Georgia, 1998

Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Georgia, April 9 to 17, 1998

April 9 to 17, 1998 · NWS FFC · 32 events in 24 counties and zones

17 hail, 8 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood, 2 tornado, 1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
14
Property damage
$531,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
32

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.

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 132 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 hail, 8 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood, 2 tornado, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Banks

When
April 9, 12:30 AM EST
Where
Banks County, Homer
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
34.330, -83.500

Hail, Douglas

When
April 9, 1:40 AM EST to 1:42 AM EST
Where
Douglas County, Douglasville to 2 mi of Douglasville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
33.720, -84.750

Hail, Coweta

When
April 9, 1:53 AM EST
Where
Coweta County, 5 mi S of Newnan
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
33.300, -84.800

Thunderstorm Wind, Clayton

When
April 9, 2:30 AM EST
Where
Clayton County, 2 mi SE of Morrow
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
33.570, -84.320

Thunderstorm winds knocked power lines down on Doublegate Lane.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fayette

When
April 9, 2:30 AM EST
Where
Fayette County, Fayetteville
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
33.450, -84.450

Thunderstorm winds partially destroyed an aluminum building.

Hail, Henry

When
April 9, 2:30 AM EST
Where
Henry County, Stockbridge
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
33.550, -84.230

Hail, Bleckley

When
April 9, 5:30 AM EST
Where
Bleckley County, Cochran
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
32.380, -83.350

The Bleckley county EMA relayed numerous reports of hail ranging from pea to golfball size.

Lightning, Telfair

When
April 9, 5:30 AM EST
Where
Telfair County, Scotland
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
31.930, -82.939 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Fire started by lightning destroyed a restored 1800s vintage home.

Hail, Dade

When
April 16, 9:54 PM EST
Where
Dade County, Trenton
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.870, -85.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Dade

When
April 16, 10:06 PM EST
Where
Dade County, 3 mi NE of Trenton
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$75,000
Coordinates
34.900, -85.470

A downburst from a severe thunderstorm in the West Brow community destroyed one house, damaged another, and overturned a trailer. A man suffered a broken leg and his wife had cuts and bruises. Numerous trees were knocked down. A spotter reported dime size hail and winds estimated at 60 mph.

Tornado, Walker

When
April 16, 10:20 PM EST
Where
Walker County, Flintstone
Rating
F1
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
50 yd
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
34.930, -85.330

Police and fire officials reported a tornado. It apparently touched down briefly destroying 3 trailers, 2 barns and a car. The roof was torn off of a house. Trees and power lines were downed. The intensity, width and length were estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Catoosa

When
April 16, 10:35 PM EST
Where
Catoosa County, Keith
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
34.920, -85.050

The sheriff's department reported roof damage to a house and numerous trees down in the community of Keith, about 4 miles east of Ringold.

Thunderstorm Wind, Floyd

When
April 16, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Floyd County, Rome
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
34.250, -85.180

The Floyd county EMA reported power lines were downed by trees felled by thunderstorm winds. A police office in Lindale reported a funnel cloud.

Tornado, Murray

When
April 16, 11:05 PM EST
Where
Murray County, Cisco
Rating
F1
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
100 yd
Injuries
10 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$200,000
Coordinates
34.950, -84.730

An apparent tornado touched down briefly, hitting a mobile home park in the Temple Grove, Higdon Road, and Turvey-Nichols Road areas in Cisco. Seven mobile homes were destroyed, 2 received major damage and 6 minor damage. One home had major structural damage and 14 had minor damage. Roofs were blown off houses and trees were scattered like toothpicks. There were no serious injuries, but 6 people were taken to the medical center, where they were treated and released. The intensity, width, and length were estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bartow

When
April 16, 11:30 PM EST to 11:40 PM EST
Where
Bartow County, Kingston to White
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
34.230, -84.950

Severe thunderstorm winds damaged a few chicken houses near Kingston. Numerous trees were knocked down across northwest Bartow county from Kingston to White blocking some roads. Some 5000 customers lost electricity when a substation was damaged.

Hail, Pickens

When
April 17, 12:10 AM EST to 12:13 AM EST
Where
Pickens County, Jasper
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.470, -84.420

Hail, Forsyth

When
April 17, 12:25 AM EST
Where
Forsyth County, 8 mi N of Cumming
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.320, -84.150

The Forsyth county EMA director reported 3/4 inch hail.

Hail, Hall

When
April 17, 12:35 AM EST
Where
Hall County, Gainesville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.300, -83.830

Hail, Pickens

When
April 17, 12:45 AM EST
Where
Pickens County, Jasper
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.470, -84.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Dawson

When
April 17, 12:50 AM EST
Where
Dawson County, Juno
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
34.470, -84.200

Thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees.

Flash Flood, Gordon

When
April 17, 1:00 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
Where
Gordon County, Calhoun
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
34.503, -84.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Along with the other recent rains, around an inch-and-a -half of rain in a three hour period caused a serious flooding problem in Gordon county. Water was over roads and in some homes and businesses. Schools were closed the next day. There was an inch or two of water in a couple of the buildings at Fairmount Elementary. Several businesses in the Fairmount area were also affected by the flooding..

Hail, White

When
April 17, 1:10 AM EST
Where
White County, Cleveland
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
34.600, -83.750

Thunderstorm Wind, White

When
April 17, 1:15 AM EST
Where
White County, Cleveland
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
34.600, -83.750

A report relayed from Greenville WSO indicated trees down and 3/4 to one inch hail in White county.

Flash Flood, Pickens

When
April 17, 2:00 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
Where
Pickens County, Talking Rock
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
34.464, -84.466 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was some flooding in Pickens county when Mill Creek overflowed its banks. The Post Office had some water around it.

Flash Flood, White

When
April 17, 2:15 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
Where
White County, Cleveland
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
34.646, -83.747 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

GEMA reported 3 to 4 inches of water in the city limits of Cleveland flooding numerous houses and businesses. Highway 129 was closed in other parts of the county.

Hail, Hall

When
April 17, 2:35 AM EST
Where
Hall County, Gainesville
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
34.300, -83.830

Flash Flood, Dawson

When
April 17, 3:00 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
Where
Dawson County, Juno
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
34.444, -84.171 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dawson county 911 reported Scott Bailey Road was washed out.

Hail, Forsyth

When
April 17, 4:40 AM EST
Where
Forsyth County, Ducktown
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
34.250, -84.250

Forsyth county 911 reported penny to nickel size hail near the Cherokee county line along highway 20.

Hail, Marion

When
April 17, 6:35 AM EST to 6:50 AM EST
Where
Marion County, Buena Vista
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
32.320, -84.520

Marion county 911 reported quarter size hail covering the road.

Hail, Schley

When
April 17, 6:55 AM EST
Where
Schley County, Concord
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
32.330, -84.330

Schley county 911 reported golfball size hail.

Hail, Macon

When
April 17, 7:15 AM EST
Where
Macon County, Ideal
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
32.370, -84.180

Hail, Houston

When
April 17, 7:30 AM EST to 7:33 AM EST
Where
Houston County, Warner Robins
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
32.620, -83.600

Large hail ranging from dime to golfball size was reported by the public and a police officer.

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.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Georgia in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 1998Warnings in Georgia, April 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: 5639765, 5639766, 5639857, 5639858, 5639859, 5639860, 5639861, 5639868, 5639862, 5639863, 5639864, 5639865, 5639866, 5639869, 5639867, 5639870, 5639942, 5639943, 5639948, 5639871, 5639945, 5639949, 5639950, 5639946, 5639944, 5639872, 5639947, 5639873, 5639951, 5639952, 5639953, 5639954.