Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, May 15 to 18, 1998

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, May 15 to 18, 1998
Start: 1998-05-15T20:45
End: 1998-05-18T22:47
Location: Minnesota

May 15 to 18, 1998 · NWS MPX · 44 events in 17 counties and zones

29 hail, 12 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud, 1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $1.0 million
Crop damage: $50,000
Events: 44

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 Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:55 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

29 hail, 12 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Goodhue

When: May 15, 8:45 PM CST
Where: Goodhue County, Stanton
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 44.410, -92.723 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

2 horses killed by falling tree hit which was hit by lightning.

Thunderstorm Wind, Goodhue

When: May 15, 8:55 PM CST
Where: Goodhue County, White Rock
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage: $1.0 million
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 44.470, -92.770

Roof blown off auto body shop. Estimated windspeed. Damage estimate for entire county.

Hail, Kandiyohi

When: May 18, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Kandiyohi County, Sunburg
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.350, -94.230

Hail, Kandiyohi

When: May 18, 3:45 PM CST
Where: Kandiyohi County, 15 mi NW of Willmar
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 45.280, -95.270

Hail, Stearns

When: May 18, 4:24 PM CST
Where: Stearns County, 6 mi NE of Paynesville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.450, -94.650

Hail, Stearns

When: May 18, 4:24 PM CST
Where: Stearns County, Roscoe
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.430, -94.650

Hail, Stearns

When: May 18, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Stearns County, 1 mi S of Richmond
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.430, -94.530

Hail, Meeker

When: May 18, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Meeker County, 12 mi N of Litchfield
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.300, -94.530

Hail, Meeker

When: May 18, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Meeker County, 2 mi S of Litchfield
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Crop damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 45.100, -94.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: May 18, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Sauk Rapids
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 45.600, -94.170

Damage to door. Estimated windspeed.

Hail, Stearns

When: May 18, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Stearns County, 5 mi W of Kimball
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 45.320, -94.400

Hail, Meeker

When: May 18, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Meeker County, Litchfield
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.130, -94.530

Hail, Meeker

When: May 18, 5:47 PM CST
Where: Meeker County, 1 mi SW of Cedar Mills
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.920, -94.550

Hail damage to crops. Estimated hail size.

Thunderstorm Wind, Redwood

When: May 18, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Redwood County, 1 mi N of Morgan
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates: 44.430, -94.920

Roof off hog farm.

Hail, Meeker

When: May 18, 6:02 PM CST
Where: Meeker County, Kingston
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.200, -94.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Meeker

When: May 18, 6:05 PM CST
Where: Meeker County, Dassel
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 45.080, -94.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Redwood

When: May 18, 6:05 PM CST
Where: Redwood County, Morgan
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates: 44.420, -94.920

Bridge plank blown into LP tank, knocking the valve off the LP tank. Vapors forced the evacuation of 2 city blocks.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wright

When: May 18, 6:09 PM CST
Where: Wright County, Cokato
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates: 45.080, -94.200

Hail, McLeod

When: May 18, 6:10 PM CST
Where: McLeod County, 6 mi NW of Hutchinson
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.950, -94.450

Hail, Renville

When: May 18, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Renville County, Hector
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.750, -94.720

Funnel Cloud, Hennepin

When: May 18, 6:51 PM CST
Where: Hennepin County, Shorewood
Coordinates: 45.005, -93.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Wright

When: May 18, 7:05 PM CST
Where: Wright County, Howard Lake
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 45.070, -94.080

Funnel Cloud, Hennepin

When: May 18, 7:10 PM CST
Where: Hennepin County, Minnetonka
Coordinates: 45.005, -93.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, McLeod

When: May 18, 7:15 PM CST
Where: McLeod County, Winsted
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates: 44.970, -94.050

Hail, Todd

When: May 18, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Todd County, Burtrum
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.870, -94.700

Hail, Kandiyohi

When: May 18, 7:20 PM CST
Where: Kandiyohi County, Lake Lillian
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.950, -94.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Wright

When: May 18, 7:23 PM CST
Where: Wright County, South Haven
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 45.300, -94.220

Trees down. Estimated windspeed.

Hail, Stearns

When: May 18, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Stearns County, Richmond
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.450, -94.530

Hail, Stearns

When: May 18, 7:45 PM CST
Where: Stearns County, 3 mi S of Albany
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 45.580, -94.570

Hail, Brown

When: May 18, 8:05 PM CST
Where: Brown County, New Ulm
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.320, -94.470

Hail, Nicollet

When: May 18, 8:20 PM CST
Where: Nicollet County, Courtland
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.270, -94.350

Hail, Stearns

When: May 18, 8:23 PM CST
Where: Stearns County, Rockville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 45.470, -94.330

Hail, Dakota

When: May 18, 8:30 PM CST
Where: Dakota County, Mendota Hgts
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 44.880, -93.150

Hail, Blue Earth

When: May 18, 8:30 PM CST
Where: Blue Earth County, 2 mi S of Cambria
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.200, -94.320

Hail, Blue Earth

When: May 18, 8:30 PM CST
Where: Blue Earth County, 2 mi S of Cambria
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.200, -94.320

Hail, Blue Earth

When: May 18, 8:40 PM CST
Where: Blue Earth County, Judson
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.200, -94.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Goodhue

When: May 18, 8:50 PM CST
Where: Goodhue County, 5 mi SW of Goodhue
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 44.350, -92.700

Estimated wind.

Hail, Nicollet

When: May 18, 8:55 PM CST
Where: Nicollet County, 5 mi NW of North Mankato
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 44.230, -94.080

Hail, Scott

When: May 18, 8:55 PM CST
Where: Scott County, 5 mi E of Jordan
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.670, -93.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Goodhue

When: May 18, 8:55 PM CST
Where: Goodhue County, 5 mi SE of Goodhue
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Coordinates: 44.350, -92.570

Power lines down. Estimated windspeed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Goodhue

When: May 18, 8:55 PM CST
Where: Goodhue County, Cannon Falls
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Coordinates: 44.520, -92.900

Trees blown down. Estimated windspeed.

Hail, Nicollet

When: May 18, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Nicollet County, 5 mi NW of North Mankato
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.230, -94.080

Hail, Nicollet

When: May 18, 9:05 PM CST
Where: Nicollet County, North Mankato
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.180, -94.020

Occurred at television station.

Hail, Waseca

When: May 18, 10:47 PM CST
Where: Waseca County, 5 mi N of Janesville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.180, -93.720

What these are

Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Minnesota in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Minnesota, 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: 5648954, 5648953, 5648825, 5648826, 5648827, 5648942, 5648828, 5648853, 5648946, 5648944, 5648829, 5648830, 5648947, 5648834, 5648945, 5648831, 5648835, 5648832, 5648950, 5648833, 5648943, 5648948, 5648941, 5648836, 5648837, 5648838, 5648949, 5648839, 5648840, 5648841, 5648842, 5648843, 5648844, 5648845, 5648951, 5648846, 5648847, 5648848, 5648849, 5648850, and more.