The severe wind outbreak of May 31, 1998
557 wind reportsMichigan, New York, Pennsylvania and 16 more states
557 damaging wind reports across 19 states between 1:00 AM and 12:48 AM the next day CDT, 63 of them 65 knots (75 mph) or stronger. 172 hail reports and 46 tornadoes the same day. The 19th-most wind reports of any day since 1955.
Watch the day unfoldSevere wind day · May 31, 1998
How the day unfolded
Every damaging wind report of the day at its logged time, with the day's hail reports and tornadoes, and the counties they reached.
The day in numbers
- Wind reports
- 557
- 19th of 15,807 days with wind reports since 1955
- 75 mph or more
- 63
- 19 of 86 mph (75 knots) or more
- Strongest measured gust
- —
- No measured gust reported
- Measured
- 0
- reports with an instrument reading; the rest are estimates from damage
- Killed by wind
- 9
- 197 injured
- Counties reporting
- 311
- in 19 states
Hour by hour
Damaging wind reports in each hour, Central Daylight Time.
The strongest winds
The 100 strongest reports with a speed. Measured gusts come from an instrument; estimated speeds are judged from damage.
| 2:15 AM | Dodge County WI | 128 mph | Estimated |
| 3:20 PM | Washington County IN | 115 mph | Estimated |
| 2:45 AM | Washington County WI | 105 mph | Estimated |
| 9:15 PM | Worcester County MA | 104 mph | Estimated |
| 2:00 AM | Dane County WI | 100 mph | Estimated |
| 3:00 AM | Milwaukee County WI | 100 mph | Estimated |
| 11:10 PM | York County PA | 98 mph | Estimated |
| 9:11 PM | Worcester County MA | 94 mph | Estimated |
| 4:30 AM | Kent County MI | 92 mph | Estimated |
| 9:25 PM | Worcester County MA | 92 mph | Estimated |
| 4:26 AM | Kalkaska County MI | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 4:30 AM | Missaukee County MI | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 5:15 AM | Gladwin County MI | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 6:20 AM | Macomb County MI | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 5:12 AM | Shiawassee County MI | 89 mph | Estimated |
| 2:08 AM | Winnebago County WI | 86 mph | Estimated |
| 2:25 AM | Calumet County WI | 86 mph | Estimated |
| 5:10 AM | Saginaw County MI | 86 mph | Estimated |
| 5:19 AM | Saginaw County MI | 86 mph | Estimated |
| 1:15 AM | Marathon County WI | 85 mph | Estimated |
| 4:29 AM | Kent County MI | 85 mph | Estimated |
| 2:15 AM | Fond du Lac County WI | 83 mph | Estimated |
| 3:40 PM | Albany County NY | 82 mph | Estimated |
| 2:45 AM | Waukesha County WI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 4:25 AM | Kent County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 4:25 AM | Kalkaska County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 4:30 AM | Osceola County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 4:40 AM | Mecosta County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:00 AM | Midland County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:05 AM | Shiawassee County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:05 AM | Bay County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:12 AM | Bay County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:16 AM | Shiawassee County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:26 AM | Saginaw County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:27 AM | Bay County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:50 AM | Oakland County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 6:20 AM | Macomb County MI | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 2:09 PM | Defiance County OH | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 7:25 PM | Clinton County PA | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:15 PM | Worcester County MA | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:20 PM | Worcester County MA | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:50 PM | Middlesex County MA | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 11:05 PM | Kent County MD | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 1:12 AM | Crawford County WI | 79 mph | Estimated |
| 1:25 AM | Vernon County WI | 79 mph | Estimated |
| 10:15 AM | Monroe County NY | 79 mph | Estimated |
| 11:50 PM | Grainger County TN | 79 mph | Estimated |
| 3:50 AM | Mason County MI | 78 mph | Estimated |
| 2:12 AM | Grant County WI | 77 mph | Estimated |
| 3:29 PM | Wayne County NY | 77 mph | Estimated |
| 1:16 AM | Monroe County WI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 2:10 AM | Grant County WI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 4:50 AM | Midland County MI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 4:54 AM | Midland County MI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 5:00 AM | Midland County MI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 5:20 AM | Bay County MI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 5:22 AM | Shiawassee County MI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 5:25 AM | Shiawassee County MI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 5:25 AM | Saginaw County MI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 5:28 AM | Genesee County MI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 5:35 AM | Tuscola County MI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 6:00 AM | Oakland County MI | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 2:25 PM | Grant County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 12:30 AM | Burlington County NJ | 74 mph | Estimated |
| 12:48 AM | Burlington County NJ | 74 mph | Estimated |
| 5:26 AM | Eaton County MI | 72 mph | Estimated |
| 3:35 PM | Erie County NY | 71 mph | Estimated |
| 11:40 PM | Chester County PA | 71 mph | Estimated |
| 12:17 AM | Philadelphia County PA | 71 mph | Estimated |
| 2:11 AM | Winnebago County WI | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:45 AM | Kent County MI | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:05 AM | Crawford County MI | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:10 AM | Gladwin County MI | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:03 PM | Worcester County MA | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:10 PM | Venango County PA | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:55 PM | Berkshire County MA | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:35 PM | Bergen County NJ | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 1:15 AM | Crawford County WI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 2:30 AM | Calumet County WI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 2:35 AM | Manitowoc County WI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 2:43 AM | Manitowoc County WI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 3:45 AM | Missaukee County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 4:54 AM | Roscommon County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 5:30 AM | Shiawassee County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 5:30 AM | Genesee County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 5:45 AM | Huron County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 5:50 AM | Oakland County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 5:52 AM | Tuscola County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 5:57 AM | Sanilac County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 5:57 AM | Sanilac County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 6:05 AM | St. Clair County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 6:44 AM | Wayne County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 1:15 PM | Henry County OH | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 1:34 PM | Defiance County OH | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 2:35 PM | Wells County IN | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 2:54 PM | Van Wert County OH | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 3:18 PM | Van Wert County OH | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 3:24 PM | Blackford County IN | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 4:30 PM | Franklin County MA | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 4:40 PM | Henry County KY | 69 mph | Estimated |
By state
| Michigan | 125 | — |
| New York | 121 | — |
| Pennsylvania | 64 | — |
| Wisconsin | 55 | — |
| Ohio | 42 | — |
| Kentucky | 39 | — |
| Massachusetts | 26 | — |
| New Jersey | 20 | — |
| Indiana | 16 | — |
| Tennessee | 12 | — |
| New Hampshire | 10 | — |
| Maryland | 7 | — |
| Vermont | 5 | — |
| West Virginia | 4 | — |
| Iowa | 4 | — |
| Connecticut | 2 | — |
| Delaware | 2 | — |
| Maine | 2 | — |
| Rhode Island | 1 | — |
| Illinois | 0 | — |
Counties with the most wind reports
- Worcester CountyMA · 10 reports
- Kent CountyMI · 7 reports
- Oakland CountyMI · 7 reports
- Tuscola CountyMI · 7 reports
- Cheshire CountyNH · 6 reports
- Shiawassee CountyMI · 6 reports
- Genesee CountyMI · 6 reports
- Erie CountyNY · 5 reports
- Westmoreland CountyPA · 5 reports
- Schoharie CountyNY · 5 reports
Hail and tornadoes that day
172 hail reports, 4 of 2 inches or more; 46 tornadoes.
| 3:27 PM | Lawrence County IL | 2.75 |
| 9:05 PM | Whitley County KY | 2.75 |
| 7:56 PM | Jackson County OH | 2.50 |
| 6:00 PM | Ohio County WV | 2.00 |
| 4:59 AM | Roscommon County MI | 1.75 |
| 11:00 AM | Geauga County OH | 1.75 |
| 11:55 AM | Crawford County PA | 1.75 |
| 1:26 PM | Monroe County MI | 1.75 |
| 1:50 PM | Grant County IN | 1.75 |
| 2:15 PM | Blackford County IN | 1.75 |
| 2:25 PM | Grant County IN | 1.75 |
| 2:36 PM | Blackford County IN | 1.75 |
| 2:56 PM | Hancock County OH | 1.75 |
| 3:15 PM | Franklin County IL | 1.75 |
| 3:20 PM | Steuben County NY | 1.75 |
| 3:20 PM | Saratoga County NY | 1.75 |
| 3:20 PM | Mercer County OH | 1.75 |
| 3:25 PM | Scott County IN | 1.75 |
| 3:40 PM | Ashtabula County OH | 1.75 |
| 3:42 PM | Knox County IN | 1.75 |
| 4:14 PM | Wayne County IL | 1.75 |
| 4:45 PM | Berkshire County MA | 1.75 |
| 4:45 PM | Edwards County IL | 1.75 |
| 4:50 PM | Carroll County OH | 1.75 |
| 5:05 PM | Crawford County PA | 1.75 |
| 5:10 PM | Crawford County PA | 1.75 |
| 5:14 PM | Auglaize County OH | 1.75 |
| 6:12 PM | Washington County NY | 1.75 |
| 6:15 PM | Bennington County VT | 1.75 |
| 6:50 PM | Fayette County PA | 1.75 |
| 7:15 PM | Cheshire County NH | 1.75 |
| 7:30 PM | Cheshire County NH | 1.75 |
| 7:45 PM | Pike County OH | 1.75 |
| 8:15 PM | Taylor County KY | 1.75 |
| 8:26 PM | Graves County KY | 1.75 |
| 8:38 PM | Marshall County KY | 1.75 |
| 8:50 PM | Hopkins County KY | 1.75 |
| 9:32 PM | Fairfield County CT | 1.75 |
| 5:19 AM | Jackson County MI | 1.50 |
| 3:40 PM | Chemung County NY | 1.50 |
| 3:45 PM | Erie County NY | 1.50 |
| 4:25 PM | Delaware County IN | 1.50 |
| 5:00 PM | Cattaraugus County NY | 1.50 |
| 5:16 PM | Shelby County OH | 1.50 |
| 6:50 PM | Orange County NY | 1.50 |
| 7:55 PM | Jackson County OH | 1.50 |
| 1:05 AM | Marathon County WI | 1.00 |
| 4:13 AM | Kalamazoo County MI | 1.00 |
| 5:47 AM | Jackson County MI | 1.00 |
| 7:55 AM | Wayne County MI | 1.00 |
The tornado outbreak of May 31, 1998: 46 tornadoes, each with its touchdown time and path.
1998 · On this date in other years · The biggest severe wind days
- A report is a single damage or measurement report to the National Weather Service. Several reports can describe one gust front, so reports are not storms.
- Reporting has grown with population, spotter networks and the internet, so counts from different decades are not directly comparable.
- Thunderstorm wind reports start at 50 knots (58 mph). SPC began flagging measured against estimated speeds in 2006; earlier reports are shown as estimated.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1955 to 2025. A day is SPC’s calendar date in Central Standard Time; a severe wind day here has 300 or more damaging wind reports, or 15 or more of 75 knots (86 mph) or more.