MAY 1998 VOLUME 40 NUMBER 5 SSTTORMORM DDAATTAA AND UNUSUALWEATHER PHENOMENA WITH LATE REPORTS AND CORRECTIONS NATIONALOCEANIC AND NATIONALENVIRONMENTALSATELLITE NATIONALCLIMATIC DATACENTER noaa ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION DATA, AND INFORMATION SERVICE ASHEVILLE, N.C. Cover: A photograph of an F3 (wind speeds 157-206 mph) tornado as it crosses Route 22 in southeast Iowa. This tornado caused extensive damage to the town of Washington in Washington County, Iowa on May 15, 1998. The tornado traveled 32 miles in 45 minutes before dissipating 5 miles southeast of Iowa City, Iowa. (Photograph courtesy of Tim Shy and Dr. Brian Jewett, Department of Atmospheric Science, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois) TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Outstanding Storms of the Month ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 5 Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena ………………………………………………………………………….. 7 Reference Notes …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 428 STORM DATA (ISSN 0039-1972) National Climatic Data Center Editor: Stephen Del Greco Assistant Editor: Stuart Hinson The STORM DATA Publication can be accessed in PDF format via the WWW at: www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ol/climate/climateproductsstormdata.html STORM DATA is prepared, funded, and distributed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Outstanding Storms of the Month section is prepared by the Data Operations Branch of the National Climatic Data Center. The Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena narratives and Hurricane/Tropical Storm summaries are prepared by the National Weather Service. Monthly and annual statistics and summaries of tornado and lightning events resulting in deaths, injuries, and damage are compiled by cooperative efforts between the National Climatic Data Center and the Storm Prediction Center. STORM DATA contains all confirmed information on storms available to our staff at the time of publication. However, due to difficulties inherent in the collection of this type of data, it is not all-inclusive. Late reports and corrections are printed in each edition. Maps of the National Weather Service County Warning Areas which are used in the Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena section will be printed in all editions. Except for limited editing to correct grammatical errors, materials submitted are generally published as received. Note: "None Reported" means that no severe weather occurred and "Not Received" means that no reports were received for this region at the time of printing. Subscription, pricing, and ordering information is available from: National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 (828)271-4800 or (828) CLIMATE The editors of STORM DATA solicits your help in acquiring photographs (prints or slides; black and white, or color), maps, clippings, etc. of significant or unusual weather events (past or present). These could be for use in the "Outstanding Storms of the Month'' or "Et Cetera'' sections of STORM DATA. We request our subscribers or other interested persons to mail such items to: Stuart Hinson National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 Any such items received by the editor will be for use in STORM DATA only. Any other use will be with the permission of the owner of said items. Materials submitted will be returned if requested in the original submission. "I certify that this is an official publication of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is compiled from information received at the National Climatic Data Center Asheville, North Carolina 28801-2733." Thomas R. Karl Director, National Climatic Data Center 2 The Cyclone Track Map which usually appears on this page is not available for May 1998. Should the data become available in the future, a cyclone track map will be produced and printed in a subsequent issue. 3 May 1998 Confirmed Tornadoes 4 F Scale F 0 F 1 F 2 F 3 F 4 F Scale F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total Number 188 63 21 13 2 0 287 F 5 ! 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They were working in a trench when the wall fell. M41OU, M34OU Marengo County 5 N Sweet Water 03 1325CST 0 0 10K 4K Hail (1.75) Golf ball size hail was reported north of Sweet Water. Perry County 7 SE Marion 03 1330CST 0 0 10K 4K Hail (1.75) Golf ball size hail was reported in Radford. Talladega County Lincoln 03 1345CST 0 0 10K 4K Hail (1.75) Golf ball size hail was reported in Lincoln. Autauga County 3 N Prattville 03 1400CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.88) Dime size hail was reported just north of Prattville. Cleburne County 9 SSW Heflin 03 1415CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported in Hollis Crossroads. Calhoun County Oxford 03 1415CST 0 0 10K 3K Hail (1.75) Golf ball size hail was reported in Oxford. Elmore County 8 SE Wetumpka 03 1420CST 0 0 10K 3K Hail (1.75) Golf ball size hail was reported near Emerald Mountain. Marengo County Thomaston 03 1430CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported by the sheriff's office. Elmore County 2 W Tallassee 03 1433CST 0 0 2K 0 Hail (1.00) Hail the size of quarters was reported along SR 14 on the west side of Tallassee. Macon County Tuskegee 03 1455CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.88) Nickel size hail was reported at the Tuskegee News. Lowndes County 7 NW Lowndesboro 03 1455CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported in White Hall. Dekalb County Collinsville 03 1500CST 0 0 3K 0 Hail (1.00) One inch hail was reported in Collinsville by the EMA. Cherokee County Gaylesville 03 1511CST 0 0 10K 4K Hail (1.75) Golf ball size hail was reported in Gaylesville. Bibb County West Blocton 03 1515CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported in West Blocton. Montgomery County Montgomery 03 1520CST 0 0 2K 0 Hail (1.00) One inch hail was reported on the east side of Montgomery. Macon County 3 N Tuskegee 03 1525CST 0 0 30K 10K Hail (2.75) Golf ball to baseball size hail was reported north of Tuskegee along I-85. Montgomery County 5 E Montgomery 03 1525CST 0 0 10K 3K Hail (1.75) Golf ball size hail was reported east of Montgomery. Tuscaloosa County Duncanville 03 1525CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) 71 Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena Time Path Path Number of Estimated May 1998 Local/ Length Width Persons Damage Location Date Standard (Miles) (Yards) Killed Injured Property Crops Character of Storm ALABAMA, North Central Dime size hail was reported in Duncanville by the volunteer fire department. Russell County Hurtsboro 03 1530CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.88) Nickel size hail was reported by city hall. Dallas County 3 W Selma 03 1530CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.88) Nickel size hail was reported to the west of Selma. Tallapoosa County Alexander City 03 1546CST 0 0 10K 3K Hail (1.75) Golf ball size hail was reported in Alexander City. Elmore County Wetumpka 03 1547CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported in Wetumpka. Montgomery County Pine Level 03 1555CST 0 0 2K 0 Hail (1.00) Hail the size of quarters was reported in the town of Pine Level. Barbour County Batesville 03 1600CST 0 0 10K 4K Hail (1.75) Golf ball size hail was reported northeast of Batesville. Cleburne County Ranburne 03 1610CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported in the town of Ranburne. Randolph County 14 NE Wedowee 03 1610CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported outside the town of Graham. Bibb County Randolph 03 1620CST 0 0 45K 15K Hail (2.75) Baseball size hail was reported in Randolph by the police department. Lee County Opelika 03 1630CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported in Opelika. Chilton County Jemison 03 1634CST 0 0 5K 2K Hail (1.25) Half dollar size hail was reported in Jemison. Pike County 12 SW Troy 03 2058CST 0 0 60K 10K Hail (2.75) Baseball size hail that damaged cars was reported in Goshen. Colbert County 2 N Littleville 06 1330CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported just north of Littleville. Morgan County Falkville 06 1435CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported in Falkville. Lawrence County 2 N Moulton 06 1445CST 0 0 2K 0 Hail (1.00) Quarter size hail was reported north of Moulton. Franklin County 6 E Russellville 06 1457CST 0 0 0 0 Hail (0.75) Dime size hail was reported east of Russellville. Cullman County 4 SW Jones Chapel 06 1507CST 0 0 15K 5K Thunderstorm Wind (G55) Trees were down and minor damage was done to some chicken houses and out buildings southwest of Jones Chapel. Cullman County 8 SW Cullman 06 1530CST 0 0 20K 0 Thunderstorm Wind (G50) Minor damage was done to a residence and a boat shed in the Trimble area.