Tennessee, 1998

Flash Flooding and Flood in Tennessee, July 30, 1998

July 30, 1998 · NWS MEG · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

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

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
$26,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 Paducah radar (KPAH), 104 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood, 1 flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Lake

When
July 30, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 AM CST
Where
Lake County, Ridgely
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.335, -89.493 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One road was flooded with water reaching up to the headlights.

Flood, Dyer

When
July 30, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 AM CST
Where
Dyer County, Dyersburg
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.059, -89.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A few roads were covered with water.

Flash Flood, Gibson

When
July 30, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 AM CST
Where
Gibson County, Dyer
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.997, -88.933 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several families had to evacuate their homes in both Dyer and Rutherford.

Thunderstorm Wind, Weakley

When
July 30, 7:30 PM CST to 7:35 PM CST
Where
Weakley County, Martin to Gleason
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
36.350, -88.850

Several trees and a utility pole were blown down in Martin. Some tree limbs were also blown down between Martin and Gleason.

What these are

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.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
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

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: 5662251, 5662252, 5662253, 5662254.