Ice Storm in Arkansas, December 23 to 24, 1998

Name: Ice Storm in Arkansas, December 23 to 24, 1998
Start: 1998-12-23T09:30
End: 1998-12-24T03:00
Location: Arkansas

December 23 to 24, 1998 · NWS MEG · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

An ice storm moved through eastern Arkansas. Most areas saw between 1/4" and 1/2" of ice accumulation.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $11,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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 MEG wrote it up.

An ice storm moved through eastern Arkansas. Most areas saw between 1/4" and 1/2" of ice accumulation. A few trees were knocked down because of the ice.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Clay

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.368, -90.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Craighead

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Craighead forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.831, -90.633 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Crittenden

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Crittenden forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.208, -90.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Cross

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Cross forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.296, -90.771 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Greene

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Greene forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.118, -90.559 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Lawrence

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Lawrence forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.041, -91.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Lee

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Lee forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.781, -90.782 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Mississippi

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Mississippi forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.764, -90.054 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Phillips

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Phillips forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.428, -90.848 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Randolph

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Randolph forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.342, -91.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, St. Francis

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 3:00 AM CST
Where: St. Francis forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.022, -90.748 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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

Every storm in Arkansas in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 5674377, 5674378, 5674379, 5674380, 5674480, 5674481, 5674482, 5674483, 5674484, 5674485, 5674486.