Hail and Damaging Wind in Alabama, April 17, 1998

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Alabama, April 17, 1998
Start: 1998-04-17T16:45
End: 1998-04-17T17:00
Location: Alabama

April 17, 1998 · NWS MOB · 2 events in 1 county or zone

Thunderstorms moved from Mississippi into Washington county late Friday afternoon. Trees and power lines were blown down across much of the southwest part of the county.

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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $250,000
Crop damage: $20,000
Events: 2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MOB wrote it up.

Thunderstorms moved from Mississippi into Washington county late Friday afternoon. Trees and power lines were blown down across much of the southwest part of the county. Electricity was knocked out until the next day in many locations. Some of the trees fell onto homes and caused damage. The public reported winds of 80 to 90 mph that lasted for about ten minutes. During this time, baseball size hail also fell across the area. Homes that had windows facing west had them broken. West facing sides of many homes also sustained hail damage; many roofs were also damaged. Large hail, jagged in appearance, lasted for about two minutes. No one was injured.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: April 17, 4:45 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Deer Park to Fruitdale
Measured: 80 kt (92 mph)
Property damage: $200,000
Coordinates: 31.220, -88.320

Hail, Washington

When: April 17, 4:45 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Deer Park to Fruitdale
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $50,000
Crop damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 31.220, -88.320

What these are

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Alabama in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Alabama, April 1998

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: 5642584, 5642585.