Damaging Wind in North Carolina, August 16, 1998

Name: Damaging Wind in North Carolina, August 16, 1998
Start: 1998-08-16T20:30
End: 1998-08-16T20:30
Location: North Carolina

August 16, 1998 · NWS RAH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 22 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:31 UTC.

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Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wake

When: August 16, 8:30 PM EST
Where: Wake County, Raleigh
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.800, -78.670

An area of thunderstorms developed over Chapel Hill to Jordan Lake and Durham and moved slowly east into Wake county. The storms consolidated into one large cell that became severe from west Raleigh east into the downtown area. There were numerous reports of trees blown down and debris blocking roads especially in the area just west of downtown. Frequent lightning knocked out power to over 4000 Raleigh residents.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, August 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: 5665932.