Storm reports for May 8, 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 8 →

On May 8, 2003, 258 hail, 84 damaging-wind and 41 tornado reports were logged across 15 states. The largest hail reported was 4.75″ (softball size) in Mahaska County, IA.

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 (258)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $447 million in property damage, $361,000 in crop damage and 153 injuries from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (377 events in 14 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Oklahoma County, OK (near Del City) · Tornado F4 · $160 million · 89 injuries
  “This is the final segment of a tornado that moved east-northeast from Cleveland County, 1.5 miles west-northwest of Moore, into Oklahoma County crossing the county line at Southeast 89th Street.”
• Cleveland County, OK (near Moore) · Tornado F3 · $210 million · 45 injuries
  “This is the first segment of a tornado that began in Cleveland County and moved into Oklahoma County before dissipating 2.5 miles south-southeast of Choctaw. The tornado began in the area of Northwest 5th Street and Santa Fe Avenue in Moore, near the Church of Latter Day Saints.”
• Douglas County, KS (near Lawrence) · Tornado F2 · $6.4 million · 6 injuries
  “A tornado touched down in the southwest part of Lawrence and did considerable damage to the area. An apartment complex suffered major damage as did several other homes and residences in the area. Six people were injured and treated at a Lawrence hospital.”
• Chase County, KS (near Matfield Green) · Thunderstorm wind 81 mph · $380,000 · 6 injuries
  “Severe thunderstorm winds derailed 38 cars of a 118-car Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train. One of the derailed freight cars, a unibody tank car filled with sulphur dioxide, forced the evacuation of an estimated 250 residents.”
• Woodson County, KS (near Toronto) · Tornado F3 · $2.5 million · 3 injuries
  “Damage summary: Toronto: Outbuildings destroyed. 1N Toronto: Trees & limbs downed. 1W Batesville: Large trees uprooted and sheared off, sheet metal in trees, old wood shed destroyed. 1N Batesville: Oil tank 12-15 feet high toppled (leaked profusely), power pole blown over.”
• Anderson County, KS (near Colony) · Tornado F2 · $1.1 million · 3 injuries
  “A tornado formed 5 miles southeast of Colony and traveled a 15 mile path northeast before entering Linn county and dissipating. While in Anderson county the tornado injured 3 people, destroyed 7 homes and seriously damaged 2 others.”

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