Hail and Damaging Wind in Oregon, May 4, 1998

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Oregon, May 4, 1998
Start: 1998-05-04T14:25
End: 1998-05-04T16:45
Location: Oregon

May 4, 1998 · NWS PDT · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

1 heavy rain, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 Pendleton radar (KPDT), 209 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:43 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 heavy rain, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Crook

When: May 4, 2:25 PM PST to 3:15 PM PST
Where: Crook County, Post
Coordinates: 44.142, -120.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

0.70 inches of rain fell in 50 minutes with 1/3 inch hail and wind gusts to 30 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Deschutes

When: May 4, 3:44 PM PST
Where: Deschutes County, Bend
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Coordinates: 44.070, -121.300

Thunderstorm wind gust of 60 mph was reported eight miles north of Bend. Heavy rain and 1/4 inch hail was also reported.

Hail, Crook

When: May 4, 3:45 PM PST to 4:45 PM PST
Where: Crook County, Prineville
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 44.300, -120.830

A thunderstorm produced up to 1 inch hail, heavy rain, and wind gusts to between 50 and 60 mph. 1/2 inch hail covered the ground to a depth of one inch. 1.13 inches of rain fell in 20 minutes. Highway 26 east of Prineville had mud slides on it.

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
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 Oregon in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Oregon, 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: 5641497, 5641498, 5641499.