Hail and Lightning Strike in Wisconsin, March 29, 1998

Two prolific hail-producing thunderstorms dropped hail as large as baseballs and grapefruits across parts of central and east-central Wisconsin during the late morning and afternoon of March 29. It was the worst hailstorm ever, in terms of damage, to strike the Appleton area. A car dealership in Appleton reported damage to over 1000 cars on the lot. Insurance companies reported over 3000 vehicle claims from policy holders. One insurance company reported damage to more than 100 insured homes. Total damage to property from the storms in Waushara, Winnebago, Outagamie, Brown and Calumet counties topped $10 million. Due to the time of year, cash crop damage was minimal. An elderly women near Wild Rose (Waushara co.) was injured by golfball-size hail when she was caught outside as the storm struck. A women was injured near Oconto (Oconto co.) when a hailstone hit her shoulder.Lightning struck a couple in Shawano (Shawano co.) while they were in their back yard, tending to their garden. The male sustained burns to 70 percent of his body. His wife was about 15 feet away from him and was knocked down by the bolt. She was not injured.