Connecticut, 1998

Ice Storm in Connecticut, January 15 to 16, 1998

January 15 to 16, 1998 · NWS BOX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Low pressure over the southeastern United States moved northeast to a position off the Mid-Atlantic coast. A moderate ice storm occurred across northern Connecticut with ice accretions averaging just under one-half inch.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 BOX wrote it up.

Low pressure over the southeastern United States moved northeast to a position off the Mid-Atlantic coast. A moderate ice storm occurred across northern Connecticut with ice accretions averaging just under one-half inch. One-half inch of accretion was reported in Woodstock in Windham County. Power outages affected 86,00 customers in the northern part of the state. The hardest hit town was New Britain. Schools were closed throughout the area and flights were delayed leaving Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks. State police reported around 200 accidents on roadways throughout the area.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Hartford

When
January 15, 4:00 PM EST to January 16, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Hartford forecast zone
Coordinates
41.819, -72.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Tolland

When
January 15, 4:00 PM EST to January 16, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Tolland forecast zone

Ice Storm, Windham

When
January 15, 4:00 PM EST to January 16, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Windham forecast zone
Coordinates
41.827, -71.977 (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

More

Every storm in Connecticut in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, January 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5635871, 5635872, 5635873.