Wisconsin, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, July 20, 1998

July 20, 1998 · NWS ARX · 12 events in 6 counties and zones

Hardest hit was the Mt Sterling area where winds gusted to 92 mph, severely damaging the town's post office when a large power pole was knocked down. Crops were badly damaged as well due to hail the size of quarters and golf balls.

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
$379,000
Crop damage
$345,000
Events
12

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.

60 to 70 mph winds, along with golf ball size hail were reported by spotters and law enforcement officials.Hardest hit was the Mt Sterling area where winds gusted to 92 mph, severely damaging the town's post office when a large power pole was knocked down. Crops were badly damaged as well due to hail the size of quarters and golf balls.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Trempealeau

When
July 20, 1:38 PM CST
Where
Trempealeau County, Galesville
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.080, -91.350

Thunderstorm Wind, La Crosse

When
July 20, 2:00 PM CST
Where
La Crosse County, West Salem
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage
$14,000
Reported by
NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates
43.900, -91.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When
July 20, 4:08 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, Mt Sterling
Measured
54 kt (62 mph)
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
$35,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
43.320, -90.930

Hail, Crawford

When
July 20, 4:08 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, Mt Sterling
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$20,000
Crop damage
$30,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
43.320, -90.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When
July 20, 4:09 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, Mt Sterling
Measured
66 kt (76 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$60,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
43.320, -90.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When
July 20, 4:10 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, Mt Sterling
Measured
80 kt (92 mph)
Property damage
$80,000
Crop damage
$50,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
43.320, -90.930

Hail, Crawford

When
July 20, 4:11 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, Mt Sterling
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
$40,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
43.320, -90.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When
July 20, 4:17 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, Gays Mills
Measured
62 kt (71 mph)
Property damage
$90,000
Crop damage
$30,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.450, -90.730

Hail, Crawford

When
July 20, 4:17 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, Gays Mills
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$45,000
Crop damage
$60,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.450, -90.730

Hail, Vernon

When
July 20, 4:23 PM CST
Where
Vernon County, Readstown
Measured
0.75 in hail
Crop damage
$15,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.450, -90.770

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
July 20, 4:30 PM CST
Where
Richland County, Boaz
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage
$10,000
Crop damage
$25,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.330, -90.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When
July 20, 4:31 PM CST
Where
Grant County, Bagley
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
42.900, -91.120

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.
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

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, July 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5662412, 5662413, 5662414, 5662422, 5662415, 5662416, 5662423, 5662417, 5662418, 5662419, 5662420, 5662421.