Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 1, 1997

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 1, 1997
Start: 1997-05-01T13:45
End: 1997-05-01T16:35
Location: Virginia

May 1, 1997 · NWS AKQ · 34 events in 22 counties and zones

21 hail, 12 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 2
Property damage: $17 million
Crop damage: $5,000
Events: 34

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 national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 hail, 12 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Mecklenburg

When: May 1, 1:45 PM EST
Where: Mecklenburg County, Boydton
Measured: 2 in hail
Coordinates: 36.670, -78.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Lunenburg

When: May 1, 1:50 PM EST
Where: Lunenburg County, Kenbridge
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 36.970, -78.150

Several trees down along Route 138. Power lines down also.

Thunderstorm Wind, Brunswick

When: May 1, 2:15 PM EST
Where: Brunswick County, 3 mi W of Lawrenceville
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 36.750, -77.880

Several trees down on Route 58.

Thunderstorm Wind, Prince George

When: May 1, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Prince George County, Templeton
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 37.070, -77.330

Roof caved in on residence. Outbuildings down. Siding stripped off mobile homes just south of Templeton.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dinwiddie

When: May 1, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Dinwiddie County, Dinwiddie
Property damage: $4,000
Coordinates: 37.080, -77.600

Numerous trees down across the county.

Hail, Greensville

When: May 1, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Greensville County, Purdy
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 36.820, -77.580

Hail, Brunswick

When: May 1, 2:38 PM EST
Where: Brunswick County, Lawrenceville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 36.750, -77.830

Hail, Sussex

When: May 1, 2:38 PM EST to 2:40 PM EST
Where: Sussex County, Stony Creek
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 36.950, -77.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Sussex

When: May 1, 2:40 PM EST
Where: Sussex County, Stony Creek
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 36.950, -77.400

Canopy ripped off of truck stop. Several 50-60 year old trees uprooted.

Hail, Brunswick

When: May 1, 2:45 PM EST
Where: Brunswick County, Lawrenceville
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 36.750, -77.830

Golfball size hail collapsed a portion of the roof at the Brunswick Academy.

Hail, Mecklenburg

When: May 1, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Mecklenburg County, South Hill
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 36.730, -78.130

Hail, Sussex

When: May 1, 3:01 PM EST
Where: Sussex County, Wakefield
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Coordinates: 36.970, -76.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Surry

When: May 1, 3:05 PM EST
Where: Surry County, 4 mi S of Surry
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 37.080, -76.850

Several trees down. Silos blown down.

Hail, Surry

When: May 1, 3:05 PM EST
Where: Surry County, Surry
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Coordinates: 37.130, -76.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Brunswick

When: May 1, 3:10 PM EST
Where: Brunswick County, Lawrenceville
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 36.750, -77.830

Downed tree broke windshield and peeled back roof of a car, and knocked out the windshield and side mirrors off of a tractor trailer.

Thunderstorm Wind, James City

When: May 1, 3:21 PM EST to 3:25 PM EST
Where: James City County, Jamestown to Toano
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 37.200, -76.780

A 58 mph wind gust was measured at the Jamestown Island Ferry. Also, several trees were downed with one tree falling on a vehicle near the town of Toano.

Thunderstorm Wind, Williamsburg (C)

When: May 1, 3:25 PM EST
Where: Williamsburg (C) County, Williamsburg
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 37.270, -76.720

Several trees down throughout the city.

Hail, Williamsburg (C)

When: May 1, 3:25 PM EST
Where: Williamsburg (C) County, Williamsburg
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.270, -76.720

Thunderstorm Wind, York

When: May 1, 3:30 PM EST
Where: York County, Yorktown
Property damage: $4,000
Coordinates: 37.230, -76.520

Numerous large trees down on Colonial Parkway.

Thunderstorm Wind, Southampton

When: May 1, 3:35 PM EST
Where: Southampton County, Johnson Corner
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 36.770, -78.270

Several trees down on power lines.

Hail, York

When: May 1, 3:40 PM EST
Where: York County, Grafton
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.170, -76.470

Hail, Newport News (C)

When: May 1, 3:40 PM EST
Where: Newport News (C) County, Newport News
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $1.0 million
Coordinates: 36.980, -76.420

Hail caused widespread damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles.

Thunderstorm Wind, Isle of Wight

When: May 1, 3:45 PM EST
Where: Isle of Wight County, 5 mi N of Isle of Wight
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 36.970, -76.700

Tree down on house.

Hail, York

When: May 1, 3:45 PM EST
Where: York County, Poquoson
Measured: 2 in hail
Coordinates: 37.130, -76.400

Hail, Gloucester

When: May 1, 3:45 PM EST
Where: Gloucester County, Achilles
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.280, -76.450

Hail, Hampton (C)

When: May 1, 3:46 PM EST
Where: Hampton (C) County, Hampton
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $1.0 million
Coordinates: 37.020, -76.350

Hail caused widespread damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles.

Hail, Northampton

When: May 1, 3:55 PM EST
Where: Northampton County, Capeville
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.200, -75.970

Hail, Southampton

When: May 1, 4:04 PM EST
Where: Southampton County, Vicksville
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Coordinates: 36.820, -77.020

Lightning, Northampton

When: May 1, 4:05 PM EST
Where: Northampton County, Cape Charles
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 37.301, -75.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning strike caused damage to church.

Hail, Suffolk (C)

When: May 1, 4:20 PM EST
Where: Suffolk (C) County, 4 mi NNE of Driver
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Coordinates: 36.870, -76.470

Hail, Norfolk (C)

When: May 1, 4:30 PM EST to 4:35 PM EST
Where: Norfolk (C) County, Norfolk
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $10 million
Coordinates: 36.870, -76.270

Hail caused widespread damage to homes, businesses and vehicles.

Hail, Virginia Beach (C)

When: May 1, 4:30 PM EST to 4:35 PM EST
Where: Virginia Beach (C) County, Virginia Beach
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $5.0 million
Coordinates: 36.850, -75.980

Hail caused widespread damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles.

Hail, Chesapeake (C)

When: May 1, 4:33 PM EST
Where: Chesapeake (C) County, Chesapeake
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 36.820, -76.270

Hail destroyed about one-third of a farmer's pea crop. Also, some homes were damaged by hail.

Hail, Portsmouth (C)

When: May 1, 4:35 PM EST
Where: Portsmouth (C) County, Portsmouth
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 36.820, -76.330

Many homes were damaged by hail.

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.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Virginia in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, 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: 5602734, 5602735, 5602850, 5602852, 5602853, 5602854, 5602851, 5602855, 5602856, 5602857, 5602859, 5602860, 5602861, 5602862, 5602858, 5602864, 5602868, 5602869, 5602865, 5602873, 5602866, 5602867, 5602863, 5602871, 5602872, 5602870, 5602875, 5602874, 5603000, 5602876, 5602877, 5602998, 5602999, 5602997.