 1998 →

Other storms on July 31 →

On July 31, 1998, 14 hail, 36 damaging-wind and 1 tornado reports were logged across 11 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Clear Creek County, CO.

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 (14)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $8.9 million in property damage and $1 million in crop damage from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (54 events in 10 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Yellowstone County, MT (near Billings) · Hail 1.25″ · $8 million
  “Numerous observations of large hail were reported by spotters, amateur radio operators and National Weather Service personnel. The hail damaged several vehicles in the Billings area, and also caused heavy damage to crops.”
• Maricopa County, AZ (near Mesa) · Thunderstorm wind · $500,000
  “About 60 power poles damaged or destroyed by winds gusting to at least 60 mph. Along Power Road some lines fell onto several cars.”
• Bladen County, NC (near Tar Heel) · Thunderstorm wind 75 mph · $200,000
  “Thunderstorm winds damaged trees, but the most significant effect was from lightning, which caused fires reported in White Oak, Dublin and Elizabethtown.”
• Orange County, FL (near Orlando) · Thunderstorm wind 81 mph · $80,000
  “Strong thunderstorm winds blew down hundreds of trees and damaged the roof of a Mc Donalds fast food store at the Disney area of southwest Orange County. The roof of a Hyatt Hotel was also damaged.”
• Columbus County, NC (near Whiteville) · Thunderstorm wind 81 mph · $50,000
  “Thunderstorms downed trees on power lines, cutting power to more than 600 customers in the county.”
• Brunswick County, NC (near Maco) · Thunderstorm wind 75 mph · $50,000
  “Thunderstorm winds downed trees, cutting power, and a person was struck and briefly injured by lightning.”

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