Tennessee, 1998

Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, July 20 to 24, 1998

July 20 to 24, 1998 · NWS OHX · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

4 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$70,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Marion

When
July 20, 12:55 PM CST
Where
Marion County, Jasper
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.080, -85.630

Sheriff's department reported a power line was down east of town on U.S. Highway 41.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When
July 20, 7:20 PM CST
Where
Lawrence County, Loretto
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.080, -87.450

Lawrence county EMA reported some tree limbs and free standing signs were blown down. Also, there were many power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, White

When
July 22, 4:15 PM CST
Where
White County, 9 mi W of Sparta
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.930, -85.630

County EMA director reported trees were blown down.

Flash Flood, Smith

When
July 23, 12:00 AM CST to July 24, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Smith County, West Central Portion
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.251, -85.957 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At the intersection of Old Highway 53 and Highway 70N between Rock City and Rome, the roads were closed due to high water. Newspaper accounts tell of homes being evacuated and roads closed at Rome and Rock City. Raging waters from Plunkett's Creek and Rawl's Creek combined to flood Plunkett's Creek Circle, located off Highway 70 in the Rock City community. A mobile home and Plunkett's Creek Baptist Church were flooded.

Thunderstorm Wind, Giles

When
July 23, 3:45 PM CST
Where
Giles County, 11 mi NW of Pulaski
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.320, -87.150

Sheriff's office reported a tree down on power lines on Rose Hill Rd.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 23, 7:43 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where
Montgomery County, Clarksville
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.497, -87.383 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sheriff's department reported 10-15 houses flooded in the northern part of town.

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.
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, July 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: 5659505, 5659506, 5659416, 5659509, 5659507, 5659508.