1998 Gainesville–Stoneville tornado outbreak

Weather event in the United States May 2025 February 2025 1998 Gainesville-Stoneville tornado outbreak Nc_full_reports.png Survey of all storm reports during the 3-20-98 severe weather outbreak March 20, 1998 12 F3 14 hours, 20 minutes 14 fatalities, 205 injuries $56.5 millionhttp://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=%28C%29+Tornado&beginDate_mm=03&beginDate_dd=20&beginDate_yyyy=1998&endDate_mm=03&endDate_dd=21&endDate_yyyy=1998&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=-999%2CALL Storm Events Database - Search Results | National Climatic Data Center 2015-12-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20160105230448/http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=%28C%29+Tornado&beginDate_mm=03&beginDate_dd=20&beginDate_yyyy=1998&endDate_mm=03&endDate_dd=21&endDate_yyyy=1998&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=-999%2CALL 2016-01-05 dead Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia A deadly tornado outbreak struck portions of the southeastern United States on March 20, 1998. Particularly hard hit were rural areas outside of Gainesville, Georgia, where at least 12 people were killed in an early morning F3 tornado. The entire outbreak killed 14 people and produced 12 tornadoes across three states with the town of Stoneville, North Carolina, being also hard hit by the storms. Meteorological synopsis Prior to March 20, several days of severe weather dumped heavy amounts of rain in the Southeast, particularly in North Carolina. On the day of the severe weather outbreak, temperatures were in the 40s across the Appalachian Mountains and the North Carolina Piedmont region, while temperatures in the 60s and 70s further south creating a sharp contrast between air masses across the Southeast.March 20, 1998 Severe Weather Outbreak A strong storm cell moved across northern Georgia during the early morning hours. This supercell produced the Gainesville area tornado, before producing scattered reports of large hail and high wind damage farther northeast in Appalachian North Carolina. As this first bout of severe weather slowly dissipated, a line of storms rapidly developed east of the mountains over the western Carolinas during the early afternoon. Moving into a warmer environment where CAPE values were high (over 1000 j/kg), the line of storms evolved into several supercells, including two particularly prolific storms that moved across central and northern North Carolina from Charlotte to the Virginia border.Base reflectivity radar imagery from KFCX WSR-88D from 1837Z March 20, 1998 through 2032Z March 20, 1998 Confirmed tornadoes 12 3 4 3 2 0 0 F#LocationCounty Time (UTC)Path lengthDamageGeorgia F3S of Murrayville to SE of ClevelandHall, White112513 miles (20.8 km)12 deaths - See section on this tornado – 171 people were injured.North Carolina F0Mint Hill (East Charlotte)Mecklenburg19420.1 miles (0.16 km)Damage to trees and power lines occurred. 2 in m on hail fell in Mint Hill, where twin rope funnels were reported by an eyewitness. F1N of Pine HallStokes20141.5 miles (2.4 km)Several mobile homes, a house, and a church were damaged, and trees were downed. Three people were injured. F3SW of Mayodan to NW of EdenRockingham202512 miles (19.2 km)2 deaths - See section on this tornado – 27 people were injured. F0SW of Holly SpringsWake23150.1 miles (0.16 km)One home sustained minor damage. Home video of the storm showed a rotating wall cloud containing several vortices, of which only one briefly touched down. F2SE of MoriahDurham23302.5 miles (4 km)Caused damage to farm sheds, homes, and businesses. One person was injured. F2GarnerWake23401.5 miles (2.4 km)A church was damaged, and numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. Two people were injured. F0RaleighWake23450.2 miles (0.32 km)A tornado caused damage to a business, two sheds, five greenhouses, and several cars (some of which were overturned). F2E of BereaGranville23551.5 miles (2.4 km)Caused damage to a ranch house, a farm house, and outbuildings. Barns were destroyed as well. F1NW of CastaliaFranklin00350.1 miles (0.16 km)Six houses and a mobile home were damaged. F1NE of ProctorvilleRobeson01450.5 miles (0.8 km)A mobile home was slightly pushed off its foundation. One person was injured and large hail was also reported. One person was injured.Virginia F1W of Sandy Level to NW of WhitmillHenry, Pittsylvania205613 miles (20.8 km)A total of 60 residences, barns, outbuildings, vehicles and two churches were damaged or destroyed. Damage path up to 350 yards in width.Source: https://archive.today/20130204130327/http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornadodata.php?yr=1998&mo=3&day=20&st=%25&fu=%25&co=Any&l=500&submit=Search&ddat=on&dtim=on&dsta=on&dfuj=on&dfat=on&dinj=on&dlen=on&dcou=on&format=basic&p=1&s=1 Tornado History Project - March 20, 1998 Storm Data Gainesville, Georgia Gainesville, Georgia F3 12 fatalities, 171 injuries $20 million (1998 USD)Georgia F3 tornado, NOAAGeorgia F3 Tornado, NOAA Touching down at around 6:25 AM EST in northwestern Hall County, this powerful pre-dawn F3 tornado traveled into southern White County, leaving a 13-mile long damage path through rural areas outside of Gainesville, Georgia, before dissipating at around 6:40 EST. It heavily damaged Lanier Elementary School and unroofed North Hall High School, while damaging or destroying several businesses. The school system did not fully recover until the next fall. At North Hall, the gymnasium was used as a temporary classroom until the end of the school year, while students at Lanier were temporarily relocated in three other area schools that were not affected by the tornado.Pre-dawn Killer: The 1998 Tornado Remembered AccessNorthGaAugust 2026 InternetArchiveBot About 40 homes were completely destroyed and another 130 were damaged to varying degrees. 45 mobile homes were also damaged or destroyed, with 11 of the fatalities who were inside those structures. The other fatality occurred when a tractor-trailer was carried by the funnel and slammed into a school bus, killing the driver. Eight chicken houses were also destroyed and about 100,000 chickens were killed. 40 cattle were also killed by the storm.1998 Tornadoes https://web.archive.org/web/20081004223940/http://www.tornadoproject.com/past/pastts98.htm October 4, 2008 In addition to the 12 fatalities, over 150 people were injured. A police officer was also killed after being hit by a car while assisting a motorist who was involved in an accident during the storm. The fatality was not directly attributed to the tornado itself. Since recordkeeping began, this storm stands as the second deadliest Georgia tornado since 1950 and the deadliest since an F4 killed 18 on April 30, 1953, south of Macon.Tornado Database, Tornado Maps, Tornado PathsJanuary 2022 InternetArchiveBot yes The damage figures were estimated at between $15 million and $20 million with the majority of the damage in Hall County.http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~332710 NCDC: Event Details 2008-03-31 https://web.archive.org/web/20110520004308/http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~332710 2011-05-20 dead The immediate Gainesville area is no stranger to deadly tornadoes. It was the site of the fifth deadliest tornado in United States history on April 6, 1936, during the Tupelo-Gainesville tornado outbreak, where two tornadoes merged into a very large F4 killing 203 including 70 at the Cooper Pants Factory. The tornado occurred only 12 hours after an F5 struck Tupelo, Mississippi, killing at least 216 (with others being unaccounted for), making it the fourth deadliest tornado on record including storms before 1950. Another tornado hit Gainesville in 1903 killing at least 100. The 1998 season, an El Niño year, had several deadly tornado outbreaks in addition to the Gainesville tornado including the Kissimmee Tornado Outbreak in Florida on February 23, the Birmingham, Alabama tornado on April 8, the Mississippi and Tennessee Valley outbreak on April 16 and the Spencer, South Dakota/Eastern tornado outbreak and derecho on May 30–31. Stoneville, North Carolina Stoneville, North Carolina F3 $34 million (1998 USD)North Carolina F3 Tornado, NOAA 2 fatalities, 27 injuries At about 3:25 PM an F3 tornado developed about one mile southwest of Mayodan in Rockingham County, North Carolina, touching down in an open field near the Western Rockingham Middle School. The tornado then almost immediately struck Unifi Plant No. 5, a textile manufacturing complex, tearing the roof and wall off of one of its buildings. The tornado proceeded to destroy several homes, cause extensive damage to the West Side Baptist Church, and strike an apartment complex and an abandoned elementary school. Over 190 residences in Mayodan were damaged by the storm. Smith Heather J. Ten years on, Stoneville tornado still brings vivid memories The News & Advance March 16, 2008 https://newsadvance.com/archives/ten-years-on-stoneville-tornado-still-brings-vivid-memories/article_154c6db5-c952-5191-aedc-1b3f4a34f4c3.html August 27, 2020 The tornado proceeded past Mayodan, crossing the Mayo River and traveling several miles across forests and farmland. Between Mayodan and U.S. Route 220 it struck the home of farmer Powell Hickman, throwing him from his residence and killing him. At about 3:30 the tornado entered the town of Stoneville, North Carolina, traveling north along a rail line into the main business district along Henry Street. It caused extensive damage to commercial structures. Beth Mitchell, a national champion shag dancer, died when her car was thrown into a repair garage. Banks Margaret Moffett Six months after the Stoneville tornado, Nancy Mitchell continues to grieve for her daughter. Slowly she is getting better. News & Record September 26, 1998 https://greensboro.com/six-months-after-the-stoneville-tornado-nancy-mitchell-continues-to-grieve-for-her-daughter-slowly/article_22828f7c-4234-5149-be89-e0c7a552cc5a.html August 27, 2020 At 3:49 the tornado, after traveling 12 miles, dissipated about three miles northwest of the town of Eden. thumb|200px|right|Damage from the tornado on East Main Street in downtown Stoneville A total of 500 to 600 residences were affected by the tornado, along with numerous businesses; while several vehicles (including a fire truck) were also tossed some distance. Canceled checks from Stoneville were found 53 miles away in Huddleston, Virginia, while other debris was found scattered in and around the Martinsville area. Total casualties amounted to two dead and 27 injured. The tornado was the strongest on-record to have ever struck Rockingham County. https://projects.ncsu.edu/atmos_collaboration/nwsfo/storage/cases/19980320/ March 20, 1998 Severe Weather and Tornado Outbreak Badgett Phillip Blaes Jonathan Keeter Kermit National Weather Service - NCSU Collaborative Research & Training Site North Carolina State University August 27, 2020 See also Tupelo-Gainesville tornado outbreak List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks References External links NWS Raleigh Storm Summary of the March 20, 1998 tornado outbreak 1998-03-20 1998-03-20 1998-03-20 03-20 Gainesville-stoneville Tornado Outbreak, 1998 Gainesville-Stoneville tornado outbreak Gainesville-Stoneville tornado outbreak Category:Rockingham County, North Carolina Gainesville-Stoneville tornado outbreak 1998-03-20