Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 18 to 19, 1998

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 18 to 19, 1998
Start: 1998-05-18T16:17
End: 1998-05-19T00:55
Location: Kansas

May 18 to 19, 1998 · NWS DDC · 50 events in 13 counties and zones

32 hail, 18 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: $5,000
Crop damage: $750,000
Events: 50

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 Dodge City radar (KDDC), 79 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:16 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

32 hail, 18 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Finney

When: May 18, 4:17 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 12 mi S of Garden City
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph)
Coordinates: 37.800, -100.870

Location was Plymell.

Hail, Finney

When: May 18, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 11 mi S of Garden City
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 37.800, -100.870

Hail, Finney

When: May 18, 4:21 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 13 mi S of Garden City
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 37.780, -100.870

Hail, Stanton

When: May 18, 4:56 PM CST
Where: Stanton County, 5 mi SE of Manter
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.470, -101.820

Hail, Stanton

When: May 18, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Stanton County, 6 mi SW of Johnson
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.500, -101.830

Hail, Finney

When: May 18, 5:01 PM CST
Where: Finney County, Garden City
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 37.970, -100.870

Hail, Finney

When: May 18, 5:02 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 11 mi W of Kalvesta
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.080, -100.430

Thunderstorm Wind, Finney

When: May 18, 5:02 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 11 mi W of Kalvesta
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates: 38.080, -100.430

Semi was blown over.

Hail, Hamilton

When: May 18, 4:09 PM MST
Where: Hamilton County, 11 mi SW of Kendall
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 37.820, -101.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton

When: May 18, 4:09 PM MST
Where: Hamilton County, 12 mi SSW of Kendall
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.770, -101.630

Hail, Finney

When: May 18, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 20 mi W of Kalvesta
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 38.080, -100.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: May 18, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 11 mi NE of Ulysses
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph)
Coordinates: 37.700, -101.220

Four inch diameter tree limbs blown down.

Hail, Finney

When: May 18, 6:08 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 16 mi E of Friend
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.270, -100.620

Hail, Finney

When: May 18, 6:15 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 23 mi N of Pierceville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 38.220, -100.670

Hail, Finney

When: May 18, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 14 mi ENE of Garden City
Measured: 1 in hail
Crop damage: $750,000
Coordinates: 38.050, -100.630

Fifty percent of the wheat crop destroyed.

Hail, Lane

When: May 18, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Lane County, 15 mi SSW of Amy
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.280, -100.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Finney

When: May 18, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 23 mi WNW of Kalvesta
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates: 38.200, -100.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Finney

When: May 18, 6:25 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 12 mi S of Garden City
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.800, -100.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Finney

When: May 18, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 20 mi NE of Garden City
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 38.170, -100.600

Trees uprooted and windows blown out of cars.

Thunderstorm Wind, Finney

When: May 18, 6:31 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 23 mi WNW of Kalvesta
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates: 38.200, -100.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Gray

When: May 18, 6:40 PM CST
Where: Gray County, 4 mi W of Charleston
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.870, -100.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Finney

When: May 18, 6:40 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 7 mi N of Kalvesta
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.180, -100.230

Hail, Lane

When: May 18, 6:49 PM CST
Where: Lane County, 12 mi S of Alamota
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.280, -100.320

Hail, Kearny

When: May 18, 6:55 PM CST
Where: Kearny County, Lakin to 15 mi E of Deerfield
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.950, -101.530

Hail, Ness

When: May 18, 7:10 PM CST
Where: Ness County, 13 mi SSW of Ness City
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.280, -100.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Hodgeman

When: May 18, 7:25 PM CST
Where: Hodgeman County, 8 mi N of Jetmore
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.200, -99.900

Hail, Hodgeman

When: May 18, 7:34 PM CST
Where: Hodgeman County, 8 mi N of Jetmore
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.200, -99.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When: May 18, 8:15 PM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Zook
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates: 38.050, -99.080

Hail, Grant

When: May 18, 8:19 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 1 mi NE of Ulysses
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.600, -101.350

Hail, Haskell

When: May 18, 8:40 PM CST
Where: Haskell County, 8 mi S of Satanta
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 37.320, -100.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Gray

When: May 18, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Gray County, Cimarron Arpt
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.830, -100.350

Hail, Gray

When: May 18, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Gray County, Copeland
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 37.530, -100.630

Hail, Haskell

When: May 18, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Haskell County, 11 mi NE of Sublette
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 37.600, -100.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Hodgeman

When: May 18, 9:05 PM CST
Where: Hodgeman County, 19 mi SW of Jetmore
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.880, -100.150

Thunderstorm Wind, Ford

When: May 18, 9:05 PM CST
Where: Ford County, 5 mi NNW of Howell
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates: 37.850, -100.220

Hail, Haskell

When: May 18, 9:15 PM CST
Where: Haskell County, 12 mi NNE of Tice
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.680, -100.630

Hail, Gray

When: May 18, 9:50 PM CST
Where: Gray County, 2 mi W of Ensign
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.650, -100.270

Hail, Ford

When: May 18, 9:50 PM CST
Where: Ford County, Dodge City
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.750, -100.020

Hail, Ford

When: May 18, 9:57 PM CST
Where: Ford County, 15 mi SW of Dodge City
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.600, -100.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Edwards

When: May 18, 10:00 PM CST
Where: Edwards County, 8 mi NW of Kinsley
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.000, -99.520

Hail, Ford

When: May 18, 10:04 PM CST
Where: Ford County, Dodge City
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 37.750, -100.020

Hail, Pawnee

When: May 18, 10:25 PM CST
Where: Pawnee County, 4 mi SW of Garfield
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.050, -99.300

Hail, Finney

When: May 18, 11:11 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 4 mi E of Kalvesta
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.080, -100.170

Hail, Hodgeman

When: May 18, 11:11 PM CST
Where: Hodgeman County, 6 mi W of Jetmore
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.080, -100.020

Hail, Pawnee

When: May 19, 12:17 AM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Garfield
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.080, -99.250

Hail, Ness

When: May 19, 12:45 AM CST
Where: Ness County, 5 mi E of Ness City
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.450, -99.800

Hail, Ness

When: May 19, 12:53 AM CST
Where: Ness County, 2 mi E of Bazine
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.450, -99.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Ness

When: May 19, 12:53 AM CST
Where: Ness County, 2 mi E of Bazine
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph)
Coordinates: 38.450, -99.650

Hail, Ness

When: May 19, 12:55 AM CST
Where: Ness County, 1 mi NE of Bazine
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.470, -99.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Ness

When: May 19, 12:55 AM CST
Where: Ness County, 1 mi NE of Bazine
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates: 38.470, -99.670

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 Kansas in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Kansas, May 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: 5647637, 5647638, 5647639, 5647640, 5647641, 5647642, 5647643, 5647644, 5647645, 5647646, 5647647, 5647603, 5647604, 5647605, 5647606, 5647607, 5647608, 5647609, 5647610, 5647611, 5647612, 5647613, 5647614, 5647615, 5647616, 5647617, 5647618, 5647619, 5647620, 5647621, 5647622, 5647623, 5647624, 5645748, 5647625, 5645749, 5645750, 5645751, 5645752, 5645753, and more.