The March 20, 1998 tornado
F3Hall and White counties, Georgia
An F3 tornado on a 4.0-mile path that killed 12 and injured 171. It was one of 12 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day, 2 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Watch how it happenedF3 tornado · March 20, 1998
How it happened
Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.
The tornado
- Rating
- F3
- Fujita scale
- Path length
- 4.0 mi
- Width up to 100 yards
- Killed
- 12
- Along the whole path
- Injured
- 171
- Along the whole path
- Date and time
- Friday, March 20, 1998
- 6:25 AM EST
The National Weather Service account
Written by the local Weather Service office after its damage survey.
The storm system that day
The tornado began in northwest Hall county and moved into southern White county. Total distance covered was about 13 miles. Aerial and ground surveys by NWS employees showed extensive damage along the path. There was significant damage to Lanier Elementary School and North Hall High School. Houses, trailers, businesses, and agricultural interests (namely the poultry industry) were demolished or damaged. Large areas of forest were flattened. A tractor-trailer truck was thrown 100 feet from the road into a school, killing the driver. All of the other 11 persons killed were in mobile homes. The damage path varied from 50 to 200 yards, but averaged around 100 yards wide.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
Counties on its path
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.