Missouri, 1997

Hail and Damaging Winds in Missouri, May 18, 1997

May 18, 1997 · NWS EAX · 16 events in 12 counties and zones

14 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
16

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.

The radar

The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 153 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:16 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Grundy

When
May 18, 5:17 PM CST
Where
Grundy County, Laredo
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
40.030, -93.450

A Trenton radio station reported that hail an inch in diameter fell during a severe thunderstorm in Laredo.

Hail, Sullivan

When
May 18, 5:28 PM CST to 5:59 PM CST
Where
Sullivan County, Humphreys to 4 mi of Browning
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.080, -93.350

The public reported golfball-size hail 4 miles southwest of Humpheys and quarter-size hail in Browning during a severe thunderstorm.

Hail, Linn

When
May 18, 5:36 PM CST
Where
Linn County, 15 mi NW of Purdin
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
40.100, -93.380

The public reported nickel-size hail in Northwest Linn County along Route MM about 15 miles northwest of Purdin.

Hail, Sullivan

When
May 18, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Sullivan County, 1 mi E of Winigan
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.050, -92.880

Golfball-size hail was reported by the public about a mile east of Winigan.

Hail, Andrew

When
May 18, 6:36 PM CST
Where
Andrew County, 13 mi E of Savannah
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
39.930, -94.580

The public reported dime-size hail about 13 miles east of Savannah.

Hail, Jackson

When
May 18, 6:37 PM CST
Where
Jackson County, 1 mi N of Oak Grove
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
39.020, -94.130

Jackson County Emergency Management reported dime-size hail about a mile north of Oak Grove.

Hail, De Kalb

When
May 18, 6:37 PM CST
Where
De Kalb County, 10 mi S of Union Star
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
39.830, -94.600

A spotter reported dime-size hail along Route F about 10 miles south of Union Star.

Hail, Adair

When
May 18, 6:46 PM CST to 7:39 PM CST
Where
Adair County, Novinger to Kirksville
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
40.230, -92.700

Spotters and a Kirksville radio station reported dime to nickel-size hail near Novinger, Greentop and Kirksville.

Hail, Schuyler

When
May 18, 7:10 PM CST
Where
Schuyler County, 5 mi E of Greentop
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
40.350, -92.470

Spotters reported one inch diameter hail 5 miles east of Greentop.

Hail, Clay

When
May 18, 7:46 PM CST to 7:55 PM CST
Where
Clay County, Kearney
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
39.370, -94.370

A storm spotter reported one inch diameter hail in Kearney along I-35.

Hail, Macon

When
May 18, 7:51 PM CST
Where
Macon County, Gifford
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.030, -92.680

Spotters reported dime-size hail along the southern end of Gifford.

Hail, Platte

When
May 18, 7:52 PM CST
Where
Platte County, Waldron
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
39.230, -94.800

The Platte County Sheriff Office reported nickel-size hail at Waldron.

Hail, Adair

When
May 18, 7:55 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Adair County, Kirksville
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.200, -92.580

A Kirksville radio station reported that golfball-size hail fell for 5 minutes during a severe thunderstorm.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clay

When
May 18, 7:55 PM CST
Where
Clay County, Kearney
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates
39.370, -94.370

A spotter reported a 60 MPH wind gust along I-35 in Kearney during a severe thunderstorm.

Hail, Caldwell

When
May 18, 8:27 PM CST
Where
Caldwell County, 4 mi SW of Hamilton
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
39.700, -94.050

A spotter reported golfball-size hail 4 miles southwest of Hamilton near the intersection of highway 13 and Route P.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When
May 18, 9:03 PM CST
Where
Jackson County, Lees Summit
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates
38.920, -94.380

Lee's Summit Fire Department reported several large trees down from thunderstorm wind gusts to 65 MPH.

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

More

Every storm in Missouri in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, May 1997

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: 5585340, 5585341, 5585342, 5585343, 5585542, 5585344, 5585543, 5585345, 5585347, 5585544, 5585348, 5585547, 5585346, 5585545, 5585546, 5585548.