Storm reports for May 20, 2002

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

← May 19, 2002 All 2002 storm days · May 2002 May 21, 2002 →

Other storms on May 20 →

On May 20, 2002, 12 hail, 2 damaging-wind and 1 tornado reports were logged across 2 states. The largest hail reported was 1.75″ (golf ball size) in Madera County, CA.

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 (12)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $130,000 in property damage and $25.9 million in crop damage from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (17 events in 2 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Madera County, CA (near Madera Muni Arpt) · Tornado F1 · $130,000
  “This tornado occurred from the explosive development of a cell along neighboring cells' outflow boundary convergence. The tornado track on the ground was 2.675 miles and mostly F0 in intensity and as wide as 100 yards.”
• Broadwater County, MT (near Toston) · Thunderstorm wind 75 mph
  “A severe thunderstorm near Toston tore the roof off a shed. The roof traveled 75 feet, before landing on top of a vehicle.”
• Madera County, CA (near Chowchilla) · Thunderstorm wind 58 mph
  “Several hundred trees were downed in an orchard east of Chowchilla due to strong wind accompanying approximately 1" of rain with the event.”
• Fresno County, CA (near Centerville) · Hail 1.00″
  “Swatch of hail 3-4 miles wide in the area.”
• Fresno County, CA (near Orange Cove) · Hail 0.75″
  “While the largest hail fell in the vicinity of Orange Cove...frequent lightning with this event continued at least until 1801 PDT based on spotter reports.”
• Merced County, CA (near Planada) · Hail 0.50″
  “Locally heavy rain and small hail led to spotty damage within Merced County. More substantial agricultural damage occurred in neighboring Central Valley counties to the south (see other reports).”

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