Arkansas, 1998

Ice Storm in Arkansas, December 22 to 24, 1998

December 22 to 24, 1998 · NWS SHV · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

9 ice storm, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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
$450,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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

9 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Columbia

When
December 22, 6:00 PM CST to December 24, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Columbia forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.214, -93.227 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A shallow arctic air mass spread southward across all of southwest Arkansas while low pressure formed in the Gulf of Mexico spreading warm moist air northward over the top of the artic air mass. This resulted in widespread freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet. Overall, accumulations of ice and sleet was generally below one inch. The ice accumulated mainly across exposed surfaces such as trees, powerlines, bridges, and overpasses. Numerous power outages, a few automobile accidents, and a few downed trees were the result of the ice storm.

Ice Storm, Hempstead

When
December 22, 6:00 PM CST to December 24, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Hempstead forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.735, -93.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A shallow arctic air mass spread southward across all of southwest Arkansas while low pressure formed in the Gulf of Mexico spreading warm moist air northward over the top of the artic air mass. This resulted in widespread freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet. Overall, accumulations of ice and sleet was generally below one inch. The ice accumulated mainly across exposed surfaces such as trees, powerlines, bridges, and overpasses. Numerous power outages, a few automobile accidents, and a few downed trees were the result of the ice storm.

Ice Storm, Howard

When
December 22, 6:00 PM CST to December 24, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Howard forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
34.089, -93.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A shallow arctic air mass spread southward across all of southwest Arkansas while low pressure formed in the Gulf of Mexico spreading warm moist air northward over the top of the artic air mass. This resulted in widespread freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet. Overall, accumulations of ice and sleet was generally below one inch. The ice accumulated mainly across exposed surfaces such as trees, powerlines, bridges, and overpasses. Numerous power outages, a few automobile accidents, and a few downed trees were the result of the ice storm.

Ice Storm, Lafayette

When
December 22, 6:00 PM CST to December 24, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Lafayette forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.241, -93.607 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A shallow arctic air mass spread southward across all of southwest Arkansas while low pressure formed in the Gulf of Mexico spreading warm moist air northward over the top of the artic air mass. This resulted in widespread freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet. Overall, accumulations of ice and sleet was generally below one inch. The ice accumulated mainly across exposed surfaces such as trees, powerlines, bridges, and overpasses. Numerous power outages, a few automobile accidents, and a few downed trees were the result of the ice storm.

Ice Storm, Little River

When
December 22, 6:00 PM CST to December 24, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Little River forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.701, -94.234 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A shallow arctic air mass spread southward across all of southwest Arkansas while low pressure formed in the Gulf of Mexico spreading warm moist air northward over the top of the artic air mass. This resulted in widespread freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet. Overall, accumulations of ice and sleet was generally below one inch. The ice accumulated mainly across exposed surfaces such as trees, powerlines, bridges, and overpasses. Numerous power outages, a few automobile accidents, and a few downed trees were the result of the ice storm.

Ice Storm, Miller

When
December 22, 6:00 PM CST to December 24, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Miller forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.312, -93.892 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A shallow arctic air mass spread southward across all of southwest Arkansas while low pressure formed in the Gulf of Mexico spreading warm moist air northward over the top of the artic air mass. This resulted in widespread freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet. Overall, accumulations of ice and sleet was generally below one inch. The ice accumulated mainly across exposed surfaces such as trees, powerlines, bridges, and overpasses. Numerous power outages, a few automobile accidents, and a few downed trees were the result of the ice storm.

Ice Storm, Nevada

When
December 22, 6:00 PM CST to December 24, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Nevada forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.664, -93.307 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A shallow arctic air mass spread southward across all of southwest Arkansas while low pressure formed in the Gulf of Mexico spreading warm moist air northward over the top of the artic air mass. This resulted in widespread freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet. Overall, accumulations of ice and sleet was generally below one inch. The ice accumulated mainly across exposed surfaces such as trees, powerlines, bridges, and overpasses. Numerous power outages, a few automobile accidents, and a few downed trees were the result of the ice storm.

Ice Storm, Sevier

When
December 22, 6:00 PM CST to December 24, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Sevier forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.997, -94.241 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A shallow arctic air mass spread southward across all of southwest Arkansas while low pressure formed in the Gulf of Mexico spreading warm moist air northward over the top of the artic air mass. This resulted in widespread freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet. Overall, accumulations of ice and sleet was generally below one inch. The ice accumulated mainly across exposed surfaces such as trees, powerlines, bridges, and overpasses. Numerous power outages, a few automobile accidents, and a few downed trees were the result of the ice storm.

Ice Storm, Union

When
December 22, 6:00 PM CST to December 24, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Union forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.171, -92.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A shallow arctic air mass spread southward across all of southwest Arkansas while low pressure formed in the Gulf of Mexico spreading warm moist air northward over the top of the artic air mass. This resulted in widespread freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet. Overall, accumulations of ice and sleet was generally below one inch. The ice accumulated mainly across exposed surfaces such as trees, powerlines, bridges, and overpasses. Numerous power outages, a few automobile accidents, and a few downed trees were the result of the ice storm.

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arkansas in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, December 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: 5677390, 5677391, 5677392, 5677393, 5677522, 5677523, 5677524, 5677525, 5677526.