High Wind, Sumter
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Sumter forecast zone
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.040, -84.197 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind in Georgia, September 3, 1998
Hurricane Earl moved across the Florida panhandle and weakened to a tropical storm as it moved through southwest Georgia. It continued to weaken as it moved near a track from 30 miles south of Albany to near Dublin to just south of Augusta.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 13 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 13
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 FFC wrote it up.
Hurricane Earl moved across the Florida panhandle and weakened to a tropical storm as it moved through southwest Georgia. It continued to weaken as it moved near a track from 30 miles south of Albany to near Dublin to just south of Augusta. Winds gusted to around 50 mph with the strongest reported gust of 54 mph in Macon. The winds knocked down numerous trees causing isolated property damage. Downed power lines caused temporary power outages in much of the area. Around 5 to 10 inches of rain fell in a 24 hour period causing temporary street flooding and several traffic accidents. However, no serious flooding was reported.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
13 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High Wind, Dooly
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Dooly forecast zone
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.157, -83.799 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Crisp
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Crisp forecast zone
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 31.923, -83.768 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Houston
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Houston forecast zone
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.459, -83.666 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Peach
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Peach forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.569, -83.827 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Bibb
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Bibb forecast zone
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.807, -83.698 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Laurens
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Laurens forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.464, -82.922 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Dodge
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Dodge forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.172, -83.168 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Bleckley
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Bleckley forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.434, -83.328 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Wilcox
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Wilcox forecast zone
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 31.973, -83.432 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Pulaski
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Pulaski forecast zone
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.232, -83.476 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Twiggs
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Twiggs forecast zone
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.667, -83.427 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Wilkinson
- When
- September 3, 6:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Wilkinson forecast zone
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 32.802, -83.171 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, September 3, 1998
- Tornado in Georgia, September 3, 1998
- Tornado in Florida, September 3, 1998
- Damaging Winds in Georgia, September 3, 1998
- Tropical Storm in Georgia, September 3 to 4, 1998
- Tornado in North Carolina, September 3, 1998
- Tornado in North Carolina, September 3, 1998
- Heavy Rain in North Carolina, September 3 to 4, 1998
- High Wind in Florida, September 3, 1998
- Damaging Wind in Georgia, September 3, 1998
- Lightning Strike in Florida, September 3, 1998
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, September 3, 1998
More
Every storm in Georgia in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, September 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: 5664541, 5664542, 5664543, 5664544, 5664545, 5664546, 5664547, 5664548, 5664549, 5664550, 5664551, 5664552, 5664553.