Alabama, 1998

Flooding in Alabama, March 8 to 17, 1998

March 8 to 17, 1998 · NWS TAE · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

An intense Gulf storm deposited up to 14 inches of rain across southeast Alabama on March 6-8. Houston, Dale, and Geneva counties were declared federal disaster areas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
$230 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TAE wrote it up.

An intense Gulf storm deposited up to 14 inches of rain across southeast Alabama on March 6-8. Houston, Dale, and Geneva counties were declared federal disaster areas. In Geneva County, runoff from torrential rains in Coffee and Dale counties pushed the Chotawhatchee River out of its banks. Resultant flooding the week of March 8 damaged 85 homes, washed out many of the county roads and closed State Highway 27 south from Geneva. An estimated 300 residents were without water. Communities suffering the worst damage were Malvern, Slocomb, Geneva, and Samson. The Choctawhatchee River at Geneva crested near 39.3 feet on March 9. In Houston County, 60 roads were closed. At Cottonwood, several families were evacuated. Approximately 175 homes sustained flood damage. In Dale County, numerous county and state roads were flooded. Between 300 and 400 homes were damaged. The Choctawhatchee River at Newton crested near 34.6 feet (third highest) on March 9. In Henry County, flood damage to county roads alone was estimated near $440,000.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Dale

When
March 8, 12:00 PM EST to March 17, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Dale forecast zone
Property damage
$125 million
Coordinates
31.432, -85.611 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Geneva

When
March 8, 12:00 PM EST to March 17, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Geneva forecast zone
Property damage
$15 million
Coordinates
31.095, -85.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Henry

When
March 8, 12:00 PM EST to March 17, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Henry forecast zone
Property damage
$5.0 million
Coordinates
31.515, -85.241 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Houston

When
March 8, 12:00 PM EST to March 17, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Houston forecast zone
Property damage
$85 million
Coordinates
31.153, -85.302 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alabama in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, 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: 5632269, 5632270, 5632443, 5632444.