Storm reports for May 17, 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 17 →

On May 17, 2003, 40 hail, 83 damaging-wind and 9 tornado reports were logged across 11 states. The largest hail reported was 2.50″ (tennis ball size) in Meigs County, TN.

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 (40)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $1.7 million in property damage from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (137 events in 12 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Limestone County, AL (near Cairo) · Tornado F1 · $450,000
  “85 homes with minor roof and structural damage and nearly two hundred trees uprooted and snapped.”
• Lauderdale County, AL (near Rogersville) · Tornado F1 · $250,000
  “18 homes and around a hundred trees uprooted and snapped.”
• Clarke County, MS (near Carmichael) · Thunderstorm wind 63 mph · $50,000
  “Numerous trees and powerlines were blown down.”
• Clarke County, MS (near Shubuta) · Tornado F1 · $50,000
  “This tornado entered Clarke county from Jasper county at 1745 LST. This tornado downed dozens of trees along a spotty track which dissipated near DeSoto.”
• Harrison County, IN (near New Amsterdam) · Tornado F0 · $50,000
  “There was major roof damage to a barn just south of New Amsterdam. A mobile home in New Amsterdam was tossed about a hundred yards into the Ohio River. Witnesses spotted a tornado before the mobile home was blown away.”
• Lauderdale County, MS (near Whynot) · Thunderstorm wind 63 mph · $30,000
  “Numerous trees and powerlines were blown down.”

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