Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, June 16, 1998

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, June 16, 1998
Start: 1998-06-16T11:45
End: 1998-06-16T17:16
Location: West Virginia

June 16, 1998 · NWS RLX · 37 events in 23 counties and zones

Unusually large hail for the Mountain State occurred in central counties. Insurance companies estimated on the order of 4000 claims across West Virginia with this event.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $3.3 million
Crop damage: $25,000
Events: 37

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 RLX wrote it up.

Unusually large hail for the Mountain State occurred in central counties. Insurance companies estimated on the order of 4000 claims across West Virginia with this event. The majority of the damage was from hail damaging vehicles.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

28 hail, 9 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Wyoming

When: June 16, 11:45 AM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Cyclone
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.730, -81.680

Hail, Braxton

When: June 16, 12:15 PM EST
Where: Braxton County, Sutton
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.670, -80.700

Hail, Fayette

When: June 16, 1:00 PM EST
Where: Fayette County, Montgomery
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.180, -81.320

Hail, Wayne

When: June 16, 1:10 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, 5 mi E of Lavalette
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.320, -82.350

Quarter size hail dented cars at a Beech Fork campground.

Hail, Wyoming

When: June 16, 1:20 PM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Kopperston
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.750, -81.570

Thunderstorm Wind, Cabell

When: June 16, 1:30 PM EST
Where: Cabell County, Milton
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.430, -82.130

Trees were downed on local roads.

Hail, Wyoming

When: June 16, 1:44 PM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Cyclone
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.730, -81.680

Hail, Raleigh

When: June 16, 1:55 PM EST
Where: Raleigh County, Glen Daniel
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.770, -81.350

Hail, Putnam

When: June 16, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Putnam County, 1 mi S of Hurricane
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.420, -82.030

Hail, Fayette

When: June 16, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Fayette County, Oak Hill
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.980, -81.130

Hail, Fayette

When: June 16, 2:03 PM EST
Where: Fayette County, Meadow Bridge
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.850, -80.850

Hail, Mason

When: June 16, 2:05 PM EST
Where: Mason County, Mason
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.020, -82.030

Hail, Clay

When: June 16, 2:10 PM EST
Where: Clay County, 1 mi E of Duck
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.580, -80.920

Hail, Raleigh

When: June 16, 2:17 PM EST
Where: Raleigh County, Beckley
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.780, -81.180

Hail, Raleigh

When: June 16, 2:20 PM EST
Where: Raleigh County, Lester
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.730, -81.300

Hail, Braxton

When: June 16, 2:25 PM EST
Where: Braxton County, Frametown
Measured: 2 in hail
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.630, -80.870

Hail, Braxton

When: June 16, 2:25 PM EST
Where: Braxton County, Sutton
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.670, -80.700

Hail, Braxton

When: June 16, 2:25 PM EST
Where: Braxton County, Gassaway
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $800,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.670, -80.770

A Ford dealership had over 100 vehicles dented.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: June 16, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Jackson County, Ripley
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.820, -81.700

Hail, Wirt

When: June 16, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Wirt County, Creston
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $25,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 38.950, -81.270

Gardens and trees were stripped around Creston and along Petes Run.

Hail, McDowell

When: June 16, 2:35 PM EST
Where: McDowell County, Coalwood
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.380, -81.670

Hail, Doddridge

When: June 16, 2:42 PM EST
Where: Doddridge County, 2 mi NE of Leopold
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.130, -80.720

Golfball size hail fell along Route 18 between Leopold and Market.

Thunderstorm Wind, Calhoun

When: June 16, 2:45 PM EST
Where: Calhoun County, Industry to Grantsville
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 38.980, -81.200

Several locations had trees knocked down. No dwellings were affected. A survey found no evidence of a tornado.

Hail, Roane

When: June 16, 2:50 PM EST
Where: Roane County, Spencer
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.800, -81.350

Hail, Doddridge

When: June 16, 2:53 PM EST
Where: Doddridge County, Avon
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.200, -80.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Tyler

When: June 16, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Tyler County, Bens Run
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.470, -81.100

An historic 190 year old house was hit by a large tree. Trees were blown down in 2 separate pockets separated by about 200 yards. A survey determined the damage was from a downburst embedded in the larger scale gust front.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pleasants

When: June 16, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Pleasants County, Raven Rock
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.430, -81.150

Trees were down along Route 2. Minor damage to a few dwellings occurred.

Hail, Ritchie

When: June 16, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Ritchie County, Hazelgreen
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.080, -81.000

Vehicles were dented.

Hail, Harrison

When: June 16, 3:12 PM EST
Where: Harrison County, Clarksburg
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $750,000
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 39.280, -80.350

Baseball size hail fell at the Mount Clair Golf Course, breaking wind shields on vehicles. The Laurel Park section of town saw leaves stripped off the trees. The hail was described as bigger than golfballs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Gilmer

When: June 16, 3:20 PM EST
Where: Gilmer County, Coxs Mills
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.050, -80.830

Hail, Lewis

When: June 16, 3:30 PM EST
Where: Lewis County, Weston
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.030, -80.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Lewis

When: June 16, 3:30 PM EST
Where: Lewis County, Weston
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.030, -80.450

Hail, Taylor

When: June 16, 3:40 PM EST
Where: Taylor County, Grafton
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Property damage: $200,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 39.350, -80.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Taylor

When: June 16, 3:40 PM EST
Where: Taylor County, Grafton
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 39.350, -80.030

Hail, Nicholas

When: June 16, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Nicholas County, Mt Lookout
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.170, -80.920

Hail, Nicholas

When: June 16, 5:05 PM EST
Where: Nicholas County, Mt Nebo
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.200, -80.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Nicholas

When: June 16, 5:16 PM EST
Where: Nicholas County, Richwood
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 38.230, -80.530

Trees and power lines were knocked down in town.

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

Every storm in West Virginia in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, June 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: 5659459, 5659460, 5659468, 5659462, 5659461, 5659463, 5659465, 5659471, 5659466, 5659470, 5659469, 5659464, 5659467, 5659472, 5659473, 5659476, 5659477, 5659478, 5659474, 5659776, 5659475, 5659778, 5659777, 5659479, 5659779, 5659780, 5659781, 5659782, 5659785, 5659786, 5659783, 5659784, 5659787, 5659788, 5659789, 5659790, 5659791.