Virginia, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 8, 1998

May 8, 1998 · NWS RNK · 10 events in 6 counties and zones

Thunderstorm winds knocked down trees which resulted in the closing of roads in Danville and knocked down trees one mile south of Blairs.

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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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 RNK wrote it up.

Thunderstorms during the late morning and afternoon hours on the 7th produced hail up to golf ball size and damaging winds.Thunderstorm winds knocked down trees which resulted in the closing of roads in Danville and knocked down trees one mile south of Blairs.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Danville (C)

When
May 8, 10:10 AM EST
Where
Danville (C) County, Danville
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.580, -79.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Danville (C)

When
May 8, 10:10 AM EST
Where
Danville (C) County, Danville
Coordinates
36.580, -79.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Pittsylvania

When
May 8, 10:20 AM EST
Where
Pittsylvania County, 1 mi S of Blairs
Coordinates
36.670, -79.380

Hail, Pittsylvania

When
May 8, 10:20 AM EST
Where
Pittsylvania County, 1 mi S of Blairs
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.670, -79.380

Hail, Charlotte

When
May 8, 10:55 AM EST
Where
Charlotte County, Saxe
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.930, -78.670

Hail, Charlotte

When
May 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Charlotte County, Randolph
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.900, -78.700

Hail, Campbell

When
May 8, 11:30 AM EST to 11:45 AM EST
Where
Campbell County, 9 mi WNW of Brookneal
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
37.100, -79.120

Hail, Buckingham

When
May 8, 1:22 PM EST
Where
Buckingham County, 3 mi WSW of Buckingham
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
37.530, -78.600

Hail, Pittsylvania

When
May 8, 1:50 PM EST
Where
Pittsylvania County, 2 mi ESE of Blairs
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.670, -79.350

Hail, Halifax

When
May 8, 2:15 PM EST
Where
Halifax County, 11 mi W of Turbeville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.620, -79.220

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Virginia in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, 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: 5646721, 5646722, 5646723, 5646724, 5646719, 5646720, 5646718, 5646360, 5646359, 5646358.