Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 30 to 31, 1998

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 30 to 31, 1998
Start: 1998-05-30T22:36
End: 1998-05-31T01:12
Location: Wisconsin

May 30 to 31, 1998 · NWS ARX · 31 events in 12 counties and zones

Especially hard hit was the Mt Hope area where roofs were blown off and a tree was driven through the side of a house. On a farm near Potosi, a barn collapsed, killing a horse.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $463,000
Crop damage: $185,000
Events: 31

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.

Winds gusted to nearly 80 mph, knocking down trees and power lines as well as damaging several farms.Especially hard hit was the Mt Hope area where roofs were blown off and a tree was driven through the side of a house. On a farm near Potosi, a barn collapsed, killing a horse. Three mobile homes were destroyed and several others damaged in Prairie du Chien, but only one person was injured.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

25 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Clark

When: May 30, 10:36 PM CST
Where: Clark County, Greenwood
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Crop damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 44.770, -90.600

Hail, Clark

When: May 30, 10:45 PM CST
Where: Clark County, Greenwood
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.770, -90.600

Hail, Trempealeau

When: May 30, 10:45 PM CST
Where: Trempealeau County, Arcadia
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.250, -91.500

Hail, Clark

When: May 30, 10:53 PM CST to 10:55 PM CST
Where: Clark County, Neillsville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $18,000
Coordinates: 44.570, -90.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Buffalo

When: May 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Buffalo County, Alma
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $17,000
Coordinates: 44.320, -91.920

Thunderstorm Wind, Trempealeau

When: May 30, 11:05 PM CST
Where: Trempealeau County, Whitehall
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $14,000
Coordinates: 44.370, -91.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Buffalo

When: May 30, 11:10 PM CST
Where: Buffalo County, Cochrane
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Property damage: $40,000
Coordinates: 44.230, -91.830

Thunderstorm Wind, La Crosse

When: May 30, 11:34 PM CST
Where: La Crosse County, La Crosse Muni Arpt
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 43.880, -91.250

Thunderstorm Wind, La Crosse

When: May 30, 11:34 PM CST
Where: La Crosse County, Onalaska
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $6,000
Coordinates: 43.880, -91.230

Thunderstorm Wind, La Crosse

When: May 30, 11:36 PM CST
Where: La Crosse County, 3 mi E of La Crosse
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 43.800, -91.180

Funnel Cloud, Clark

When: May 30, 11:50 PM CST
Where: Clark County, Loyal
Coordinates: 44.735, -90.612 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: May 30, 11:52 PM CST
Where: Monroe County, Sparta
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $12,000
Coordinates: 43.930, -90.820

Thunderstorm Wind, Vernon

When: May 30, 11:55 PM CST
Where: Vernon County, Genoa
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 43.580, -91.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: May 31, 12:01 AM CST
Where: Jackson County, Black River Falls
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 44.300, -90.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: May 31, 12:05 AM CST
Where: Monroe County, Norwalk
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Property damage: $13,000
Crop damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.830, -90.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Juneau

When: May 31, 12:10 AM CST
Where: Juneau County, Elroy
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.750, -90.270

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When: May 31, 12:12 AM CST
Where: Crawford County, Mt Sterling
Measured: 69 kt (79 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 43.320, -90.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When: May 31, 12:15 AM CST
Where: Crawford County, Prairie du Chien
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 43.050, -91.150

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When: May 31, 12:16 AM CST
Where: Richland County, Viola
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 43.500, -90.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: May 31, 12:16 AM CST
Where: Monroe County, 3 mi W of Sparta
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage: $12,000
Coordinates: 43.930, -90.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: May 31, 12:18 AM CST
Where: Monroe County, Ridgeville
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.880, -90.570

Thunderstorm Wind, Juneau

When: May 31, 12:20 AM CST
Where: Juneau County, Mauston
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph)
Property damage: $38,000
Coordinates: 43.800, -90.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Vernon

When: May 31, 12:25 AM CST
Where: Vernon County, Viroqua
Measured: 69 kt (79 mph)
Property damage: $30,000
Crop damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.550, -90.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Juneau

When: May 31, 12:25 AM CST
Where: Juneau County, New Lisbon
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.880, -90.170

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When: May 31, 12:25 AM CST
Where: Adams County, Friendship
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Crop damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.970, -89.820

Thunderstorm Wind, Vernon

When: May 31, 12:30 AM CST
Where: Vernon County, 3 mi N of De Soto
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 43.470, -91.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Juneau

When: May 31, 12:35 AM CST
Where: Juneau County, Mauston
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $12,000
Coordinates: 43.800, -90.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: May 31, 12:48 AM CST
Where: Grant County, Fennimore
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 42.980, -90.650

Hail, Grant

When: May 31, 12:48 AM CST
Where: Grant County, Fennimore
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Crop damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 42.980, -90.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: May 31, 1:10 AM CST
Where: Grant County, Potosi
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Crop damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 42.680, -90.720

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: May 31, 1:12 AM CST
Where: Grant County, Mt Hope
Measured: 67 kt (77 mph)
Property damage: $40,000
Crop damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 42.970, -90.870

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.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wisconsin in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Wisconsin, 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: 5642185, 5642189, 5642198, 5642200, 5642186, 5642199, 5642201, 5642187, 5642202, 5642188, 5642203, 5642190, 5642191, 5642213, 5642204, 5642192, 5642205, 5642193, 5642206, 5642211, 5642212, 5642194, 5642207, 5642208, 5642214, 5642215, 5642195, 5642196, 5642197, 5642209, 5642210.