Tennessee, 1998

Flash Flooding and Hail in Tennessee, May 6, 1998

May 6, 1998 · NWS MEG · 7 events in 6 counties and zones

3 flash flood, 2 hail, 2 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
$221,000
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 national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

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

Hail, Shelby

When
May 6, 1:10 AM CST to 1:25 AM CST
Where
Shelby County, Memphis to Arlington
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$200,000
Coordinates
35.130, -90.020

Over 400 homes in the Lakeland area were damaged by the hail. Hail ranged from quarter size in Memphis and Bartlett to baseball size in Arlington.

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When
May 6, 1:15 AM CST to 1:20 AM CST
Where
Shelby County, Arlington
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
35.300, -89.680

Several trees were knocked down.

Hail, Fayette

When
May 6, 2:10 AM CST to 2:30 AM CST
Where
Fayette County, Braden to Piperton
Measured
0.75 in hail
Property damage
$20
Coordinates
35.380, -89.580

Thunderstorm Wind, Haywood

When
May 6, 2:10 AM CST to 2:15 AM CST
Where
Haywood County, Holly Grove
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
35.650, -89.130

A few trees were blown down.

Flash Flood, Gibson

When
May 6, 11:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Gibson County, Milan
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
35.997, -88.933 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

About five inches of rain fell in the Milan area causing flash flooding. Several roads were closed and homes were flooded. A few people had to be evacuated from their homes because of the flooding.

Flash Flood, Madison

When
May 6, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Madison County, Jackson
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
35.608, -88.838 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Nearly 4 inches of rain fell in the Jackson area causing the Anderson Branch Creek to flood. Several homes and businesses were flooded. Several roads were also flooded.

Flash Flood, Crockett

When
May 6, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Crockett County, Alamo
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
35.814, -89.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rain produced flash flooding in the Alamo area. Several roads were flooded.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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, 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: 5648270, 5648271, 5648272, 5648366, 5648274, 5648273, 5648367.