Tennessee, 1998

Flash Flooding and Hail in Tennessee, April 16, 1998

April 16, 1998 · NWS OHX · 37 events in 15 counties and zones

27 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 5 flash flood, 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
0
Property damage
$60,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
37

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 Ft Campbell radar (KHPX), 56 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

27 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 5 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Stewart

When
April 16, 3:55 AM CST
Where
Stewart County, Dover
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
36.480, -87.830

Public reported a tree down on HWY 49 between Dover and Carlisle.

Thunderstorm Wind, Robertson

When
April 16, 5:00 AM CST to 5:01 AM CST
Where
Robertson County, White House
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
36.500, -86.630

Ham radio operator reported power lines down just west of White House on HWY 76 and Union Road.

Hail, Davidson

When
April 16, 5:25 AM CST to 5:26 AM CST
Where
Davidson County, Hermitage
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
36.180, -86.620

NWS employee reported nickel size hail.

Flash Flood, Davidson

When
April 16, 5:25 AM CST to 8:30 AM CST
Where
Davidson County, Hermitage
Coordinates
36.171, -86.777 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

NWS employee reported Dobson Chappel Road down to one lane due to high water. Culverts were overflowing.

Hail, Davidson

When
April 16, 5:30 AM CST to 5:31 AM CST
Where
Davidson County, Hermitage
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.180, -86.620

NWS employee reported golf ball size hail.

Flash Flood, Davidson

When
April 16, 6:25 AM CST to 7:15 AM CST
Where
Davidson County, Hermitage
Coordinates
36.171, -86.777 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/2 foot of water at Lebanon Road and Matterhorn Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Putnam

When
April 16, 7:20 AM CST to 7:28 AM CST
Where
Putnam County, Baxter to Cookeville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
36.150, -85.630

EMA reported trees blown down between Baxter and Cookeville along I-40.

Flash Flood, Wilson

When
April 16, 7:25 AM CST to 8:55 AM CST
Where
Wilson County, Mt Juliet
Coordinates
36.155, -86.298 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

NWS employee reported water 6 to 8 inches deep covering intersection of S. Greenhill Road and Old Railroad Bed Road.

Flash Flood, Putnam

When
April 16, 7:48 AM CST to 10:30 AM CST
Where
Putnam County, Cookeville
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
36.141, -85.495 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

EMA official reported major street flooding. Some homes were also flooded.

Hail, Sumner

When
April 16, 10:17 AM CST to 10:18 AM CST
Where
Sumner County, Portland
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.580, -86.520

Sheriff reported dime size hail.

Hail, Sumner

When
April 16, 10:26 AM CST to 10:27 AM CST
Where
Sumner County, Portland
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
36.580, -86.520

County sheriff reported nickel size hail.

Hail, Sumner

When
April 16, 10:48 AM CST to 10:49 AM CST
Where
Sumner County, Westmoreland
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
36.570, -86.250

Sheriff reported nickel size hail.

Hail, Williamson

When
April 16, 11:27 AM CST to 11:28 AM CST
Where
Williamson County, 3 mi N of Franklin
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.970, -86.900

Trucker reported quarter size hail 3 miles north of Franklin on I-65.

Hail, Rutherford

When
April 16, 11:51 AM CST to 11:52 AM CST
Where
Rutherford County, Smyrna
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.980, -86.530

NWS employee reported dime size hail.

Hail, Rutherford

When
April 16, 11:51 AM CST to 11:52 AM CST
Where
Rutherford County, La Vergne
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.020, -86.580

Public reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Rutherford

When
April 16, 11:51 AM CST to 11:52 AM CST
Where
Rutherford County, Murfreesboro
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.850, -86.420

Spotter reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Rutherford

When
April 16, 12:05 PM CST to 12:06 PM CST
Where
Rutherford County, Walterhill
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.950, -86.400

Spotter reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Decatur

When
April 16, 1:22 PM CST to 1:23 PM CST
Where
Decatur County, Parsons
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.650, -88.130

Spotter reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Humphreys

When
April 16, 1:25 PM CST to 1:26 PM CST
Where
Humphreys County, Waverly
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.080, -87.800

Sheriff reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Dickson

When
April 16, 1:50 PM CST to 1:56 PM CST
Where
Dickson County, 8 mi N of White Bluff
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.230, -87.220

Spotter reported golf ball size hail covering the ground to a depth of 21/2 inches.

Hail, Decatur

When
April 16, 1:57 PM CST to 1:58 PM CST
Where
Decatur County, Parsons
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.650, -88.130

EMA reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Cheatham

When
April 16, 2:05 PM CST to 2:06 PM CST
Where
Cheatham County, 3 mi NW of Ashland City
Measured
2.75 in hail
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
36.320, -87.100

Ham radio operator reported golf ball size hail. However, a newspaper article reported hail the size of baseballs damaged 35 to 50 homes.

Hail, Dickson

When
April 16, 2:10 PM CST to 2:11 PM CST
Where
Dickson County, White Bluff
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.120, -87.220

Sheriff reported golf ball size hail.

Hail, Humphreys

When
April 16, 2:10 PM CST to 2:11 PM CST
Where
Humphreys County, Waverly
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.080, -87.800

Sheriff reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Davidson

When
April 16, 2:15 PM CST to 2:16 PM CST
Where
Davidson County, Nashville
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.130, -86.830

Sheriff reported golf ball size hail in west Nashville on Charlotte Pike.

Hail, Sumner

When
April 16, 2:25 PM CST to 2:26 PM CST
Where
Sumner County, Hendersonville
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.280, -86.620

County sheriff reported quarter size hail at junction of HWY 386 and Shackle Island Road.

Hail, Davidson

When
April 16, 2:34 PM CST
Where
Davidson County, Nashville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.130, -86.830

NWS employee reported dime size hail on Delta Queen Drive near Opryland.

Hail, Davidson

When
April 16, 2:36 PM CST to 2:37 PM CST
Where
Davidson County, Madison
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.250, -86.770

Sheriff reported dime size hail.

Hail, Davidson

When
April 16, 2:43 PM CST to 2:44 PM CST
Where
Davidson County, Inglewood
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.220, -86.730

NWS employee reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Davidson

When
April 16, 3:20 PM CST to 3:21 PM CST
Where
Davidson County, Nashville
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
36.130, -86.830

County sheriff reported nickel size hail in the Green Hills area.

Hail, Smith

When
April 16, 3:50 PM CST to 3:51 PM CST
Where
Smith County, Pleasant Shade
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.380, -85.950

County sheriff reported golf ball size hail.

Hail, Davidson

When
April 16, 4:20 PM CST to 4:21 PM CST
Where
Davidson County, Madison
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.250, -86.770

Ham radio operator reported quarter size hail.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dickson

When
April 16, 4:50 PM CST to 4:51 PM CST
Where
Dickson County, Dickson
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
36.080, -87.380

Local law enforcement reported numerous trees were blown down

Flash Flood, Dickson

When
April 16, 4:50 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Dickson County, Dickson
Coordinates
36.149, -87.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Local law enforcement reported widespread flooding in Dickson.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When
April 16, 5:15 PM CST to 5:16 PM CST
Where
Jackson County, Gainesboro
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
36.350, -85.650

Local law enforcement reported several trees were blown down.

Hail, Jackson

When
April 16, 5:15 PM CST to 5:16 PM CST
Where
Jackson County, Gainesboro
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
36.350, -85.650

Local law enforcement reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Maury

When
April 16, 6:40 PM CST to 6:41 PM CST
Where
Maury County, 5 mi S of Columbia
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.550, -87.050

Local law enforcement reported dime size hail.

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.
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 Tennessee in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, 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: 5640789, 5640899, 5640791, 5640900, 5640790, 5641013, 5640896, 5640895, 5640897, 5640793, 5640792, 5640794, 5640795, 5640796, 5640892, 5640893, 5640894, 5640898, 5640901, 5640902, 5640903, 5640904, 5640906, 5640907, 5640905, 5640912, 5640908, 5640909, 5640910, 5640911, 5641006, 5641007, 5641008, 5641009, 5641010, 5641011, 5641012.