Storm reports for May 22, 2004

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 22 →

On May 22, 2004, 200 hail, 148 damaging-wind and 66 tornado reports were logged across 20 states. The largest hail reported was 5.50″ (softball size) in Story County, IA. Tornadoes killed 1.

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 (200)

Damage, injuries and deaths

National Weather Service offices recorded about $190 million in property damage, $5.4 million in crop damage, 43 injuries and 1 death from hail, thunderstorm wind and tornadoes across the US on this storm day (419 events in 20 states). Injuries and deaths are those the events caused directly.

What the National Weather Service wrote

• Gwinnett County, GA (near Norcross) · Thunderstorm wind 45 mph · 3 injuries
  “The Gwinnett Daily-Post of Lawrenceville reported that three people were injured at Thrasher Park when a dead tree was blown over onto them by wind gusts associated with a thunderstorm.”
• Washington County, NE (near Blair) · Hail 2.75″ · $10 million
  “Hail up to baseball size fell in Blair and west through south of town. The hail caused extensive damage to cars and at least two large car dealerships were hit with over 4500 cars damaged.”
• Fillmore County, NE (near Countywide) · Thunderstorm wind 81 mph · $5 million
  “Straight-line winds from the rear flank downdraft of a supercell thunderstorm in Clay county rushed across Fillmore county. Damage was widespread across the county with over 50 center irrigation pivots damaged or destroyed. Minor structure damage and major tree damage was common.”
• Clay County, NE (near Spring Ranch) · Tornado F2 · $4.5 million
  “A large tornado moved out of Adams county and into central Clay county. Approximately 15 residences were hit by the tornado. Thirty-eight cars of a forty-nine car Union Pacific train were derailed southeast of Glenvil. Over 100 center irrigation pivots were damaged or destroyed across Clay County.”
• Thayer County, NE (near Belvidere) · Tornado F2 · $2.5 million
  “A tornado traveled 8 miles and damaged 6 farmsteads. One house was hit by the tornado. Damage was so severe; the owners burnt the 120 year old house. A machine shed was destroyed toward the end of the tornadoes path. Three semi-trucks were stacked on top of each other at one site.”
• Adams County, NE (near Ayr) · Tornado F1 · $1 million
  “A tornado traveled a 7 mile path in southeast Adams county and produced some damage, mainly to center pivot systems.”

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