Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Minnesota, May 30, 1998

Name: Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Minnesota, May 30, 1998
Start: 1998-05-30T22:30
End: 1998-05-30T23:35
Location: Minnesota

May 30, 1998 · NWS ARX · 19 events in 7 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $528,000
Crop damage: $178,000
Events: 19

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.

Wind gusts as high as 75 mph caused widespread damage, blowing down numerous trees and disrupting power to thousands. In fact, a power outage on a farm near Hart caused the death of 500 hogs due to asphyxiation. Several barns were damaged, one of which collapsed, killing six cattle near Ridgeway. Another barn near Hart caught fire when it was hit by lightning, but no livestock were injured.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mower

When: May 30, 10:30 PM CST
Where: Mower County, Austin
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 43.670, -92.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Olmsted

When: May 30, 10:30 PM CST
Where: Olmsted County, Rochester
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage: $75,000
Coordinates: 44.030, -92.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Olmsted

When: May 30, 10:30 PM CST
Where: Olmsted County, Rochester
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 44.030, -92.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Olmsted

When: May 30, 10:35 PM CST
Where: Olmsted County, Byron
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 44.030, -92.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Olmsted

When: May 30, 10:35 PM CST
Where: Olmsted County, 3 mi S of Eyota
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Property damage: $40,000
Coordinates: 43.930, -92.230

Thunderstorm Wind, Olmsted

When: May 30, 10:36 PM CST
Where: Olmsted County, Rochester
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Property damage: $35,000
Coordinates: 44.030, -92.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Dodge

When: May 30, 10:40 PM CST
Where: Dodge County, Dodge Center
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $18,000
Coordinates: 44.030, -92.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Wabasha

When: May 30, 10:47 PM CST
Where: Wabasha County, Wabasha
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $40,000
Crop damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 44.380, -92.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Wabasha

When: May 30, 10:50 PM CST
Where: Wabasha County, Plainview
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 44.170, -92.170

Thunderstorm Wind, Fillmore

When: May 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Fillmore County, Spring Vly
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Crop damage: $28,000
Coordinates: 43.680, -92.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Olmsted

When: May 30, 11:10 PM CST
Where: Olmsted County, Byron
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Crop damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 44.030, -92.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Winona

When: May 30, 11:10 PM CST
Where: Winona County, 5 mi N of St Charles
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 44.030, -92.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Winona

When: May 30, 11:12 PM CST
Where: Winona County, Winona
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph)
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 44.050, -91.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Winona

When: May 30, 11:15 PM CST
Where: Winona County, Hart
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage: $40,000
Coordinates: 43.880, -91.730

Thunderstorm Wind, Fillmore

When: May 30, 11:15 PM CST
Where: Fillmore County, Ostrander
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage: $35,000
Crop damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 43.620, -92.430

Lightning, Winona

When: May 30, 11:15 PM CST
Where: Winona County, Hart
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.987, -91.779 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Wabasha

When: May 30, 11:30 PM CST
Where: Wabasha County, Lake City
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage: $45,000
Coordinates: 44.450, -92.270

Thunderstorm Wind, Fillmore

When: May 30, 11:30 PM CST
Where: Fillmore County, Canton
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 43.530, -91.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Houston

When: May 30, 11:35 PM CST
Where: Houston County, Caledonia
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Crop damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 43.630, -91.500

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.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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: 5642082, 5642177, 5642178, 5642083, 5642179, 5642084, 5642089, 5642085, 5642183, 5642180, 5642086, 5642175, 5642087, 5642088, 5642176, 5642184, 5642181, 5642182, 5642090.