Tennessee, 1998

Flash Flood and Hail in Tennessee, May 21, 1998

May 21, 1998 · NWS OHX · 41 events in 31 counties and zones

35 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
$190,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
41

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.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

35 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Stewart

When
May 21, 4:59 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Stewart County, Dover
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.480, -87.830

Sheriff's office reported a tree was blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When
May 21, 5:00 PM CST to 5:10 PM CST
Where
Montgomery County, Clarksville
Property damage
$80,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
36.530, -87.350

Local EMA officials reported trees were blown down county wide. Clarksville Department of Electricity, according to newspaper accounts, said it would cost $80,000 to repair downed power lines by trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When
May 21, 5:10 PM CST
Where
Montgomery County, Clarksville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
36.530, -87.350

SKYWARN Spotter reported trees and power lines were down.

Hail, Montgomery

When
May 21, 5:15 PM CST
Where
Montgomery County, Sango
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
36.500, -87.230

Quarter size hail reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Houston

When
May 21, 5:27 PM CST
Where
Houston County, Erin
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.320, -87.700

A few trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cheatham

When
May 21, 5:27 PM CST
Where
Cheatham County, Ashland City
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.280, -87.070

Sheriff's office reported large tree limb down. Also newspaper account of trees down on power lines in Pegram and Kingston Springs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumner

When
May 21, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Sumner County, West Central Portion
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.400, -86.600

Trees were blown down at White House. Newspaper accounts indicated trees and power lines were strewn across the roads countywide.

Thunderstorm Wind, Robertson

When
May 21, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Robertson County, White House
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.500, -86.630

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dickson

When
May 21, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Dickson County, White Bluff
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
36.120, -87.220

Tree was blown down on a power line in White Bluff.

Hail, Sumner

When
May 21, 5:50 PM CST
Where
Sumner County, Gallatin
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.400, -86.450

Dime to nickel size hail reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When
May 21, 5:53 PM CST
Where
Benton County, Eva
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.070, -88.020

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Davidson

When
May 21, 6:10 PM CST to 6:11 PM CST
Where
Davidson County, Antioch
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
36.070, -86.670

A few roofs were blown off homes from strong thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wilson

When
May 21, 6:10 PM CST to 6:15 PM CST
Where
Wilson County, Lebanon
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.220, -86.300

Sheriff's office reported trees were blown down around the county. Lebanon was hardest hit.

Hail, Davidson

When
May 21, 6:10 PM CST
Where
Davidson County, Nashville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
36.130, -86.830

County EMA official reported dime size hail downtown.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumner

When
May 21, 6:13 PM CST
Where
Sumner County, Gallatin
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates
36.400, -86.450

NWS employee reported trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rutherford

When
May 21, 6:15 PM CST
Where
Rutherford County, Smyrna
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.980, -86.530

Wife of NWS employee reported large tree limbs were blown down.

Hail, Williamson

When
May 21, 6:21 PM CST
Where
Williamson County, Franklin
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
35.920, -86.900

SKYWARN Spotter reported dime size hail.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bedford

When
May 21, 6:25 PM CST
Where
Bedford County, Shelbyville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.480, -86.470

Trees were blown down county wide.

Thunderstorm Wind, Smith

When
May 21, 6:26 PM CST to 6:27 PM CST
Where
Smith County, 10 mi E of Carthage
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.250, -85.750

Sheriff's office reported trees were blown down acounty wide, especially about 10 miles east of Carthage on U.S. Highway 70.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cannon

When
May 21, 6:30 PM CST to 6:35 PM CST
Where
Cannon County, Woodbury
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.830, -86.080

NWS Coop Observer reported a tree was blown down on a road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cannon

When
May 21, 6:30 PM CST to 6:35 PM CST
Where
Cannon County, Woodbury
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.830, -86.080

Sheriff's office reported numerous trees were blown down around the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Perry

When
May 21, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Perry County, Linden
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.620, -87.850

Trees were blown down on Highway 412 east of Linden.

Hail, Decatur

When
May 21, 6:45 PM CST
Where
Decatur County, Parsons
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.650, -88.130

Dime sze hail was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rutherford

When
May 21, 6:45 PM CST
Where
Rutherford County, Murfreesboro
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates
35.850, -86.420

Strong winds caught the edge of the gym's metal roof, rolled it up and left it dangling at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. The report was relayed to the NWS by a radio station. Newspaper accounts mention trees fell on a house on Spring Street, also on 2 trucks and on a boat on Sherrill Blvd., also on a car on Elrod St., and a tree fell on a house on Beck Ct. Trees and power lines were knocked down countywide.

Thunderstorm Wind, Coffee

When
May 21, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Coffee County, Beech Grove
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.630, -86.250

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dekalb

When
May 21, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Dekalb County, 5 mi W of Smithville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.970, -85.930

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Franklin

When
May 21, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Franklin County, Winchester
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.180, -86.120

A few trees were blown down around the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When
May 21, 7:15 PM CST
Where
Wayne County, Waynesboro
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.320, -87.770

Scattered reports of trees being blown down around the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Warren

When
May 21, 7:15 PM CST
Where
Warren County, Centertown
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.720, -85.920

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Warren

When
May 21, 7:15 PM CST
Where
Warren County, Irving College
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.580, -85.720

Trees were blown down. Newspaper article mentions a roof was blown off a restaurant in the Harrison Ferry Mountain area of Warren county. Some of the rafters came from a barn built in 1860. A large portion of the roof fell onto some cars in the parking lot.

Thunderstorm Wind, Putnam

When
May 21, 7:25 PM CST
Where
Putnam County, Cookeville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.170, -85.500

Trees were blown down in Cookeville and areas 2 to 3 miles west of Cookeville.

Thunderstorm Wind, Giles

When
May 21, 7:30 PM CST to 7:33 PM CST
Where
Giles County, North Portion
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.330, -87.030

Sheriff's office reported a few trees were blown down in the northern part of the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When
May 21, 7:30 PM CST
Where
Lawrence County, Lawrenceburg
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.250, -87.330

Scattered reports of trees and power lines down around the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Overton

When
May 21, 7:40 PM CST
Where
Overton County, Rickman
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.270, -85.370

A tree was down on Highway 293.

Thunderstorm Wind, Grundy

When
May 21, 7:40 PM CST to 7:42 PM CST
Where
Grundy County, Altamont
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.430, -85.730

Trees were reported down around the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Van Buren

When
May 21, 8:15 PM CST to 8:20 PM CST
Where
Van Buren County, Spencer
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.750, -85.470

Sheriff's office reported a few trees were blown down around the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sequatchie

When
May 21, 8:20 PM CST to 8:25 PM CST
Where
Sequatchie County, Dunlap
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.380, -85.380

Numerous trees were blown down around the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bledsoe

When
May 21, 8:25 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where
Bledsoe County, Pikeville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.600, -85.200

Sheriff's office reported numerous tress and power lines down around the county.

Flash Flood, Overton

When
May 21, 8:25 PM CST to 9:30 PM CST
Where
Overton County, Livingston
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.345, -85.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Local law enforcement reported water over the roads.

Thunderstorm Wind, White

When
May 21, 8:30 PM CST
Where
White County, Sparta
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
35.930, -85.470

News article account of trees blown down in Sparta from strong thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Overton

When
May 21, 8:34 PM CST
Where
Overton County, 12 mi SE of Livingston
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.270, -85.170

2 trees were blown down on Cub Mountain near Crawford.

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, May 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: 5644935, 5644934, 5644765, 5644766, 5644767, 5644937, 5644769, 5644770, 5644938, 5644768, 5644772, 5644773, 5644830, 5644831, 5644832, 5644833, 5644834, 5644835, 5644836, 5644771, 5644837, 5644838, 5644839, 5644840, 5644841, 5644842, 5644929, 5644843, 5644844, 5644845, 5644846, 5644925, 5644926, 5644927, 5644928, 5644930, 5644931, 5644932, 5644936, 5644939, and more.