North Carolina, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, June 22, 1998

June 22, 1998 · NWS GSP · 13 events in 10 counties and zones

Multi-cell thunderstorms moved across the mountains and into the foothills during the evening hours. Some of the storms became severe and produced mainly wind damage.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$10,000
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 GSP wrote it up.

Multi-cell thunderstorms moved across the mountains and into the foothills during the evening hours. Some of the storms became severe and produced mainly wind damage. Winds were estimated as high as 75 mph in Rutherford county early in the evening, resulting in downed trees damaging several homes and a barn destoyed. A National Weather Service co-operative observer measured a 63 mph wind gust on Flat Top Mountain. A tree fell on a house in west Asheville as well as in Hickory. Elsewhere, scattered trees and some power lines were downed.

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:27 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rutherford

When
June 22, 5:30 PM EST
Where
Rutherford County, Forest City to Ellenboro
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
35.330, -81.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When
June 22, 8:40 PM EST
Where
Madison County, 10 mi N of Mars Hill
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.980, -82.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Buncombe

When
June 22, 9:00 PM EST
Where
Buncombe County, 2 mi S of Swannanoa
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
35.570, -82.400

Hail, Buncombe

When
June 22, 9:00 PM EST
Where
Buncombe County, 2 mi S of Swannanoa
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.570, -82.400

Thunderstorm Wind, McDowell

When
June 22, 9:05 PM EST to 9:19 PM EST
Where
McDowell County, Pleasant Gardens to Marion
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.680, -82.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Yancey

When
June 22, 9:10 PM EST
Where
Yancey County, Burnsville to 10 mi SW of Burnsville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.020, -82.430

Thunderstorm Wind, Haywood

When
June 22, 9:15 PM EST
Where
Haywood County, Maggie Vly
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.520, -83.080

Thunderstorm Wind, McDowell

When
June 22, 9:20 PM EST to 9:30 PM EST
Where
McDowell County, East Marion
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.700, -81.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Henderson

When
June 22, 9:20 PM EST to 9:30 PM EST
Where
Henderson County, Etowah to Mountain Home
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.320, -82.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Catawba

When
June 22, 9:30 PM EST
Where
Catawba County, Hickory
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
35.730, -81.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Caldwell

When
June 22, 9:30 PM EST
Where
Caldwell County, Lenoir
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.920, -81.550

Thunderstorm Wind, Rutherford

When
June 22, 10:10 PM EST
Where
Rutherford County, Ellenboro
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.330, -81.780

Thunderstorm Wind, Mecklenburg

When
June 22, 11:15 PM EST
Where
Mecklenburg County, South Portion
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.170, -80.830

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.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, June 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5651882, 5651883, 5651884, 5651885, 5651886, 5651888, 5651889, 5651887, 5651890, 5651891, 5651892, 5651893, 5651894.