Numerous thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours throughout much of Central California and reached severe limits in Merced and Madera Counties. The tornado at the Chowchilla Airport occurred with a severe thunderstorm warning of at least 10 minutes.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS HNX wrote it up.
Numerous thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours throughout much of Central California and reached severe limits in Merced and Madera Counties. The tornado at the Chowchilla Airport occurred with a severe thunderstorm warning of at least 10 minutes. Additional hail of 1/2" diameter, not reaching severe thresholds, also fell in Southwest Fresno County just west of Lemoore Naval Air Station.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 lightning, 1 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Merced County Sheriff reports plus reports from truck drivers indicated that hail was large and deep enough to cause cars to slide off State Highway 99 just north of the Merced/Madera County line.
Tornado touched down on northwest edge of airport property, moved two belt loaders 25 feet, and then arced to south before dissipating. Pea-size hail accompanied the storm to such an extent that it reached 2 inches in depth in the area.
A lightning strike on a 120-foot tree exploded the tree and rained debris down onto a family exiting the house below. No injuries although 5 members of the family were stunned by lightning.
Reported by spotter during storm chase.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for California, 1998Warnings in California, March 1998
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: 5637682, 5637683, 5637614, 5637615.