North Carolina, 1998

Tornado and Hail in North Carolina, September 28, 1998

September 28, 1998 · NWS GSP · 5 events in 2 counties and zones

A severe thunderstorm caused some large hail and damaging wind in McDowell County where trees were blown down and blocked I-40. A stronger storm developed in southern Caldwell County and quickly moved into western and northern Catawba County where it became severe.

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
$30,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

A severe thunderstorm caused some large hail and damaging wind in McDowell County where trees were blown down and blocked I-40. The Fire Chief reported hail up to dime size in the same area.A stronger storm developed in southern Caldwell County and quickly moved into western and northern Catawba County where it became severe. An employee of an auto dealership reported a small tornado moved quickly from the northwest across the dealership causing damage to the building and several cars. This was likely a "gustnado" type of tornado. Farther east, wind damage caused numerous trees and power lines to fall - especially in the Conover and Claremont areas. Large hail was also observed.

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:14 UTC.

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Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, McDowell

When
September 28, 2:15 PM EST to 2:20 PM EST
Where
McDowell County, Old Ft
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.630, -82.180

Hail, McDowell

When
September 28, 2:15 PM EST to 2:20 PM EST
Where
McDowell County, Old Ft
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates
35.630, -82.180

Tornado, Catawba

When
September 28, 3:55 PM EST to 3:57 PM EST
Where
Catawba County, Hickory
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
25 yd
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.730, -81.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Catawba

When
September 28, 4:09 PM EST to 4:25 PM EST
Where
Catawba County, Hickory to 10 mi of Claremont
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
35.730, -81.130

Hail, Catawba

When
September 28, 4:15 PM EST to 4:20 PM EST
Where
Catawba County, 10 mi E of Hickory
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
35.730, -81.130

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.
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.

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 historyThe tornado archive for North Carolina, 1998Warnings in North Carolina, 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: 5667786, 5667787, 5667788, 5667789, 5667790.