North Carolina, 1997

Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in North Carolina, July 28, 1997

July 28, 1997 · NWS RNK · 7 events in 4 counties and zones

Thunderstorms winds knocked down trees in Lone Hickory and 2 miles north of Reidsville and knocked down trees and power lines 4 miles north-northwest of Yadkinville and in Wilkesboro. In Eden, a large tree crushed a minivan.

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.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$438,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Events
7

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 RNK wrote it up.

Thunderstorms during the evening hours on the 28th produced damaging winds and damaging lightning.Thunderstorms winds knocked down trees in Lone Hickory and 2 miles north of Reidsville and knocked down trees and power lines 4 miles north-northwest of Yadkinville and in Wilkesboro. In Eden, a large tree crushed a minivan. Thunderstorm winds damaged tobacco crops from 6 miles northwest of Yadkinville to Yadkinville.Lightning started a fire to a trucking company 3 miles northwest of Mount Airy. The building was nearly destroyed with damaged estimated at $425,000.

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 126 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wilkes

When
July 28, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Wilkes County, Wilkesboro
Coordinates
36.150, -81.170

Thunderstorm Wind, Yadkin

When
July 28, 4:00 PM EST
Where
Yadkin County, 4 mi NNW of Yadkinville
Coordinates
36.180, -80.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Yadkin

When
July 28, 4:03 PM EST to 4:13 PM EST
Where
Yadkin County, Yadkinville to 6 mi of Yadkinville
Crop damage
$100,000
Coordinates
36.200, -80.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Yadkin

When
July 28, 4:07 PM EST
Where
Yadkin County, Lone Hickory
Coordinates
36.070, -80.720

Lightning, Surry

When
July 28, 5:05 PM EST
Where
Surry County, 3 mi NW of Mt Airy
Property damage
$425,000
Coordinates
36.415, -80.687 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Rockingham

When
July 28, 5:40 PM EST
Where
Rockingham County, Eden
Property damage
$13,000
Coordinates
36.500, -79.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Rockingham

When
July 28, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Rockingham County, 2 mi N of Reidsville
Coordinates
36.400, -79.670

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.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, July 1997

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: 5616027, 5616022, 5616026, 5616021, 5616025, 5616024, 5616023.