Minnesota, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, July 20, 1998

July 20, 1998 · NWS ARX · 8 events in 4 counties and zones

Law enforcement and spotter groups reported winds gusts to 60 mph, with a gust to 85 mph on a ridgetop near Winona. Large trees and power lines were blown down.

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
$107,000
Crop damage
$55,000
Events
8

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 ARX wrote it up.

Law enforcement and spotter groups reported winds gusts to 60 mph, with a gust to 85 mph on a ridgetop near Winona. Large trees and power lines were blown down.

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 112 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:30 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Olmsted

When
July 20, 12:30 PM CST
Where
Olmsted County, Oronoco
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.170, -92.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Wabasha

When
July 20, 12:40 PM CST
Where
Wabasha County, Zumbro Falls
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$27,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.280, -92.430

Thunderstorm Wind, Olmsted

When
July 20, 12:45 PM CST
Where
Olmsted County, 2 mi W of Potsdam
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$12,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.170, -92.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Winona

When
July 20, 1:10 PM CST
Where
Winona County, Minnesota City
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$18,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.100, -91.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Winona

When
July 20, 1:15 PM CST
Where
Winona County, Winona
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.050, -91.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Olmsted

When
July 20, 1:20 PM CST
Where
Olmsted County, Predmore
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.930, -92.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Winona

When
July 20, 1:38 PM CST
Where
Winona County, 1 mi W of Winona
Measured
74 kt (85 mph)
Property damage
$15,000
Crop damage
$25,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.050, -91.670

Hail, Fillmore

When
July 20, 3:20 PM CST
Where
Fillmore County, Harmony
Measured
0.88 in hail
Crop damage
$30,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.550, -92.020

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

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, July 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: 5662404, 5662405, 5662406, 5662407, 5662408, 5662409, 5662410, 5662411.