Storm reports for May 3, 2003

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 3 →

On May 3, 2003, 238 hail, 28 damaging-wind and 14 tornado reports were logged across 17 states. The largest hail reported was 4.25″ (grapefruit size) in Haskell County, TX.

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 (238)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $7.7 million in property damage, $3.5 million in crop damage and 1 injury from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (280 events in 17 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Scotland County, NC (near Laurel Hill) · Hail 1.75″ · $5 million
  “Hail from golfball sized to dime sized covered the ground, clogging storm drains.”
• Davidson County, NC (near Linwood) · Hail 2.75″ · $1 million
  “A buisness near Highway 8 and 47 was damaged by baseball sized hail.”
• Davidson County, NC (near Lexington) · Hail 1.75″ · $250,000
  “A manufacturing plant sustained damage from golfball sized hail. Cars, roofs, and windows were also damaged in the area.”
• Rutherford County, NC (near Rutherfordton) · Thunderstorm wind 69 mph · $100,000
  “Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Some trees fell on and damaged structures. A portion of a roof was blown off of one building.”
• Morrill County, NE (near Angora) · Tornado F1 · $100,000
  “Tornado destroyed mobile home, damaged a wind mill and damaged an irrigation center pivot. Power lines also blown down along track.”
• Scotts Bluff County, NE (near Mc Grew) · Tornado F1 · $100,000
  “Tornado moved north downing power lines and damaging or destroying numerous outbuildings.”

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