Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, July 18, 1994

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, July 18, 1994
Start: 1994-07-18T05:00
End: 1994-07-18T19:20
Location: Minnesota

July 18, 1994 · 29 events in 13 counties and zones

25 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 29 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $500
Crop damage: $50 million
Events: 29

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

25 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Stevens

When: July 18, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Stevens County, Chokio
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.586, -96.000 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several hundred acres of crops were damaged by large hail around Chokio.

Hail, Traverse

When: July 18, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Traverse County, Wheaton
Measured: 1 in hail
Crop damage: $50 million
Coordinates: 45.772, -96.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The combination of large hail and strong winds destroyed over 130,000 acres of crops in Traverse County causing an estimated $20 million damage.

Hail, Big Stone

When: July 18, 7:30 AM CST
Where: Big Stone County, Ortonville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Crop damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 45.426, -96.411 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail fell for several minutes and piled up about one-half foot deep on roads.

Hail, Big Stone

When: July 18, 11:20 AM CST
Where: Big Stone County, Graceville
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.426, -96.411 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The combination of large hail and strong winds destroyed over 120,000 acres of crops. Estimated damage costs were up to $15 million across Big Stone County

Hail, Big Stone

When: July 18, 11:45 AM CST
Where: Big Stone County, Clinton
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.426, -96.411 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The combination of large hail and strong winds destroyed over 120,000 acres of crops. Estimated damage costs were up to $15 million across Big Stone County

Hail, Lac Qui Parle

When: July 18, 12:35 PM CST
Where: Lac Qui Parle County, Nassau
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.996, -96.173 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds and hail damaged an estimated 20,000 acres of crops.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lac Qui Parle

When: July 18, 12:35 PM CST
Where: Lac Qui Parle County, Nassau
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 44.996, -96.173 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds and hail damaged an estimated 20,000 acres of crops.

Hail, Yellow Medicine

When: July 18, 1:30 PM CST
Where: Yellow Medicine County, Canby
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.716, -95.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Yellow Medicine

When: July 18, 1:30 PM CST
Where: Yellow Medicine County, Canby
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 44.716, -95.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lyon

When: July 18, 1:40 PM CST
Where: Lyon County, Taunton
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.414, -95.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lyon

When: July 18, 1:44 PM CST
Where: Lyon County, Minneota
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.414, -95.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lyon

When: July 18, 1:45 PM CST
Where: Lyon County, Marshall
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 44.414, -95.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lincoln

When: July 18, 2:40 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, Hendricks
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.413, -96.267 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Yellow Medicine

When: July 18, 2:44 PM CST
Where: Yellow Medicine County, Canby
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.716, -95.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Yellow Medicine

When: July 18, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Yellow Medicine County, St. Leo
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.716, -95.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Murray

When: July 18, 3:05 PM CST
Where: Murray County, Dovray
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.022, -95.763 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Murray

When: July 18, 3:20 PM CST
Where: Murray County, Dovray
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 44.022, -95.763 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Jackson

When: July 18, 3:58 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, Heron Lake
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 43.674, -95.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Pipestone

When: July 18, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Pipestone County to Ruthton
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 44.023, -96.259 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Pipestone

When: July 18, 4:05 PM CST
Where: Pipestone County, Ruthton to to Holland
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.023, -96.259 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: July 18, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, Jackson
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Coordinates: 43.674, -95.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Jackson

When: July 18, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, Lakefield
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 43.674, -95.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Murray

When: July 18, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Murray County, Chandler
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.022, -95.763 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Martin

When: July 18, 4:35 PM CST
Where: Martin County, Alpha
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph)
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 43.674, -94.551 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds were reported of up to 67 mph in extreme Western Martin County.

Hail, Nobles

When: July 18, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Nobles County, Leota
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Coordinates: 43.674, -95.753 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Jackson

When: July 18, 5:05 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, Spafford
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 43.674, -95.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Nobles

When: July 18, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Nobles County, Leota
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Coordinates: 43.674, -95.753 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Nobles

When: July 18, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Nobles County, Lismore
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 43.674, -95.753 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Stearns

When: July 18, 7:20 PM CST
Where: Stearns County, Melrose
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 45.552, -94.613 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Minnesota in 1994 Every state in 1994 This day in weather history Warnings in Minnesota, July 1994

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10330762, 10330852, 10331661, 10331662, 10331663, 10331348, 10331349, 10331046, 10331047, 10331378, 10331379, 10331380, 10331365, 10331048, 10331049, 10330654, 10330655, 10331306, 10330921, 10330922, 10331307, 10331308, 10330656, 10331387, 10330729, 10331309, 10330730, 10330731, 10330684.