Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, March 19, 1998

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, March 19, 1998
Start: 1998-03-19T17:31
End: 1998-03-19T23:53
Location: Tennessee

March 19, 1998 · NWS OHX · 7 events in 5 counties and zones

4 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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: $180,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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), 149 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Decatur

When: March 19, 5:31 PM CST
Where: Decatur County, Decaturville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 35.580, -88.130

6 homes sustained roof damage. Lots of trees blown down. 3 police antennas were blown down.

Hail, Franklin

When: March 19, 11:10 PM CST to 11:11 PM CST
Where: Franklin County, Winchester
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 35.180, -86.120

Quarter size hail reported.

Hail, Marion

When: March 19, 11:30 PM CST to 11:33 PM CST
Where: Marion County, South Pittsburg
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.030, -85.700

EMA official reported dime size hail that covered the ground.

Thunderstorm Wind, Marion

When: March 19, 11:35 PM CST to 11:39 PM CST
Where: Marion County, Jasper
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 35.080, -85.630

Strong thunderstorm winds blew the roof off the cafeteria of the Jasper Middle School. Many trees were blown down. Some of these trees fell on cars and homes. A portable toilet at a construction site landed inside a woman's car. Building damage was done to a chiropractor's office. About 15 roads were closed due to downed trees around Jasper.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bledsoe

When: March 19, 11:50 PM CST
Where: Bledsoe County, Lees Station
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 35.550, -85.250

Sheriff's office reported treed down.

Hail, Sequatchie

When: March 19, 11:50 PM CST to 11:53 PM CST
Where: Sequatchie County, Dunlap
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.380, -85.380

Dime size hail covered the ground.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sequatchie

When: March 19, 11:50 PM CST to 11:53 PM CST
Where: Sequatchie County, Dunlap
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 35.380, -85.380

Some homes and vehicles were damaged from downed trees in the Brush Creek area.

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

Every storm in Tennessee in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, March 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: 5639612, 5639609, 5639611, 5639614, 5639610, 5639613, 5639615.